The Martian Review

Ridley Scott's latest film The Martian sees Matt Damon play botanist astronaut Mark Watney who is stranded on Mars after being injured during a storm that forced his crew was to evacuate. Everyone believes that Watney is dead but once NASA finds out that Watney is still alive, the rescue is on to save Watney before he dies.

The Martian is following in the long line of space films released around the time of award season. 2014 had Christopher Nolan's space journey Interstellar and 2013 brought us the breathtaking 3D space survival film Gravity. But if I had to choose another film to compare The Martian to, I would choose Ron Howard's Apollo 13. While Ridley Scott's film does not fall into a space disaster film it shares the same premise: An astronaut has to get back home safely. Space provides filmmakers with a built in antagonist as it is unknowing and unforgiving. I'm also seeing that these space films are feelin long, at least to me.

Since CGI has improved, space looks more real than ever before. The effects in this film are good but for me it does not provide the experience as The Walk did. I'm sure Neil DeGrasse Tyson or some other space expert will go into detail about the inaccuracies in the film but as a casual movie goer I believed that Matt Damon was on Mars and his survival technique could work.

The film is not the Cast Away in space movie Gravity was, where it had one actor the whole movie, you meet the people that are helping Matt Damon get home. Jeff Daniel and Kristen Wiig, actors who are known for giving funny performances, give surprisingly dramatic performances. I was surprised that the actors could hold their own and be taken seriously in the movie. They get funny line here and there but they are serious characters. Michael Pena and Kate Mara, both coming off of superhero films, also give great performances. Donald Glover, famed rapper Childish Gambino, plays the odd yet talented astrodynamicist that provides the plan that helps Damon's character get off the desolate planet.

Space movies for me can be a little long for me and I felt that way when I saw this movie. But if you're into space drama and enjoy Matt Damon check it out, you will not be disappointed.