The Martian

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This movie adaption of the self-published novel by author Andy Weir really is a great film and well deserving of its current box office success.

There is a truism that continually does the rounds in Hollywood and that is, that science fiction particularly hard Sci-fi, is a recipe for financial disaster Obviously they have not ever heard of Star Wars, Avatar and Aliens and many many more. 

I have actually had people argue with me and tell me that Avatar or Star Wars are not Sci-fi, they are action films. As if the two have to be mutually exclusive.

This movie tells the story of a manned mission to Mars, with six astronauts one of whom is botanist Mark Watney (Damon). They are tasked with bringing back samples when the mission is thrown into disarray when heavy weather causes the mission to be aborted.

Mark is hit by flying debris and presumed lost; his communications and telemetry both no longer sending a signal and he is presumed dead. The other five, played by Jessica Chastain, Kate Mara, Sebastian Stan, Aksel Hennie and Michael Peña, have no choice but to head back to Earth.

It turns out he is alive but stranded and that is what the story is about. His fight for survival on a hostile planet with limited resources. It will be years before he can be rescued and this will be a real fight for survival.

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He channels his inner MacGyver and uses scientific knowledge and all his physical and mental strength to grow food, build shelter, repair and create tools and equipment and the list goes on.
As Mark says, “I’m going to have to science the s--- out of this.” and it is a very apt description for what he has to do to survive.

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It is an eminently watchable film and if you love sci-fi, space exploration and seeing how the ingenuity of man can rise above his circumstances and the environment in which he lives this is a must see film.

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Ridley Scott has produced this paean to hard Science Fiction and he should be applauded for it. We need more of this type of film to generate interest in manned space programs and to show people what the human race could be capable of. Andy Weir did his research when he wrote the book upon which this is based and everything you see in this film could be possible right now. This film isn't fantasy, it is a possible reality.

  

 

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5 Stars