Everybody’s already seen this movie by now, but a review is still in order…
What Works: The movie has been described (over and over) as “an unapologetic crowd-pleaser” which I guess means it has a happy ending and a likable lead character…as most movies do. I’m not sure what “The Martian” delivers that most movies don’t in that regard, but it was good to see Matt Damon back in a big way, Jessica Chastain in space, and Jeff Daniels doing his lovable know-it-all thing. The scarlet vistas of Mars also have a nicely distinctive look.
The movie has also been praised for accurate science, and a plot that is no less enjoyable for being more cerebral than a Michael Bay movie…
What Doesn’t:…Of course, you could say the same thing about “Gravity” and “Interstellar” and both of those movies were much more successful in my opinion. Maybe this movie is just a victim of existing in an age when there seems to be one truly great sci-fi film every Fall, but I didn’t love it the way I thought I would going in.
When “The Martian” is over you leave having just watched a straight-forward survival tale—not a sci-fi film with any real ideas behind it. I like realistic science too, but “Interstellar” (and even Damon’s own “Elysium”) combined that with bigger themes while “The Martian” is mostly just about one man trying to live. And even if you wanted a straight-up survival tale, then why not one made with the gusto of “Gravity?”
What I Would Have Done Differently: I did like the movie, but I just didn’t love it. It’s a film that I couldn’t imagine myself watching over and over again the way I did Interstellar and Gravity.