The Martian Review: It is about hope, survival against odds and an intergalactic thrill

The audacity of hope. That is probably the best phrase that sums up the spirit of The Martian – the Hollywood extravaganza, complete with rippling hope, soul warming mission to Mars that saves the bonds created on Earth.

It’s a simple film that tugs at your heart, except for those moments when technology and space take over. The thrill quotient is ample, abundant and never short in supply. Matt Damon gets full marks to be the first man to have made it in and out of Mars, alive.

Truly enough, men are indeed from Mars!

This has been said enough that had the scientists found traces of water on Mars a year ago, the storyline of this film could have undergone some change in order to make the potato farming easier.

Except for one experiment less, and a changed landscape to accommodate water traces, Matt Damon would have pretty much done the same thing he did now.

Gravity and Interstellar had given us a peek into space. They showed how lonely and hopeless space travel could be, and how it’s a point-of-no-return from the time you sign up for a date with space. They entertained us for sure, but somehow failed in delivering a message that space is a promising place to be.

In that arena, The Martian wins hands down. Waking up in the middle of a strange planet to exiting the planet with the help of same people who were forced to leave the planet to ensure safety of other astronauts with no bitterness about each other is simply a candle that burns bright.

When did we hear last that science doesn’t have emotions? The Martian will tell you it sure does. Human relations are as valuable as finding traces of water and life on Mars, as much as it is to go get your pal back into the spacecraft.

While on Mars, Matt, who plays the role of Mark, learns to use his botany knowledge and becomes the ‘first man’ ever to grow potato using processed excreta.

Except for a few experiments that go wrong, Mark fills us with hope and love for the red planet, which is rumored to have no life on its surface.

At some point in The Martian, Mark says something that’s considered a huge honour on Earth. It is strange to be the first person doing everything. First person to step out, first person to grow potato, first person to walk and first person to have survived on the planet, etc.

Just as SOLs roll, the team of co-astronauts, who have almost approached the Earth, decide to head back and bring Mark along with them.
By then, Mark has stood strong, kept himself occupied and even got attached to the rover that carries him to the point from where he would be meeting his friends in space!

Also, The Martian makes you wonder if this is the ‘Castaway’ Mars, because though Mark is sure there is no one else other than him to decipher the human language there, he leaves an emotional note in the rover addressed to ‘whomsoever it may concern’, much like a message in a bottle that would be found by someone else eons later and civilizations apart.

The Martian features a star studded cast that includes Jessica Chastain, Kristen Wiig, Kate Mara, Michel Pena, Jeff Daniels, Chiwetel Ejiofor and Donald Glover.

Some heart touching moments in space does succeed in building a very human storyline. The Martian comes home alive and kicking, much to the joy of everyone in China and the US, including rest of the world as well.

A few aspects that make a significant mark are about NASA using Chinese expertise to bring Matt back home after a failed launch of supplies into the space, to help Matt hold up till the mission to bring him back is commissioned.

Then there is a clear good will and representation of communities that have significantly contributed to NASA. Whether it is the African American, Asian or Indian to be precise, the moments these characters create are truly heartwarming.

Finally when the reunion of The Martian Mark is achieved with his teammates, there is a lot of humor that goes around without having to give into any thirst to create some tragedy.

That way, The Martian is a straight story, of hope, love, success and survival (on potato) to be precise. It would be only fair to expect Hollywood statements from this point onward about the space, can be filled with hope and humor too as against dark and fearful.

(Image: Foxmovies)