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STORY STUDY - MEDIUM: FILM - “The Martian”

Jeffrey Tung
Oct 23, 2017
3 min read

Going to be stealing a joke already made on the internet: Once again, Matt Damon needs to be saved again, and this time, the whole world’s watching.

Directed by Ridley Scott, written by Drew Goddard, and based on the novel by the same novel by Andy Weir, The Martian is about astronaut Mark Watney who is left behind on Mars by his team when they believe him to be dead after a violent dust storm hits them, forcing them to abort their mission.

Watney uses the resources that his team left behind, which includes the “Hab,” their base of operations, and a rover for Mars travel, to prolong his survival until the next manned mission to Mars can come get him, which would be in four years.

Meanwhile, NASA discovers that Watney is still alive, and focus all their resources in trying to communicate with him, and find a way to help him continue to survive on Mars.

The story is simplistic: it’s a tale of survival on one end, and a tale of unity between organizations on the other. Both sides use science and physics to solve their impossible dilemma. I’m not a scientist or physicist in any sense of the word, so I don’t know how much of it is accurate, but it’s still thrilling and inspiring to watch it be done on screen.

Given the film is written by The Cabin in the Woods co-writer/director Drew Goddard, and having read Weir’s original novel, the film features a sarcastic protagonist and continuously maintains a comedic tone; when appropriate, the characters try to stay positive in a bleak and dire situation. To me, it’s a unique approach to the “lone survivor in a desolate location” situation, or at least in its protagonist.

Watney is what I would refer to as a sarcastic professional. In fact, at least half his team is like that. The film makes them relatable in how this functioning team would interact, even it means sometimes taking shots at each other. Even in the face of grim odds, Watney is still sarcastic, evident in his GoPro recordings.

I say the film is inspiring because given the amount of organizations who work together for this one goal; it’s amazing that they get along together so well, especially since one of the organizations is the China National Space Administration. In another film, or heck even in real life, there would be conflicting egos and possibly animosity among rivals, but the film brilliantly dismisses all of that to show that they are focused on a goal.

Alien and Prometheus director Ridley Scott once again shows why his experience in showing off space makes him perfect for this film. The framing of the landscape of Mars is beautiful and deadly, even though it’s not real. I’ve only seen a handful of his films, so I can honestly say it’s his most optimistic film I’ve ever seen him do.

In fact, it’s the optimism that makes me love The Martian so much. The sarcastic personality of the characters who work in such a professional organization is something you never see that makes them feel relatable and not stoic and cold.

I had interest in the film when it first came out in theaters and when it was nominated for seven Academy Awards, and its infamous win in the Best Comedy/Musical and actor categories at the Golden Globe Awards.

The Martian is beautiful, thrilling, and yes, even funny to watch. It’s unique approach to a rescue mission from a united humanity makes it an inspiration for what the real life counterpart organizations should take a lesson from: to put ego and pride aside to save one of its own kind.