REVIEW: One abandoned Matt Damon for Mars, one more box office hit for Ridley Scott
Over the span of cinematic history there is no shortage of space exploration films. Some go for the outlandish discovery of extraterrestrial life, while others keep the plot stripped down to the basics of human survival.
“The Martian,” starring Matt Damon and directed by Ridley Scott, takes the latter and turns it into a box office hit centered around one man’s quest to be brought home to Earth. Although the plot is a cliché of sorts, Scott and Damon successfully breathe new life into the sci-fi genre.
While not without its flaws, “The Martian” did manage to keep the audience’s attention with a compelling narrative, realistic science and Damon’s likeable wit.
Based on the novel bearing the same name by Andy Weir, “The Martian” follows Damon’s stranded character, astronaut and botanist Mark Watney, as he strives to make contact with Earth while creating a plan of survival until a rescue mission can reach the Red Planet.
Noted for his successful directorial abilities with films such as “Gladiator,” “Alien” and “Thelma and Louise,” Scott takes the Drew Goddard screenplay and transforms it into a film worthy of a top box office spot.
While filled with high-stakes decisions and some intense action, the film doesn’t shy away from humor via dialogue and visual effects. Damon’s portrayal of Watney turning a life-or-death situation into one of perfect comedic timing endears the audience to care what happens to him.
The visual effects succeed in transforming a movie set into a cinematic planet of red dirt floating seamlessly in space. While the 3D version I viewed enhanced the experience to a certain degree, the film would be equally eye-catching without it.
In terms of actual science, the film stays within the boundaries of realism while allowing for some creativity. The science involved is explained in layman’s terms so the concepts used were straightforward and understandable.
Unlike similar film “Gravity,” which sees Sandra Bullock’s character also trying to navigate space in hopes of returning home, “The Martian” pulls back a bit on the telescope in order to give more context to Watney’s struggle.
Introducing Watney’s fellow mission mates at the start of the film helped develop the backstory of how a typical – by futuristic standards – Mars trip ended up leaving one man behind.
Meanwhile, back on Earth, a whole slew of new characters are introduced to complicate the simple plot. While there is a quick scroll of text revealing the name and job title of every new face appearing onscreen, the ability to recognize the actors portraying the characters ends up being most effective in determining the purpose of certain roles.
There is no shortage of star power connected to the film whether it is found in front of or behind the camera.
Critically acclaimed actors Jessica Chastain and Chiwetel Ejiofor also star in the film alongside Jeff Daniels and Kristen Wiig, who are more notably known within the comedic genre.
The blend of actors from various genre backgrounds adds a uniquely believable quality to the characters. However, some scenes seemed to have been written merely for comedic purposes rather than furthering the story or being organically worthy of a few laughs.
For example, mid-way through the film Donald Glover’s character uses a pen and stapler to visually explain to his idea of how to rescue Watney. In theory the scene is necessary, yet the physical comedy involved seemed to be pushing too hard for a laugh.
Even so, Scott produces a high-quality film by bringing together a solid mixture of comedic and dramatic acting, stunning visual effects and science stripped down to a simplistic style.
While my typical movie theater experience doesn’t involve nearly two-and-a-half hours of neck-straining attention while constantly readjusting plastic 3D glasses, viewing the movie during the opening weekend ended up being worth it.
“The Martian” is in theaters now.
