The Martian (2015)

Content by Tony Macklin. Originally published on October 4, 2015 @ tonymacklin.net.

It's hokier on earth than on Mars.

At least, in The Martian it is.

The Martian is part slog, part gambol.

It's also more fiction than it is science.

There is no way American politicians and their donors would have sanctioned the rescue mission. They would have stopped it.

And its appearance on television screens to an international audience is pure hokum.

Reality space tv in Times Square. Who cares if real time isn't possible?

However, up until the earthbound conclusion, The Martian is crafty and entertaining.

The Martian is the story of an astronaut who is left behind on Mars when his spacecraft Hermes has to escape a furious storm. He is left for dead.

But the isolated survivor - the cagy Mark Watney (Matt Damon) - fortunately is a botanist and uses his wiles to survive. He makes potatoes out of excrement.

On earth, we make politics out of excrement.

Also crucial is that one of the crew of the Hermes can make a bomb out of sugar.

On earth we make religion out of sugar.

Finally NASA finds out that Watney lives! Rescue becomes the goal, and generosity of spirit becomes the means.

Although several of the roles are one-dimensional, Matt Damon makes the most of his role as Watney. Damon brings credibility - from humor to anger to extreme pain.

Screenwriter Drew Goddard [an adaptation of the novel by Andy Weir] gives him a few impossible lines. About being photographed, Watney poses and says, "What would you expect me to be - a high school senior or a coquettish ingénue?" Watney also has to repeat ad nauseam his tiresome reaction to his commander's (Jessica Chastain) taste in music.

But despite the clunky dialogue, most of the time Damon's genuine charm comes through. He finds several needles in haystacks on Mars, but he makes them almost believable.

He is one lucky botanist.

The Martian has a stellar cast. NASA has been feminized. The Hermes commander - Watney's boss - is a woman (Chastain). NASA's PR director (Kristen Wiig) is female, as is the tech expert (Kate Mara) on the Hermes.

But don't worry men, gifted actress Mackenzie Davis has a role in which she merely is supposed to respond to men. I hope she isn't about to be typecast, because of her role in TV's excellent Halt and Catch Fire, in which she portrays a geek with vital personality. In The Martian she is a geek without personality.

Sean Bean injects his usual humanity into a slim role as an ardent supporter of astronauts. Chiwetel Ejiorfor also brings humanity to his character of a scientist. Less imposing is Jeff Daniels as the predictable, pragmatic head of NASA. Michael Pena is the fellow Hermes' member who exchanges repartees with Watney. We must have repartees.

Veteran director Ridley Scott creates some gripping style. The film should be seen in 3-D, because several scenes need the added impact. He uses peppy music to the film's advantage.

Basically, The Martian is pleasing, middlebrow entertainment. When the film is over, take note of the body count.

The Martian is a Disney Version - Peter Pan Goes to Mars.

But, at least, it's not goofy.