The Martian

There is something inspiring about seeing the words “Ridley Scott” over a backdrop of stars. He is unquestionably the master of the genre (Alien, Blade Runner, Prometheus), and for a change, he shirks aliens and dystopian futures for something a bit more realistic and a bit more heartwarming; Robinson Crusoe in space. This is a fantastic film based on a brilliant book.

Based on the best-selling novel of the same name, “The Martian” finds astronaut Mark Watney stranded and alone on Mars after a storm scrubs his crew’s mission and they blast off, thinking him dead. A botanist and mechanical engineer by trade, he finds himself needing to solve problem after problem with only science, humor, and perseverance to keep him going. The clock is ticking as his basic needs necessitate creative feats of ingenuity on his part, while the entire human race roots for him back home.

There are two major deviations from the novel; one that was a savvy move by the screenwriter that I totally respect, and one that didn’t sit well with me but is entirely understandable from the cinematic angle. Drew Goddard (“World War Z”, “Cabin in the Woods”, “Cloverfield”) is one of the hottest screenwriters around and his upcoming “Robopocalypse” (Steven Spielberg) and “Sinister Six” (Marvel super villains) certainly won’t disappoint either. Of course, his source material on this one was pretty much written for a film. Author Andy Weir is a self-proclaimed science geek, and his novel was lauded for its feasibility, so there really wasn’t much that needed to change in the first place.

Matt Damon does his best Tom Hanks from “Castaway” impression, but the weight loss is clearly done with special effects in lieu of a six month filming hiatus. Soliloquies, video diaries, and a wry wit brings the much needed levity to the otherwise dire and tenuous situation of surviving indefinitely, which is amplified by an ominous soundtrack (when the 70’s pop music isn’t playing). A performance devoid of live character interactions is a difficult challenge, and the gravity of the situation is bleak if not completely hopeless, yet Damon conveys the emotion adeptly.

The rest of the cast is astutely inserted to raise the stakes and change perspective, so we truly feel the weight of the rescue effort, even in scenes of Mark Watney isolation on a beautiful cinematic landscape. Jeff Daniels plays the terse NASA administrator with nary a smile or smirk the entire film, and it anchors the pragmatic angle perfectly. Kristin Wiig is the potty-mouthed public relations director, Annie Montrose, who I was honestly expecting a more lewd and crass performance by based on her character in the novel. Chiwetel Ejiofor is Vincent Kapoor, the mission controller who is the emotional center of the Earth setting, and Donald Glover, Benedict Wong, and Mackenzie Davis are the lead specialists working around the clock to make everything come together just right. The crewmembers on the ship back to Earth in the third setting are Jessica Chastain, Michael Pena, Kate Mara, Sebastian Stan, and Aksel Hennie, and their performances are honestly just filler.

The marketing effort is brilliant for this film. Permeating social media and creating viral videos is a true indication that film as a whole is moving into a more progressive media direction. It might be a sign of things to come, or it might just be Ridley Scott’s genius at play.

Triumph of resolve and the human condition is what makes “The Martian” work. Rallying behind a man at impossible odds and doing anything fathomable to survive is really what being human is at its core, isn’t it? The climax had some Michael Bay or Roland Emmerich flair, but what do you expect from what is essentially an Oscar-caliber blockbuster (a rarity in cinema).

This immediately tops my list of best films of the year, but it is just the first week of October, so although it will decimate the box office for the next few weeks, I don’t see it winning any coveted gold statues. Of course, that doesn’t take away anything from the sheer brilliance and enjoyment factor. At a lengthy 2 hours and 20 minutes, it’s a bit drawn out, but it’s certainly worth it in the end. This is a different kind of science fiction, a pleasant surprise from the master of the genre, and it is well worth the price of admission. 9/10.