Join Laura Seaman as she reviews “The Martian” and previews “The Walk” and “Pan” in this week’s episode of Filmcast. Continue reading for Laura’s review of “The Martian.”
“The Martian” is full of breathtaking beauty and features an epic adventure unlike any other. There was a lot of hype about “The Martian,” and I think this movie easily lived up to my expectations. The characters were believable, dynamic, and interesting to watch.
Astronaut Mark Watney, played by Matt Damon, was the best of all. Watney was smart, funny and everything you could possibly want out of a hero. Despite being left on a barren planet with limited resources, this astronaut doesn’t give up. He works hard and uses everything he has to survive until a rescue team can be sent. At the same time, NASA and Watney’s crew also are working as hard as they can to get their fellow astronaut home safe and sound. It’s an incredible story of determination and heroics, and I was on the edge of my seat the entire time. I absolutely loved it.
Despite the intensity of the situation Watney finds himself in, the character brings humor and wit to the film, lightening the mood a bit so that the entire movie isn’t too tense. He makes jokes to the cameras around the base, speaks the blunt truth when NASA makes contact and continues to bring up the hilarious fact that the only music present is his captain’s collection of disco. The balance is almost perfect between Watney’s goofy antics and the terrifying moments of crisis both on Mars and Earth. No single feeling dominates the screen too long, and the mixture of the two makes the film’s nearly two and a half hour running time fly by.
This combination of incredible writing, beautiful scenery and talented actors created an amazing 5-star movie I would gladly recommend to anyone.
