The Martian: a Spielbergian take on space

Rating: 8/10 (5 January 2016)

Greetings from the galaxy, where we get yet another semi-realistic, big-budget space exploration movie from an A-list director - following the very good and very successful Interstellar (2014) and Gravity (2013). So - how does The Martian fit in? There is a bit of overlap, but overall, Ridley Scott has succeeded in adding a completely different perspective.
Where Gravity and Interstellar felt like big leaps forward in movie-making, The Martian does not. It is the least ambitious of the three, lacking a deep philosophical undercurrent or breakthrough visual effects that made the other two so compelling. This is not necessarily a bad thing, however. The Martian features - by far - the most well-developed cast, acting performances and characters, and comes with an unexpected, almost Spielbergian sense of pace and storytelling. The movie and its leads are upbeat, resourceful and have a lightness that prevails in the most trying of times. It is, far more than the others, a people movie, and a popcorn movie at that. It's up to you if you like that, and can stretch your suspension of disbelief accordingly.
Without giving away any plot details - let's say that, in the end, like its two blockbuster predecessors, The Martian is about survival in the face of overwhelming odds. But while Interstellar focuses on the abyss faced by an entire race, and Gravity on the depths faced by one person, The Martian shows us the joy of survival through old-fashioned team spirit. In that sense, it is a very American movie.