The
Martian
Plenty of people have been warming to the idea of shipping Matt Damon
off to some distant planet all by himself due to some recent comments,
but The Martian shows us what happens when people want to save
a person stranded in space.
Damon stars as Mark Watney – a man destined to become the
greatest astronaut in the history of the universe. While he and the
rest of his team are on a mission to Mars, a massive, unexpected storm
hits, forcing the crew to evacuate the planet in a hurry.
During the mayhem, a piece of debris hits Watney, destroying a vital
piece of his spacesuit, and leaving his commander, Melissa Lewis
(Jessica Chastain), to believe Mark is dead. To save the rest of the
team, they leave Watney behind.
Yet, through a miracle, he has survived. Now, he is on Mars, all alone,
running out of supplies and with no chance a rescue mission can reach
him in time.
Will anyone find out he is alive?
Can he change the equation to give his NASA compatriots a chance to
mount a mission?
In a world where physical attractiveness reigns supreme, I still
believe in smart.
I root for smart.
I cheer for smart.
I admire smart.
I hope for smart.
The Martian is a celebration of smart (even
though physical attractiveness still raises its ugly head because all
of the smart people look like movie stars).
From start to finish and without a moment to the contrary at any minute
in this movie, The Martian is enthralling, exhilarating, and
heart stopping.
What truly sets The Martian apart is the attitude brought by
director Ridley Scott, writer Drew Goddard (based on the novel by Andy
Weir) and the entire cast. Make no mistake about it, The Martian
is dealing with a harrowing story full of human drama and massive
ethical dilemmas.
However, the human spirit matters just as much as anything else.
It’s practically a character in the movie.
We see this cast of characters as super smart professionals with
dynamic personalities, unbreakable camaraderie, and realistic reactions
to the most unimaginable of situations.
Damon is the epitome of this attitude as he makes Watney charming,
cocky, confident and a complete wise ass. Yet, we like him and feel
every emotion as he rides a rollercoaster from pure joy at the thought
of surviving to the depths of despair when all hope is lost to back up
when a new plan is hatched and on and on and on.
It’s one of the best performances you have ever seen from Damon
as he converses with the audience through video logs Mark would be
required to collect on a mission. It gives him a chance to reach beyond
the screen and connect with the audience in a way very few actors can.
While the laughs are surprising, the emotions are even more so.
The
Martian is rated PG-13 for some strong
language, injury images, and brief nudity.
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