Movie Review: The Martian

Abbott and Costello went to Mars. So did Robinson Caruso. Plus, many people’s favorite Looney Tunes character is Marvin the Martian. Fiction has been written previously about Mars, however there are new facts known about the big red planet. This movie capitalizes on our curiosity.

The Martian is set during a time in which the United States has established a space program to Mars that has already made multiple trips. Five astronauts make this particular journey, however Matt Damon’s character Mark Watney is left behind and presumed dead.

With all the communication devices down, the people on Earth have to first realize the astronaut is still alive. Then they need to send help, which could take at least four years. The astronaut has only one year’s worth of supplies, and plenty of room for everything else to go wrong.

The challenge for the filmmakers is holding the audience’s attention for 145 minutes with one man on a planet by himself. One thing working in their favor is our interest in how new science about the planet is worked into the film. The big question is what would a modern day 3-D movie about Mars look like?

The good news is that there are a satisfactory amount of surprises in the movie, and they come right on time when they are really needed. Most human beings would loose their mind if they had to be on a planet by themselves for four years. In reality, being trapped on Mars alone would be a very dark experience. However, the movie is a PG-13 feel-good experience. One example is how music is brilliantly worked into the script. The writers use reverse psychology to demonstrate to the audience their awesome knowledge of disco.

With all the good things going for it, the movie is still just a bit too long. Maybe that’s done on purpose, as some type of artsy way of showing how long the astronaut has to wait for help. I don’t know what the deal is. All I do know is that after 120 minutes, I want someone to hurry up and save the day.

With that being said, the movie does indeed bring to life modern technology that would be needed to have a successful Mars program. It also incorporates new things we now know about the weather on the planet. The length of the movie is my only real complaint, and it is not a deal breaker.

Go see it if you are curious. Just be sure to sit comfortably in your seat.