Mark Watney (Matt Damon) is believed to be dead and left behind during a Manned Mars mission when a violent storm hits base camp which causes the crew to evac.   Watney must survive on meager supplies, his wit, and spirit on a hostile planet where he hopes to hold out long enough for a rescue mission which may be years away.  NASA tries to spin the situation while trying to find a way to keep him alive and rescue him.   They first keep the crew of the Ares III in the dark so they can finish their mission in getting home to Earth while Watney sciences the hell out of what he has with him including finding the defunct Pathfinder probe and making a potato garden inside the Mars habitat.  He is a man alone on a hostile planet known as Mars where he grows potatoes while using his own poop as fertilizer ands disco music (he hates) to help keep him company.

 

THE MARTIAN is one of Ridley Scott’s best movies as he manages to craft a movie of the human spirit with good science while showcasing the beautiful terrain of Mars and mixing in the NASA politics behind saving Watney or not.   It is a well cast movie with great art direction and a good mix of suspense, humor, drama, and awe.  The story takes the Apollo 13 approach as you see the story from multiple characters from the astronauts in space to Watney on Mars to the engineers back on Earth at various places.  The climax does feel a little like it is ripping off the ending off another Mars rescue movie, but I overall enjoyed THE MARTIAN and I would love to watch it again.

 

This review is ©10-3-2015 David Blackwell and cannot be reprinted without permission.  Send all comments to feedback@enterline-media.com

 

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