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One Sentence Synopsis: When Mark Watney (Matt Damon) is presumed dead after a fierce storm during a mission to Mars, his fellow crew members leave for Earth without him, but it turns out that Watney has survived, and now he must find a way to survive until NASA can make their way back. |
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In 2012, Gravity was revered by many as one of the best films of the year. Alfonso Cuarรณn’s emotional thriller was intense, heartbreaking, and filled to the brim with groundbreaking special effects, so naturally it would garner a lot of praise. Just one year later, Christopher Nolan decided to take his hand at an emotional, intense, heartbreaking, and visually groundbreaking space-centric drama with Interstellar, and unsurprisingly, the results were similar.
It only makes sense that yet another beloved director, Ridley Scott, would see this popular trend and decide to take a crack at it. However, instead of trying to make us cry, he makes us laugh. In other words, he engages us through enjoyment instead of engaging us through fear, and while this change in approach may not seem like a big deal, it actually makes all the difference.
The Martian’s storyline easily lends itself to an in-depth psychological study of the human condition, especially concerning things such as loneliness, isolation, and the subsequent depression. However, Scott sacrifices this for a far more conventional, comedic, optimistic space movie, and because of this, we get a far more engaging one. Nothing about The Martian is particularly complicated, and perhaps this leaves something to be desired in terms of theme and emotional weight, but because of this streamlined approach, nothing gets in the way of having a fun yet captivating moviegoing experience, and in a year for film where that’s not so easy to come by, it’s impossible not to appreciate it.
This aforementioned fun comes mostly from Matt Damon’s wonderful lead performance. What’s so fascinating about this individual is that we don’t need a tragic backstory to connect with him, nor do we need any overdone “chosen one” build-up. In fact, when you really think about, Damon’s character doesn’t really have much of an arc to begin with, but we don’t care. Damon’s character is so naturally likable and so gosh darn witty that we simply love watching him do things. I’m convinced that Matt Damon could’ve been doing anything on screen, and I probably would’ve enjoyed it. To be fair, one could argue that Matt Damon is simply playing himself in a space suit, but if he has enough character on his own to lead a film (and believe me, he certainly does), then by all means let him work his magic.
As if Damon wasn’t enough, we also have one of the most talented supporting casts of the year. Matt Damon is always the focus, but it’s good to know that whenever we have to leave him in order to advance the story, there’s still plenty of skill to go around. It’s odd, because several of these performances don’t have any specific qualities that warrant such a glowing review; it’s merely their natural, humanistic presence that sells each and every role. None of them fall to archetypal cliches that you’d expect them to given their roles, rather they all feel like real people going through real problems. And while every single big name knocks it out of the park, it’s not so much so that one overshadows another. There’s no specific stand-out, but this is perfectly fine, if not preferable. It only helps the ensemble shine as a whole.
Everything else about The Martian excels as well. The cinematography is gorgeous, especially Scott’s wonderfully shot Mars scenes. Despite it’s one-tone color, Mars manages to be a luscious, vast landscape for Damon to explore, and it never feels tired.
The score is excellent, but what really stands out musically is the soundtrack, filled to the brim with classic disco tunes, specifically the ones that you don’t want to admit that you adore. “I Will Survive” in particular matches the film’s vibe perfectly.
The last third of The Martian is when its more dramatic side finally begins to work to its benefit. As mentioned previously, Scott’s decision to go for a more comedic approach, while a breath of fresh air for this genre, leaves less room for the dramatic moments to hit as hard as they could. Make no mistake, they do hit to a degree, but it isn’t until the third act that the really intensity of the situation starts to toy with your emotions. Even with the comedy butting its head, the inevitable climax is a highlight of the film, even if it isn’t 100% polished.
Walking out of The Martian, I knew that I had just seen one of the best films that this year has had to offer, and though there hasn’t been too much competition, I am more than grateful. Not only that, but after a string of misguided failures, we finally get to see Ridley Scott make a true-blue great movie again, and it feels good to see him back on top. It’s a win-win, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.
