Plot: What’s it about?
Is there anything Ridley Scott can’t do? Seriously. I’ve been a fan of his work for so long, it’s hard to think of any of my favorite movies without a few of his in there. Granted, I’ve not seen all of his movies and the most noteworthy of the bunch is Blade Runner. Yep, I’ve never seen Blade Runner. Why? I have no idea. And what’s even more strange is that I’ve got the Blu-ray. I think I need to bite the bullet and sit down and watch it. I’m getting off track, though. I’d read Andy Weir’s novel The Martian a couple of years ago and when I learned that it was going to be directed by Ridley Scott, I was enthralled. Audiences loved it. Matt Damon is in top form and the ensemble cast delivers the goods (with a raised eyebrow for Kristen Wiig’s casting, but I won’t rain on this parade). Ridley Scott, who has helmed so many of my favorite films: Thelma & Louise, Gladiator and White Squall (a very underrated movie) just to name a few. Mars has been done before, but never like this.
The crew of Ares III are on Mars and all is going well. But a freak storm takes out botanist Mark Watney (Matt Damon) and, he’s left behind and believed to be dead. But…he isn’t. Watney’s puncture wound somehow enabled him to survive the storm and now he’s alone, alive and a 50 million miles from home. What’s a guy to do? Watney quickly deduces that he’s got about a month’s worth of provisions, so his options are: 1. Die or 2. Find a way to live long enough to be rescued. He chooses the latter. He manages to find a way (in a manner I won’t describe) to grow potatoes and therefore extend his rations. He also manages to establish contact with NASA as they hash out a rescue mission. Watney’s ingenuity and determination are the only things keeping him alive and as we follow him through his hurdles, we have to wonder if the human will to survive will be enough to bring him back alive.
The ensemble cast does a great job, led by Jessica Chastain, Jeff Daniels, Kate Mara and Chiwetel Ejiofor just to name a few. But make no mistake – this is Matt Damon’s movie from beginning to end. Damon’s Oscar-Nominated performance carries the film and, special effects aside, the success of the movie rests squarely on his shoulders. Having seen the film and read the book, I’d have to say that the film borrows a bit from Apollo 13, Contact and Cast Away (three fine films in their own right), so if you’re looking for an easy way to explain it to someone – there you go. Thought the movie is set in the near future (2035), it doesn’t feel like it and I don’t think the filmmakers spent too much time trying to convince us of that. The special effects are so seamlessly integrated into the final product, it really draws the audience member into the film. I could go on and on, but let me say that there’s really no way to not like The Martian. It’s man vs. himself and man vs. nature (albeit a martian one) at its finest.
Video: How’s it look?
Sadly Fox did not send the 3D version for review. But that’s OK. I was more than taken wit the 2D presentation of the film and let me say that it looks glorious. The 2.40:1 AVC HD image has no faults. At all. The martian landscape (which was actually Arizona) is bursting with detail from the cleavage in the rocks to the silhouettes of the mountains. There’s a wide variety of lighting in the film ranging from the darkness of outer space, the fluorescent light of the pod to the super-saturated earth tones of the outdoors. Detail is amazing, showcasing the pores on Damon’s face, the facial hair growth and the intricacies of the plants he grows to survive. That aside, the CGI effects are second to none that make for a very realistic-looking presentation. This is as good as it gets.
Audio: How’s it sound?
There’s an ongoing joke in the film about Commander Lewis’ (Jessica Chastain) love for disco music. That serves as a basis for the soundtrack which features some great tunes from decades past. If you’re paying attention you’ll catch a few subtleties like “I Will Survive” and “Hot Stuff”. With the recent passing of David Bowie, I nearly shed a tear when his “Starman” played in a montage about halfway through. Suffice it to say that these classics have never sounded better. Given that dialogue drives the movie, the vocals are pure as Damon’s deep voice guides us through the film. Sweeping visuals give us a reference point as the DTS HD Master Audio soundtrack spans each and every channel in your setup. There’s really nothing more to say – the film sounds as good as it looks.
Supplements: What are the extras?
- Signal Acquired: Writing and Direction – Author Andy Weir and director Ridley Scott collaborate for this feature which looks at the physical nature of the film as well as some of the more technical aspects.
- Occupy Mars: Casting and Costumes – A look at how the ensemble cast was chosen as well as some more “informative” material on costume design and the like.
- 5 Theatrical In-World Pieces – I found these a bit tiring, but if you wanted to live in the world of The Martain a bit more, these are all in character segments.
- Ares III: Farewell – Mark Watney (Damon) gives us a brief introduction to the crew of the Ares III.
The Right Stuff – We get a look via some “found footage” at the training regiment of the crew and what it took them to get the call to be a member of the team.
Ares: Our Greatest Adventure – No, don’t adjust your set, that’s the host of Cosmos himself – Dr. Neil de Grasse Tyson as he gives us a rundown of the mission.
Leave Your Mark – If you look closely, you’ll see a lot of product placement and this piece is a little more blatant about it. Under Armour anyone?
Bring Him Home – Lastly we get a pseudo commercial in a globally-unified effort to bring home Mark Watney.
The Bottom Line
I simply loved this movie! In truth, it’s hard not to like it. I’d hate to meet the person who didn’t like this, actually. It’s a plausible, yet fictional account of where might be heading and the triumph of the human spirit. Ridley Scott’s direction is second to none, the Blu-ray positively glows with its A/V presentation and it’s got enough extras to warrant a purchase. Highly recommended.
