Halfway through The Martian, I was certain that its protagonist, Mark Watney (played by Mark Damon), and Dr. Mann (also played by Matt Damon) from Interstellar would cross plotlines, and he would betray Mathew McConaughey (from Interstellar) in a provoking twist. Obviously this never happened, and Watney was left to rough it out in a barren Martian landscape. The Martian is a far more realistic (if less fun) science fiction film compared to Interstellar, and shows that a movie blockbuster can still be watchable without physics defying loopholes.

The plot of The Martian follows (no spoiler alert needed- the trailer reveals the essential early arc of the story) Mark Watney, convincingly played by Matt Damon, stranded on Mars after being abandoned by his crew, who left after presuming him dead. The movie is split between Watney’s survival efforts and the human drama happening with NASA back on Earth. The Martian, while serious, is perhaps saved by its flashes of humor from Damon and a solid supporting role from Donald Glover (aka Childish Gambino) as a brilliant but antisocial astrophysicist. The movie is showcases generally accurate physics, and is even entertaining at times.

Belying the movies box office and relative critical acclaim, The Martian has sizeable short comings. It fails to make a deep statement on anything beyond a single man’s capacity to survive. The human drama back on Earth often feels artificial, and Watney never really faces a true existential threat (physical or mental) on Mars. He retains a positive and stoic mentality that, coupled with an incredibly strong will to survive, makes his survival efforts at times boring. His time spent abandoned on Mars captures attention only through his comedy and clever survival tricks.

Thirty years from now, despite its box office success probable Oscar awards, The Martian will not be looked at as a classic. The questions it poses aren’t oriented on the human capacity to trail blaze, thrive, or astound. Rather, the movie focuses on a desperate need to survive. The movie is not exactly dull, but it lacks the bizarre yet beautiful element that classical films like 2001: A Space Odyssey and even Interstellar capture. Maybe The Martian might be a more realistic view of space travel (combined with an unlikely survival story, but whatever), but it does not make a great movie, and it certainly does not inspire mankind to explore the unknown.

Media Office Rating: 3/5 stars