Matt Damon has been stranded in space a lot lately. Maybe it’s his immense likability that keeps getting him stuck up there. It’s clear after his surprise visit in Interstellar and his outrageously charismatic turn in Ridley Scott’s The Martian that Damon is the perfect astronaut to be stranded with. His charm, wit and humanity carry his newest space adventure and it’s hard to imagine ground control being anywhere without him.
Astronaut Mark Watney (Damon) is an interesting breed. He’s jovial, nerdy and has built a great rapport with his fellow spacemen (and women.) He and his compatriots are on the first manned mission to Mars, collecting samples of soil, running environmental tests and trading witty barbs like tavern patrons. All is not well on the unpredictable red planet however when a sand storm much larger than expected descends upon the group. In the race to return to their escape pod Watney is clobbered by debris and his communication dismantled. In the frenzy his crew mates must make the worst decision – leave their friend behind or risk the wellbeing of the entire group.
Bummer for Watney too because as the sun rises on a new Sol (a Martian day) he wakes up covered in red sand and slightly impaled. Lucky for him, in the haste to escape, the crew has left their entire operation behind including: living space, food rations and copious amounts of disco music. As Watney takes inventory of his goods he comes to the quick conclusion that without communication with Earth or his crew he is going to have to get creative, fast. He devises a plan to grow potatoes, on a planet where nothing grows (luckily he’s a world class botanist, phew!) Time is his biggest resource and Watney needs as much as he can to make contact with home. Tough little wrench – it takes 4-years for a transmission to reach mission control.
And what of Earth? Back in Houston the men in suits have been given the bad news. They have no choice but to inform the public that NASA has completed their mission but lost a hero. Teddy Sanders (Jeff Daniels) – Director of NASA – must deliver the blow and plot a course to get the rest of the crew home safely. He is flanked by Vincent Kapoor (Chiwetel Ejiofor) and Mitch Henderson (Sean Bean) – two ranking officials who desperately want to return and bring Watney’s body home but know they cannot risk the additional casualties.
But one morning Mindy Park (Mackenzie Davis) is relaying images of Mars surface to control and what does she discover? The rover vehicle left behind has shifted positions…dramatically. And the race is on. Watney only has 600+ Sol’s to survive before his food supply runs out and a plan must be executed to bring the resurrected spaceman home.
It’s not hyperbole to say that The Martian is Ridley Scott’s best movie in over 15 years. His sure hand and impeccable craftsmanship has never been on better display. His lack of sentimentality helps too. This is not Cast Away 2 – Where’s Wilson? This is Scott in his wheelhouse directing a gorgeous, crowd pleasing bit of pure science fiction. The movie is a celebration of the NASA space program and the far reaches it has taken and could potentially take us. It’s so rare to see a film this smart, let alone a big-budget blockbuster.
Credit also goes to the impeccable script by Drew Goddard adapted from the book by Andy Weir. Goddard has done his research and fills the film with enough scientific expertise to make your head spin. It’s also hysterical and moving. Watney in particular has several choice moments, like: when he realizes disco is his only music, when he attempts to capture hydrogen to make water or even when he comes to grips with how he must fertilize the crops he’s planting.
The Martian maintains its credibility with a fantastic ensemble. From Watney’s crew including: Jessica Chastain, Michael Pena, Kate Mara and Sebastian Stan to the crews working on Earth: Daniels, Ejiofor, Kristen Wiig, Daniel Glover and Benedict Wong – this is an embarrassment of riches. What’s incredible is Goddard gives each of these principal players time to shine, never reducing them to a simple plot device. It’s a concert of talent that could easily get lost in the wrong hands but Scott is more than up to the task.
But The Martian is Damon’s to carry and he does it with ease and clarity. His confidence gives Watney the edge we need to believe he can pull it off. Even in the face of near-impossible odds his training and expertise carry the day. You never doubt he knows how, just if he’ll have the resources to do so. This is a thriller with almost no action or explosions. Scott and Goddard love science and it’s precisely why The Martian feels completely plausible. With the heavy lifting on Damon’s shoulders sci-fi has never felt less fictional.
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