Stayin' Alive.

I didn't expect to find the time to for Ridley Scott's adaptation of The Martian before leaving on our Japanese adventure, but I received an unexpected inquiry from my lovely girlfriend Karli as to whether or not I'd be interested in seeing it this weekend, and after some negotiations off we went to a 3-D* Saturday matinee.

Overall, the film version of The Martian scores well in its presentation of Andy Weir's novel.  Inevitably, there are the changes and compressions required to move from one medium to another, but the movie keeps the feel of the original story, while enhancing it with the visual brilliance which is the trademark of Ridley Scott's handiwork.

Scott fills the movie with epic shots of the Martian landscape, shots that emphasize Watney's isolation on an alien world, and that emphasis is probably the largest change from the book to the movie.  In the book, Watney moves from solving one problem to the next, with very little time spent on the emotional impact of being the only man on an entire planet.  Matt Damon's Watney experiences excitement, fear, pain and frustration - the movie humanizes the character to a much greater degree than the book.

Damon is the ideal casting choice for Mark Watney, Martian castaway.  Long portions of the book are first-person narrative, and Damon's affable, approachable manner puts the perfect face on the smart, funny character from the book.  For that matter, everyone shows well in their roles, although one or two of the actors felt underutilized, notably Sean Bean and Kristin Wiig.  Regardless, it's a pleasure to see Sean Bean survive to the end of a film.

For me, one of the best aspects of both the book and the movie is that The Martian is very nearly not science fiction at all. I don't have the background to judge whether or not it's entirely within our current technological envelope, but my feeling is that the scientific framework around Mark Watney's trials and tribulations is as accurate - and feasible - as possible.**

However, I missed the problem solving aspect of the book.  Mark Watney's ability to surmount the various barriers to survival that are placed in his path is the best part of the story for me, and the movie either eliminates or simplifies many of those barriers. Nonetheless, the movie does an impressive job of realistically presenting the manner in which the story of a stranded astronaut could play out.

Most impressive of all is the impeccable timing of NASA's recent announcement regarding evidence of liquid water on Mars.  Logic says that it's accidental marketing, but I'm more than a little curious (and a bit apprehensive) to see what NASA announces for the sequel to Independence Day that's coming out next year...

- Sid

* If you haven't seen the film yet, there is no need to spend your money on the 3D version - I cannot think of a 3D movie that I've seen in which it was less necessary or less emphasized than in The Martian.

**  Apparently astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson, who does have the background, agrees.