Ridley Scott: “The Martian” Isn’t a Fantasy

The Martian, starring Matt Damon, was released in theaters this past Friday. Credit should also be given to the score by Harry Gregson-Williams; for the vast majority of the run time it’s employed subtly, but in scenes where it needs to do more of the heavy lifting it is suitably powerful.

The Martian is one of those films that comes along every once in a while that sets the bar for what an exceptional science fiction movie should be. And I’m predisposed to like The Martian because it speaks to my basic belief that the vast majority of mankind’s problems are basically technological ones, solutions to which require science, concentration, precision, and ultimately compromise, something akin to an art form as technically advanced as filmmaking. In this story of survival and tenacity, the problems are technical, not human; more than anything else, Ridley Scott’s beautifully-made film is 141 minutes of problem solving. “Disco sucks!” May responded referencing the film’s 70s-inspired disco soundtrack.

Jessica Chastain, as the guilt-ridden Commander, and Michael Pena as the crew of Ares 3 are prominent in the scenes on the space craft Hermes.

It’s very Guardians of the Galaxy in this respect.

But far from being the end of the story, this is just the beginning because Mark, although injured, is very much alive. That includes Jeff Daniels as NASA chief Teddy Sanders, Chiwetel Ejlofor as the Ares III mission director, Daniel Glover as a young, socially awkward engineer and Sean Bean as the empathetic flight director, just to name a few. Damon plays astronaut Mark Watney, who gets marooned on Mars.

These Hollywood big-hitters are just about convincing enough as the action flits between planets.

But it’s all about the how. What was a station that supported the life of six people decided to last 31 days, turned into an area he hoped would sustain him while stranded.

With most space films, directors seem to attempt to outkick their coverage, as space is, well, a complicated concept.

Dee always knew she wanted to make her living from writing and so trained as a journalist before working for a variety of music and women’s titles, including Sounds, Company, Cosmopolitan, Ms London, New Woman, and Girl About Town. Goddard stuck to his guns, Scott came on board to usher The Martian through development, and when it came time to test it for audiences, the opposite happened.

Jumping back and forth between Mars and Earth also helps keep Watney’s plight in perspective while giving us countless branches to grab on to in the form of an incredible (and constantly expanding) cast of stars.

“The Martian” is made for $108 million. Sometimes when I see a trailer that I get excited about, the actual film falls flat on its face. We’d do it one take.