Matt Damon may be the star of Ridley Scott’s The Martian, but science itself is the hero in this breezy yet breathless tale of survival against all odds, bucking Hollywood’s preference for redundant fiction over interesting science in its sci-fi. The characters are charming, the tension is palpable, nearly every joke lands, yet by putting science in the dead center of every conversation, Scott and company wisely recognize that the obstacle they face in retrieving a man stranded alone on Mars is not one they can solve through the power of love, overcoming self-doubt or sleeping with the right person.
For contrast, last year’s Interstellar may have touted its academic credibility, with renowned theoretical physicist Kip Thorne serving as technical adviser and leading to breakthrough research on the physical appearance of black holes. But, in the end, despite its qualities, Christopher Nolan’s sentimental snoozefest was still more invested in his weepy leads than in the amazing possibilities of relativity, reducing the wonders of time dilation to how sad Matthew McConaughey was that he missed his daughter growing up—which is roughly the same dramatic linchpin used by Adam Sandler in Click. We may never have seen a black hole before Interstellar, but we certainly have seen this story many times before.
Based on Andy Weir’s bestselling debut novel, The Martian follows astronaut Mark Watney (Matt Damon), who is left behind on the surface of Mars by his crew who believe him dead following a massive storm. By sheer chance, Watney survives and makes his way to the still-intact living space, where he proceeds to hack equipment for purposes they were not designed, applying untested scientific principles to practical reality and keeping himself mentally occupied however he can. Meanwhile, on Earth, NASA discovers hints of Watney’s survival and his rescue (or recovery of his body) becomes the agency’s No. 1 priority.
Scott’s depiction of Mars’ surfaces balances brutal realism with sheer beauty, and the film is a visual delight from beginning to end. (The 3-D isn’t even that annoying!) Damon, even at his most engaging, has never appeared to inhabit a character as naturally as he does Watney, who is utterly believable as a mash-up of sarcasm, stubbornness and scientific insight. And what a supporting cast: Chiwetel Ejiofor, Jeff Daniels, Jessica Chastain, Benedict Wong, Sean Bean, Kristen Wiig, Michael Peña, Kate Mara, Donald Glover and more.
Yet again, it bears repeating, the science of keeping Watney alive is at The Martian’s beating heart. Director Scott treats science not as an obstacle to drama, because, ultimately, the universe is indifferent to human psychology. Finding new food sources, keeping warm, breathing, establishing contact and figuring out if a return journey is even possible are problems that occur all at once yet can only be solved one at a time the hard way: trying new ideas and failing in their application until you succeed, then repeating with the next idea.
Best of all, there is no human hero. As in life, some people are right sometimes, other people are right other times, and the arguments are more exciting when a character wins through being right instead of being someone the director considers a “better” person for unrelated reasons. Succeeding as both pro-science propaganda and human drama, The Martian is an ideological success and an excellent guide to dismissing future anti-science sci-fi.
Playing this week
Black Mass
Everest
The Green Inferno
Hell & Back
Hotel Transylvania 2
The Intern
Pawn Sacrifice
The Perfect Guy
Sicario
The Visit
The Walk
War Room
Regal Stonefield 14 and IMAX
244-3213
