My Spoiler Free Review of The Martian

I recently watched The Martian at a special screening as a part of the Star Movies Secret Screening. Let me begin by saying it was truly an amazing experience to be a part of this secret keeper’s journey so far put together at par excellence by Star Movies every single time. Now on to the film Review.

The Martian starts with a group of astronauts already on Mars collecting samples for research. When all of a sudden a huge sand storm comes upon them. While trying to return to their shuttle one of the Astronauts Mark Watney gets hit by some debris and is presumed dead. The Crew reluctantly takeoff from the Planet and end up leaving him behind. Mark survives the impact and is now left alone stranded on Mars with limited supply of food, water and air. No one is aware that he survived and is stranded on Mars. Thus begins his journey of survival as he must find a way to farm crops, get a water supply and communicate with earth to let them know he is alive and kicking.

The film is directed by Ridley Scott and is based on Andy Weir’s 2011 bestselling novel The Martian. Ridley Scott has directed the film perfectly, making The Martian a cross between Castaway and Gravity. You get the emptiness and drama of space along with the stranded alone feeling on the Mars surface. The Screenplay is written by Drew Goddard and is brilliantly done. The film maintains a tense atmosphere but still manages to make you laugh with some clever writing and scenes. I was surprised at how many times during the film I burst out laughing :P. Also the scientific parts seem pretty accurate and is very well explained, so even non sci-fi fans will understand what is happening. Throughout the film the scenes jump between Mars and Earth and Ridley Scott has done a brilliant job at making the desolate landscapes of Mars look interesting and beautiful.

The Martian aka the stranded astronaut Mark Watney is played by Matt Damon. Matt has done a phenomenal job with his character as Mark Watney. There are moments in the film where Matt is the optimistic guy on the planet facing every problem with a smile and then there are those moments where he just looks dead straight into the camera and says “I am going to die here”. So while he doesn’t give up hope, there is a clear undertone of dread and fear in his eyes that represent his clear understanding that he might never get to go home. At the end of it all the audience is rooting for Mark Watney to succeed because he is a likable character and that is all thanks to Matt Damon.

The Supporting cast in the film is filled with A-List Actors like Sean Bean, Jessica Chastain, Kirsten Wiig, Jeff Daniels, Michael Pena, Donald Glover and Chiwetel Ejiofor. All of them are fine actors who have just added more to the film. While they don’t have much screen time each character is memorable and have their moments where they shine. My favourite being Chiwetel Ejiofor playing the role of Venkat Kapoor the NASA guy who relentlessly works on figuring out a way to rescue Mark Watney from Mars.

The Martian Film Review — The Scenario of the Film

What I really enjoyed in the film was the wonderful writing, the accurate science and at no point in the film does not feel monotonous or like its being dragged along. Every scene has you on the edge of your sears right till the end. The film is beautifully shot and more than anything else it is truly believable. This is one of those films you just have to watch in 3D and Imax 3D if possible.

This is the first film I am giving it