“The Martian” charms audiences

As of late, it seems that movies revolving around space have been garnering attention. “The Martian” sets itself apart from the rest with witty dialogue, while still maintaining the heartwarming aspects one might expect from that particular group of Science Fiction films.  

“The Martian” is based off a novel by Andy Weir, and follows the story of an astronaut, Mark Watney, played by Matt Damon, on the planet Mars. During a night of a particularly intense storm of debris, Watney is knocked unconscious and is presumed dead by his crewmates. They take off, although shaken up by the incident, and continues on their mission. However, the staff back at mission control in NASA soon realize that Watney is in fact alive, and is attempting to make contact. The rest of the movie follows Watney’s struggle to stay alive long enough to be rescued and taken and home, all the while being the only person on the planet.

The movie kept the audience interested with just the right balance of clips of Watney on Mars, along with scenes located in NASA. The juxtaposition of the crowded workplace back on Earth allowed for some refreshment in between scenes of Watney traveling along the red, barren landscape. They also kept the movie more entertaining, as opposed to being entirely dramatic, with frequent jokes made by Watney as well as his crew mates. Watney’s quick thinking coupled with moments where the audience can see his psychological breakdown due to his circumstances make him an inspiring, yet realistic character. Damon executed him flawlessly with minor details like heavy breathing and the consistent playfulness in his tone.

For the most part, the movie was paced appropriately where no moment was boring or unnecessary. However, there was one or two scenes where there was a lapse in time, and having the particular scenes chose sped up made for an awkward transition, specially in the midst of a relatively steady pace. It just looked out of place. Certain parts of what could be considered the epilogue also seemed slightly cheesy, and appeared to just be an addition made in attempt to please those watching, as opposed to aiding in the structure of the film.

Overall, “The Martian” was a fun movie to watch. The cast is sure to charm the audience, and Watney’s character will leave people inspired.

4.8/5