The Martian: Stunning Scientific Storytelling

With a movie like The Martian, I think it's important to begin my review by explaining exactly where I was sitting in the movie theater. I was in the front, a few feet away from the screen. And I was at a 3D showing. So what followed was the most immersive, visceral movie-going experience I've had in a while. Every year, there are a handful of movies that I insist you need to experience in an actual movie theater; The Martian is certainly one of them.

Based on the novel by Andy Weir (which I am going to have to read ASAP), The Martian is the story of astronaut Mark Watney (Matt Damon), who is part of a manned mission to Mars. When a dust storm descends upon the red planet, the crew is forced to evacuate, but on the way to the shuttle, Watney is hit by debris and lost, with his suit registering no vital signs. The crew assumes he has died and sets off for Earth, but the next day, Watney wakes up to find himself very much alive but now stranded on Mars. What seems like a hopeless situation quickly develops into a brilliant scientific survival story, as Watney calculates what he will need to do to survive on Mars for the next three years when the next manned mission to Mars will arrive to save him.

It's an impossible scenario grounded in very possible science and the movie serves as an ode to intelligence and scientific ingenuity. It is also extremely funny, which is unexpected given the circumstances. Watney is sarcastic and continually mocks his predicament, while back on Earth, we are treated to a cast of supporting characters at NASA who are equally intelligent and prone to quippiness in times of stress. That comedic thread is a vital element to help defuse the tension that keeps mounting throughought the movie. I didn't realize how invested I was in Watney's survival until the final act when a legitimate rescue plan is put into place and there is a chance that things will fail at the final hurdle. I cannot begin to convey my sense of horror and nausea as I contemplated the overwhelming infinity of space and the paling insignificance of these few human beings struggling to survive.

It is impossible to explain how The Martian sneaks up on you. Thanks to Damon's effortlessly charming performance, you are emphatically rooting for Watney to survive, and the stakes are impossibly high as he deals with setbacks and the possibility of dying alone in space. The supporting cast is composed of a veritable who's who of acting stalwarts, including Jessica Chastain, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Jeff Daniels, Kristen Wiig, and many more. While most of the soundtrack is composed of peppy disco music (that's all that his fellow crew members left behind on Mars, much to Watney's chagrin), the serious moments are punctuated by a brilliant score by Harry Gregson-Williams that kept me on the edge of my seat during tense moments and soothed me when things worked out.

The script by Drew Goddard deftly walks the tightrope between science and entertainment and keeps you immersed in the story. Director Ridley Scott has created a movie that will appeal to your intelligence as well as your instincts and plunges you into a world that is unfamiliar but spectacular. Movies like this further humanity's enduring fascination with space exploration and serve as a reminder that the universe is vast, frightening, and beautiful. So watch The Martian and prepare to be swept away.