I saw The Martian. I have not read the book. This was not intentional. The book has been in my reading list for a while, I just never got around to reading it. And then the movie came out. So for once, I decided to see the movie first and then read the book.
There was another reason to watch the movie. It stars one of my favorite actors, Matt Damon.
Here’s what I like about Matt. While doing a wide variety of roles, he does not change his getup much, save the occasional blond hair, blue contacts, or a funny mustache – and often, not even that. If you just look at his photo in a magazine, it’s still Matt looking back at you. But then you see him on the screen and everything changes – accent, body language, and sometimes the body itself. For Invictus, he got himself physique of a Rugby player (though his size does not fit in the traditional Rugby player category), walked with both feet firmly planted on ground and made himself robust like a rock. He was Francois Pienaar in flesh and blood. To be fair though, he had tough competition in Morgan Freeman. The way Morgan managed to resurrect Nelson Mandela on screen with his body language and voice is a topic for another post. In the Bourne series, Matt was agile, sharp, and quick as lightning. In Legend of the Bagger Vance, he became Rannulph Junuh – a golfer from Savannah, easy going and relaxed with a delightful Southern accent. And in all these transformations, his instrument was his body.
Matt is one of the best examples of actors using their body as an instrument. He has another interesting quality. He is at that sweet spot between a star and a serious actor. He has enough star quality to blend easily in the Hollywood’s Who’s Who Extravaganza that was Ocean’s Eleven, but he is also serious about his acting which allows him to experiment. That he does not have many signature mannerisms also helps, save perhaps the toothy grin, which has become less frequent as he transitions from his younger roles.
First thing that strikes you about The Martian is its low key approach. The stock camera movements and cuts depicting launch sequences have been done away with. In fact, there is a deliberate attempt to create disharmony by playing 70’s Disco hits that feel so out of place. This ironical interplay reaches its high point when Mark Watney (Matt Damon) prepares for the final launch, with ABBA playing in the background.
The downplay does not make the film routine. Nothing about the grand landscape of the Red Planet can be routine. With two rovers sending pictures of Mars everyday, there is no dearth of details. This is one occasion where the 3D does feel like an advantage. Instead of superheroes beating the heck out of each other, it’s much more rewarding to watch the Martian landscape in 3D.
Most of the movie – barring the climax – is shot like a documentary, with few witty lines and tense moments thrown in. There is much science here and from what I have read, much has been left out from the book. This makes me wonder how the movie will come across to laypersons not familiar with intricacies of space flight. Apollo 13 was packed with details as well, but they spent quite a bit of time explaining the main points. The Martian is more abrupt, never dwelling too much on one particular problem and the problems just keep coming.
While watching The Martian, it struck me that perhaps we are becoming familiar with space exploration. And this reflects in the way the director does not spend much time on things like the movement of spaceship across the sky – one of the favorite shots of earlier directors. Soon, a spaceship going by could be as routine as a car or a train. We want more – survival on Mars or psychotherapy in space. In other words, space is slowly becoming another background location where the usual human interactions can be played out. And this is where Kubrick (And Arthur C Clarke!) still wins. The high point of 2001: A Space Odyssey is not rooted merely in the wonder of space exploration, it goes beyond. The journey from early humanoids to artificial intelligence and its implications leaves you breathless.
There are some moments in The Martian where Ridley Scott pauses for a moment and reflects. When Mark soliloquies, “I am the only person on this planet”, the vastness of Mars and of the space beyond hits you. It’s one of the few existential moments in the film.
Even if you don’t care for the scientific details, The Martian is worth a watch for the beautiful Red Planet and some well paced drama in space.
