Astronaut Mark Watney sits on a jagged rock overlooking a mottled red, orange and brown landscape that is simultaneously desolate and breathtaking. In his orange space suit, Watney becomes practically lost against the landscape as he stares out at the vista of the windswept desert of Mars. It is this moment that perfectly captures the contrast between the loneliness and the beauty on display in director Ridley Scott’s “The Martian.”
Scott’s work has largely underwhelmed since he directed “Gladiator” back in 2000 so it pleases me to say that Scott has returned to his science fiction niche with all his confidence and ability present.
Based on the book of the same name, “The Martian” is primarily focused on Watney, an astronaut on Mars who is left for dead after he becomes separated from his crew. With low supplies and a lower chance of rescue, Watney must rely on his ingenuity and background as a botanist to grow food on a lifeless planet while he waits and hopes for help to arrive.
Watching Watney piece together how he is going to grow crops and make water in his team’s artificial habitat is incredibly rewarding partly because we love to root for an underdog and partly because the science behind the film is so engaging and accurate. In fact, NASA was heavily involved in the film’s production to ensure that the science was authentic and to answer questions. Reportedly, NASA hopes to use “The Martian” to promote space travel and future Mars exploration.
Our stranded hero is expertly portrayed by Matt Damon, who gives one of the best performances of his career. Watney stays sane by filming daily video logs, which has the effect of making it look like he is speaking directly to us. Through these logs, we see instantly that Watney is likable and authentic, conveying constant optimism in the face of truly unfortunate circumstances. At times, Watney almost breaks under stress and there are moments where his loneliness becomes oppressive and he experiences frustration and anger at being left behind. Yet somehow he remains predominately collected and in control of his emotions and actions.
Damon is complemented by a huge supporting cast including Jessica Chastain, Kate Mara, Jeff Daniels, Chiwetel Ejiofor and a host of other talent. Together, they prevent the moments on Earth away from Watney, which is who we really want to be with, from becoming tedious. These moments offer a complementary perspective to Watney’s plight and ultimately reveal the human impulse to empathize with and protect one of its own.
The entire cast is bolstered by a fantastic screenplay by Drew Goddard who simultaneously mixes scientific jargon with a surprising amount of comedic wit and banter. Aesthetically too, the film impresses. Visual effects flesh out space craft down to their details and aid in turning the planet Mars into a living, breathing character in all its danger and magnificence.
“The Martian” is a strong contender for the best space movie since Kubrick’s “2001: A Space Odyssey.” Perhaps this is a strange comparison considering that the two films share few similarities other than their settings, yet it is one that is no less true because of Scott’s technical achievements and the film’s relevance to current space exploration efforts.
Yes, the film feels predictable at times; we know full well that Watney will survive and any peril he is in will be short lived. However, the narrative’s predictability does not detract from the film’s achievements. Instead, “The Martian” transcends any flaws and becomes truly inspirational, emphasizing that hope and the human will are strong enough to weather any obstacle.
the island critic 