After scientific explanations for the plagues in his last movie Exodus: Gods and Kings, Ridley Scott takes the mystic route for The Martian. Scott who seems to enjoy exploring the beginning of things (remember Prometheus?), in The Martian tells the story of an astronaut, Mark Watney, who is stranded on the Red Planet after the crew of Ares III leave him behind presuming him dead. Watney, a botanist, survives growing potatoes and maintaining a video log to keep up his morale. He manages to communicate with NASA and they do all they can to bring him home.
Based on Andy Weir’s novel of the same name, The Martian is surprisingly funny — be it Watney’s disgust at mission commander Melissa Lewis’ taste in music or the nerd jokes flying around. While surviving on a planet where nothing grows, with no one to hear you scream or sing, is super serious business, it is nice that Watney’s sense of humour survives the privations his mind and body are put through.
Detailing (potatoes were grown at different times) and scientific accuracy (NASA was consulted) has been taken into account while also providing rough and ready translations for the scientifically challenged. At the end of an entertaining and engrossing 141 minutes, you doff your hat to the skill of the actors, the director, the never-say-die spirit of human beings and also remember the intrinsic value of trash.