The Martian [DVD] [2015]

The Martian is an adaptation of the best selling near future science fiction novel, which sees an astronaut called Mark Watney left for dead on Mars when a mission is aborted. But he's actually survived. He has to face very hard challenges in order to keep alive. The crew of the returning spaceship and many people back on Earth have equally hard challenges to face in order to try and rescue him when they find he's alive.The film throws you a little bit in at the deep end, introducing six characters in quick succession and then setting the main plot up within the first few minutes. But then it really gets going.The narrative shifts between Earth and Mars, and the latter scenes require an actor who can carry them all on their own. Matt Damon delivers just the right kind of performance. Making Watney a likeable character. He uses science and self depreciation a lot. But there are some very well acted moments when he does let the emotion out.On the ship and on Earth we have quite a few characters, all of whom are facing the science challenges and the politics that NASA has to contend with. And some of them have some very hard command decisions to make.If you've not read the book you might find it takes a while to take all the characters in. But they are all well drawn and acted, and all do get their moments.The film does get a fair bit of humour in, but it all arises from the situation, in the believable way that people will use humour in high tension situations such as this to deal with the pressure.It is a story about people making tough decisions to deal with tough problems. And then coming up against more of the latter. So it becomes a pretty gripping narrative, as Watney's survival remains in the balance.It strives hard to make the science real. Although those who like to nit pick that will probably find enough to keep them happy.It has a very good sountrack. And it's a film that, thanks to strong characterisation and acting, does get you drawn into the fate of these people. So you will care about what happens.Ultimately, it entertains. And that's what we want from movies. So it's a good watch.Those who don't like subtitles will find one short scene in a foreign language with those. They can't be turned off. But it's short.Do keep watching as the end credits roll for a few extra scenes.If you've read the book, you'll find it's a pretty decent adaptation. It has to truncate some stuff, just to fit the passage of time passing into the length of the film. Some of the supporting characters do get a little less to do than they do on the printed page. And apart from one brief moment, you don't get any of the tv show watching. But apart from that, and a few minor changes, it works fine. Getting the bulk of the book and the story onto the screen. Think of it as a companion to the book, and you'll be happy.The dvd has the following language and subtitle options:Languages; English, German, Castilian Spanish.Subtitles: English, German, Castilian Spanish, Hindi.I only says English on the box, but I have checked the disc and they are all there.The dvd goes straight into the main menu with no adverts or trailers.Extras are as follows:The original cinema trailer for the film.Gag reel: seven minutes of outtakes. Despite having some of the usual curse of these - unfunny shots of people pulling funny faces - some of these are very funny. So it's worth a watch.Also, instead of featurettes about the movie, several short supplemental features. None of these longer than three minutes.Ares III; Farewell. Mark Watney films life on the ship and talks to the rest of the crew, just before they depart.The Right Stuff. The crew get a psych test after a deprivation test.These two are very funny at points, and a good watch.Ares: our greatest adventure. A short promotional film for the mission. Presented by a familiar face. [In his field].Leave your Mark. A TV Advert starring Mark Watney.Bring him home. A short film about the international response to his predicament.

I apologize in advance for any spoilers...I personally love this genre of film. The subject material of exploration beyond the comfort & relative safety of Earth is something I find fascinating. I'm a real National Geographic enthusiast with regards to programs about Space, The Solar System, The Universe etc etc.You could draw a few comparisons between The Martian & Interstellar, which I also love, but I found The Martian to be a lot more lighthearted. Considering Interstellar's main plot is the survival of the human race & the necessary sacrifices involved, The Martian's exploration & colonization of The Red Planet is much more casual in context.To quote Damon "I guarantee you that at some point, everything's going to go south on you', & very much like Interstellar the various characters find themselves in desperate situations needing to think fast & on their feet. Damon's character, Mark Watney (the Botanist) is incredibly resourceful, but it's perhaps his mental attributes that are his greatest weapon against the Martian environment that without life support systems would kill him in under a minute. He never gives up, he never knows when he's beaten.Watney finds himself in a losing battle against time. He solves 1 problem just to uncover another, & just when it appears he may have all the angles covered events unfold that make it increasingly obvious that the odds are heavily stacked against him. He ultimately loses the very personal battle he develops with Mars, but he wins the inner mental battle with himself. This makes the film incredibly spirited which in-turn gives it a real personality & creates a depth of feeling. I found myself really rooting for him & fist pumping at certain moments.I also found The Martian to be by most accounts able to hold up in terms of factually. We're led to believe that The Martian is set in the not too distant future, & while Nasa & various Space exploration agencies around the world (in real-life) are planning manned missions to The Red Planet, a lot of the tech in The Martian is future tech. 1 situation in particular made me raise an eyebrow where (without dropping too much of a spoiler) Damon seals up a huge hole in the habitation pod using a tarp & some ratchets. Temperatures on the Martian surface can often drop anywhere as low as -100 c at night, with low pressure, lack of oxygen & solar radiation also noted as being pretty serious issues on Mars. At temperatures below -70 c plastic becomes rigid & brittle causing it's molecules to fail & crack. A thin piece of tarp wouldn't last very long as part of a life support system on Mars.Anyway, most of the science & theories on show here hold up just fine, relatively speaking, & at the end of the day this is a Hollywood film after all, & a very enjoyable 1 at that. At 2 hours & 20 minutes approximately it's fairly lengthy but to me it didn't feel that long & to be honest I would of liked more back story at the end of the film. I would of happily kept watching more. The 3D was fine, not the best I've seen , it isn't popping out of the screen 3D but more like adding depth kind of 3D.I don't see any Oscar winning performances here but just good solid acting, scripting & pacing. Some of the cinematography & locations are breathtaking. The filming is great & visually very detailed.In conclusion I would highly recommend this film to anyone that has any amount of interest in the genre & subject material...

Great movie

Great film, watched a few times now. great value