Good but nothing mind blowing

Rating: 6/10 (5 November 2015)

The Martian was an entertaining movie, however don't be fooled by the ridiculously high ratings that this is a classic, intense experience that is on par with Gravity. The film underachieves in far too many categories for this to become even a worthy comparison. The film boasts fantastic visual effects and the Mars atmosphere is rendered beautifully, however the main issues inherent with the film reside mostly in the script and tone the filmmakers choose to employ in order to tell this story.
Firstly, the film's mostly light tone cannot compensate for it's sprawling 140 minute length. Throughout the film, astronaut Mark Watney (Likably played by Matt Damon) is relentlessly optimistic about his predicament. So optimistic in fact that, apart from a couple of instances of psychological breakdowns, Mark is portrayed as ultimately a flawless character. This results in the film not being nearly as interesting or engaging as it could be, as the audience rarely gets the sense that Mark's situation could very well end in death. This lack of character depth transcends to the countless other characters on Earth. There are many great actors here, but because of the limitations of the script, none of them ever really rise above the stereotypes or caricatures in their respective characters.
The overall light tone of the film gives off the sense that not much is at stake, therefore resulting in a much less compelling film had it been made as a more serious drama. Despite being released around Oscar season, the film gives off the impression that it would have been more at home during the summer blockbuster season, as the frequent wisecracks, retro soundtrack and jokey tone are far more reminiscent of the Marvel movies than films like Gravity or Interstellar. This means that the film begins to grow slightly tedious in it's latter half, as the 140 minute film begins to drag because of the lack of intensity and urgency.
A curious thing, however, is that despite this length, director Ridley Scott chooses to rush through many defining moments of the film. For example, literally within the first few minutes Mark is left behind on Mars by his crew. While this does make for a fairly riveting and exciting opening, the cost of character development and the chance to really get invested in Mark's relationship with his crewmates is too great. Scott also rushes through Mark's rescue sequence at the end of the film, which is a shame since it's a key moment in the film and what is there is quite enthralling. It's just that the main problem with this scene is that it's a glimmer of what The Martian could have been, intense, life threatening situations dramatically conveyed with atmospheric space visuals.
Overall, The Martian is a disappointment. It is a film that failed to deliver on it's potential. I have not read the book the movie was based on so I can't comment on how faithful to the source material it is, but overall, I was let down by The Martian. The character development was lacking and the choice to tell this story with a light tone just didn't completely work for a 140 minute film, as it rarely feels that nothing is at stake, which resulted in a predictable movie. While it seems that most audiences are embracing the lighter and jokier vibe this film has, it unfortunately becomes the film's undoing, as the comedy robs the story of dramatic tension.