Is 'The Martian' Out of This World? Critics Weigh In
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ej3ioOneTy8
Matt Damon plays an astronaut left all alone after presumed dead during a mission to Mars in "The Martian," but according to critics, this Ridley Scott-directed sci-fi film is anything but spacey.
The movie, which hits theaters on Friday, received a 92 percent rating on Rotten Tomatoes, and features a cast of additional stars, including Kristen Wiig, Jessica Chastain and Kate Mara.
Reviewers praise the film for its rich plot and proper casting. Read on to see what they have to say.
"Not only is Matt Damon's Mark Watney the only man on Mars in 'The Martian,' he's probably the only one who could pull off being stuck there by himself. Watney could be the perfect character for Damon, who easily slides into the persona of a man who's relentless, optimistic, intelligent, sarcastic, self-effacing, and inspirational. Did I mention relentless? He's like The Terminator with a sense of humor." -- Tony Hicks, San Jose Mercury News
"Alone on screen for most of his scenes as an astronaut stranded on the red planet, the Oscar-nominated actor is the winning heart of Ridley Scott's epic space adventure, 'The Martian.' ... Affable and intelligent, playful and determined, Damon's Mark Watney is so endearing and entertaining as a narrator and subject, it's easy to see why the world would want to save him." -- Sandy Cohen, Associated Press
Some praise the film for making an otherwise questionable plot surprisingly fascinating.
"'The Martian,' [is] one of the most exciting film-going experiences I’ve had all year. It’s a movie that believes in humanity’s capacity to travel the universe, but it also cheerleads for the scientific know-how required to build a rocket or to calculate a trajectory or even to grow crops using astronaut poop ... Not only does the film stress the importance of using math and physics and botany and chemistry to solve problems, but it also makes a plot based on scientific inquiry and audacity just as exciting and even more unpredictable as the movies’ usual brand of problem-solving, the kind that involves punching everyone and then blowing everything up." -- Alonso Duralde, The Wrap
But not everyone has sole praise for the critically acclaimed flick.
"As elaborate and expensive-looking as 'The Martian' is, it's almost totally lacking in poetry. This is an overwhelming picture, oversize in its scope and ambition, especially when viewed in 3-D: It'll wow you with shots of jumbo metal space gears churning around and lots of people floating — just because in space, you can. The actors are treated as accessories, and there are plenty of them ... Scott, all about solutions, gives us the most seemingly authentic Mars money can buy. That doesn't make it the best." -- Stephanie Zacharek, The Village Voice