The Martian

The Martian is the third great picture about space travel in as many years, following Gravity and Interstellar, respectively. Remarkably, none of these films really overlap in their focus or subject matter (though they do share a few stars), each of them giving the audience a different aspect of outer space. Gravity was about the sheer experience of being in space, in both the best and (mostly) worst of circumstances. Interstellar explored the theoretical side of space and admittedly ventured into purely speculative territory, the fiction part of science fiction. The Martian, the best of the three, is focused on the science part.

The film’s opening drops right in on a NASA crew on Mars, but before we even get to see much of their home base or scientific undertakings, a severe storm blows in and forces them to abort their mission. During their evacuation, botanist Mark Watney (Matt Damon) is hit by debris and presumed dead. Turns out he survives this mishap, though, and is now stranded on the planet with limited supplies and no means of communication. To survive, Watney must find a way to create more food, water, and oxygen all alone in an alien environment, as well as make contact with Earth in hopes of being rescued.

In the novel on which the movie is based, author Andy Weir managed to repackage reasonably complicated science into effortlessly readable and fast-moving, even humorous prose. The film compresses the narrative nicely, retaining bits of the book’s journal framing device in the form of video logs (though thankfully not going into tired “found footage” territory) among the more straightforward scenes of Watney on Mars and NASA organizing their rescue plan on Earth.

As for making the scientific content exciting, well, therein comes one of the underrated talents of director Ridley Scott: he knows how to take his time efficiently. At his best, his work’s, for lack of a better word, slower scenes have an unmistakable pacing and are brimming with substance that stimulates the picture, whether it’s building terror in Alien, creating mood and atmosphere in Blade Runner, or musing on the religion and politics of Kingdom of Heaven. In The Martian, though, these scenes are the meat of the narrative, not just supplementary to the major points in the dramatic structure. The danger doesn’t have a grave immediacy that rushes things along (which kind of gives the setbacks Watney faces more dramatic weight, not to mention making them more unexpected). And yet, in Scott’s hands, the film is as captivating as a tightly-wound thriller, even when it’s spelling out the science like a classroom lesson. It’s also imbued with a levity that’s welcome even among the most dead serious sequences, and a soundtrack (a sort of running joke throughout) that’s surprisingly much more fitting than one might think.

One must single out Matt Damon in the lead role, since the narrative is centered on him. He’s got the convincing demeanor of both a real astronaut and a regular person pushed to their limit, as well as a sardonic bent that’s appropriate for both the role—it’s a way to keep his spirits up against the overwhelming challenge of staying alive—and the overall tone of the film. But it’s almost more accurate to call this an ensemble picture due to the abundance of great roles. Every speaking role seems authentic and believable, from major supporting players Jessica Chastain, Jeff Daniels, Chiwetel Ejiofor, and Kristen Wiig, to those with only a minute or two of total screen time. 

The Martian is also a beautiful-looking movie with terrific effects and sets, and as realistic space sequences as any ever filmed. Yet, all that almost seems like an afterthought. It’s not the aesthetic or spectacle, but its scientific substance that’s most compelling. It’s not only one of the best films this year on any level; it’s absolutely refreshing, for it entertains the brain instead of just the bare senses.