The Martian

Based on Andy Weir's best selling 2011 novel, The Martian is not exactly a thrill a minute technical achievement, nor does it strive to be.  It's a leisurely (but never boring) and scientific look at one man's survival on a barren and deserted landscape, in this case the surface of Mars.  It eschews from melodrama and spectacle for the most part, and instead focuses mainly on how this man survives, while the rest of his crew (and the NASA superiors back on Earth) try to find a way to get him back home.

What may surprise most viewers is just how laid back the film is.  Even though time is obviously limited for astronaut and botanist Mark Watney (Matt Damon), and there is the danger that the rescue mission being put together for him may not arrive on time, the movie does not linger on this aspect as much as we might think walking in.  The tone of a majority of the film is surprisingly casual and at times comical, with Mark taking a calm attitude when he makes video logs, talking to the camera about his different discoveries, or his ideas on how to survive on the desolate planet, grow food, and create water in order to grow said food.  Mark's demeanor is mostly calm.  I only remember one scene where he briefly acts out in sheer anger and depression.  His mind is completely on his own survival, and how he can contact his crew or superiors.  What Damon does in his performance is convince us of his circumstance, and realistically sells the idea that he has the skills and the knowledge to survive in such a harrowing situation.  I don't know if this is exactly an Award-worth performance, but it's a strong one nonetheless.

Mark finds himself in this situation during an exploration of the surface of Mars with the crew of Ares III.  A violent storm strikes earlier than the crew had expected, and Mark is believed to be dead after he is struck by satellite debris.  Commander Melissa Lewis (Jessica Chastain) must make the difficult decision to leave the habitat they have placed on Mars.  Naturally, Mark does survive, and after a quick patch job to heal the wounds he suffered from his accident, he comes to the horrifying realization that he is stranded on the planet, and that it could conceivably take four years for a rescue team to arrive.  Mark must use all of his scientific and survival skills in order to create a life for himself on this uninhabitable planet, and find a way to contact others.  Back on Earth, NASA director Teddy Sanders (Jeff Daniels) and the rest of the team are racing against the clock to try to find a feasible way to rescue him.

Taking a personal and reflective approach, The Martian is similar in structure to the 2000 stranded island drama, Cast Away, in how it is focused almost solely on the ways the main character comes up with ways to create a habitable environment in a seemingly hopeless situation.  Mark must learn to deal with the isolation, create an environment that can sustain him, and grow food for himself in a way that is rather ingenious.  It is much more interested in the psychological aspect of Mark's situation, rather than the physical.  And yet, as depressing as the concept of being stranded alone on another planet may initially sound, the movie is never downbeat.  Mark is able to keep a sense of humor to himself in his video logs, which is appropriate, since people in dire situations will often use humor to keep themselves from giving in.  The jokes are low key, and never seem inappropriate.  There are even some moments of levity with the situation back on Earth, as they try to race to get back to Mark.  Drew Goddard's screenplay knows how to mix the drama and gallows humor of the situation, and skillfully hits the right tone.

This is aided by a talented cast who find ways to stand out, despite this clearly being Damon's movie.  Aside from Chastain and Daniels (both of whom are quite good), there are strong turns by Kristen Wiig in a rare dramatic role, Chiwetel Ejiofor, and Sean Bean in small yet noteworthy roles.  But this is clearly Damon's movie, who has to carry most of the film almost by himself.  In the past, Damon has usually done his best teamed up with a fellow co-star, or in ensemble casts.  This is a rare stand-alone role for Damon, and he successfully holds our attention, considering he has to largely talk to himself or to a camera for a majority of the film.  The energy and sly sense of humor to his performance draws us in, and also makes him immediately likable to the audience.  This may not be a complex character, but Damon's performance makes him very human and easy to relate to.

Of particular note is the film's director, Ridley Scott, whose recent body of work has been extremely hit and miss (with the misses coming more frequently).  It's safe to say that this is easily his strongest film in a while.  Even with a somewhat overlong running time of nearly two and a half hours, he manages to keep the story moving, even in the very depth of isolation.  He also knows how to handle the scientific and technical side of the story, without getting overly so, or getting in danger of losing the audience.  The movie knows how to explain its scientific process without making it feel like it's being dumbed down.  The movie also has a fun 1970s soundtrack, with songs skillfully and sometimes playfully used during key moments.  Scott creates a playful tone, that does not downplay the severity of the situation.  He knows when to bring in the tension, and when to cut loose and have fun with the material.

The Martian is a finely crafted intelligent science drama that is only held back by the fact that it does run a little long.  This is but a small slight, compared to how much this movie does right.  I'm sure certainly people may be extremely critical of how realistic or not the movie is in depicting the situation.  They'll be missing the point.  This is a highly entertaining survival story that manages to be an escapist form of entertainment without sacrificing the intelligence.

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