BY: GURU JAY
The Martian Movie Review
If you’re a regular at Guru Jay, you know The Martian is my kind of movie. I expect this film to be number 1 at the box office for the third consecutive week. Numbers indicate that The Martian might become director Ridley Scott’s best movie ever.
Tonight, my initial thought was: what are comedians Kristen Wiig and Donald Glover doing in this particular piece? After viewing the film, now I realize that they are three-dimensional actors. Who can complain about this wonderful cast? Jeff Daniels, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Kate Mara, Michael Peña…
The Plot
Matt Damon plays an astronaut (Mark Watney) stranded on Mars because his crew abruptly aborts their mission due to a severe storm. His crewmembers leave him behind thinking he’s dead. However, the determined character lives through this tribulation and awaits rescue.
Luckily, Watney’s a botanist who figures out how to grow food for survival purposes. “The Martian” finally contacts NASA, who already gave him a memorial. Soon, the public learns he is alive. Then, the whole world prepares for his return home safely.
Typically, it would take 4 years to travel to Mars. However, Watney may come home earlier than imagined because of a fortunate discovery. Without a doubt the proposition is risky. What option will NASA take?
Jessica Chastain plays mission commander Melissa Lewis. To her credit, she never wanted to abandon Watney. Nonetheless, she is pivotal to the storyline. I won’t spoil it any further for you. If you’re into science, go check it out.
Closing Thoughts
The cinematography is on point. The Martian is realistic and futuristic as possible. The audience will enjoy spectacular visual effects aligned with technology’s capabilities. We must acknowledge Andy Weir’s great literary contribution.
My main criticism is the movie progresses slowly. Whenever we watch Matt Damon we’re used to seeing fast action-packed scenes. In spite of this, I believe The Martian is brilliant. This is Matt Damon’s magnum opus. You won’t find a carbon copy.
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