Alrightly, just got back from seeing it, review as follows.
With consecutive years of science based space dramas with Gravity and Interstellar the question was going into this film could The Martian follow in the footsteps of its piers and could it live up to the book which kept science enthusiasts on the edge of their seat. The answer is a resounding yes to both. Ridley Scott has made a return to form after a very much hit or miss decade of film making, dealing what is not only one of his most entertaining films in many years, but surprisingly, is without doubt the most upbeat and uplifting film he's every created.
Those who read the book will know a large chunk of the story is about astronaut Mark Watney and his MacGuyver like intellect figuring out how to solve endless problems to stay alive on the inhospitable Mars, and whilst the film version does delve into that it's not nearly as detailed as it is written on the page. Many of the problems Watney encounters and the solutions he comes up with from the book are only touched on or are overlooked altogether, and the science and technical details used in the film isn't nearly as in depth. But this is not to the films detriment, there's still enough science and ingenuity from Watney and enough problems for him to overcome to still make the journey feel like a struggle. This film is less about the problems Watney encounters and more about just getting him home.
Matt Damon is well cast as Watney. Whilst the character retains many of the humorous traits as the character in the book there's more depth to the film interpretation, Damon brings the right balance of humour and seriousness to the role. The supporting cast is well balanced and a surprising amount of time is devoted to the goings on at NASA as well as the crew of the Hermes spaceship who are on their way back to Earth. Those expecting a Cast Away type of one man show best leave that idea at the door, as much as Damon is the star it is very much an ensemble film. Whilst no-one stands out in particular the entire supporting cast feel as if they are perfectly cast for their particular roles.
In terms of cinematography Ridley Scott has made Mars look beautiful, something that I don't think has been done well on film before. I'm generally not one for 3D movies but I'm half tempted to watch this again in 3D to get a more immersive experience. There's not a lot in terms of special effects, this isn't an action movie by any means so anyone going in expecting explosions is probably going to be disappointed, this is much more science drama than science fiction.
The big question in the end is is film adaptation as good as the book? Yes, but in a different way. It's like hearing an awesome cover version of your favourite song, just as good as the original but done in a new and different way. That's what The Martian is, it's not the edge of your seat tension builder like the book is, instead it's about people working together and doing what humans do best in times crisis, using our brains and ingenuity to solve problems.
Ridley's best film in years, uplifting, a great performance from the entire cast, and a win for science. I don't recall feeling this good walking out of a film in quite some time. A well deserved 8/10.
Oh, and NASA, lets do this thing. Let's get our ass to Mars.
Basically. But in the meantime I'm just going to go enjoy this one.
