The Martian(2015) : An exhilarating journey of human resilience and scientific ingenuity against the backdrop of Mars

The theme of the movie "The Martian" revolves around human survival, resilience, and overcoming challenges through science and technology.

 

Introduction
Plot Summary
Impressive Scene
Review
Final thoughts

Introduction

  One of the main reasons we watch movies is to experience rare and unattainable adventures indirectly. With the advancement of graphics and visual effects, science fiction films offer us these experiences in a more realistic manner. While we witness all sorts of dramatic situations and challenges unfold on screen, they only affect us within the confines of the theater, allowing us to feel the excitement, tension, and thrill through the screen. Disaster movies are no different. Safely seated, we can enjoy disasters that we wouldn't dare to witness in real life, empathizing with the emotions of the characters.

  The movie "The Martian" revolves around an unexpected disaster on Mars, where the protagonist is left stranded. He must survive alone on Mars for hundreds of days, solving problems related to food, energy, and ultimately returning safely to Earth. With humanity's potential journey to Mars seemingly imminent, the storyline becomes even more immersive.

  While there are many "survival" movies out there, the setting being Mars, 76 million kilometers away from Earth, makes a significant difference. Just the premise alone ignites considerable curiosity. The film not only entertains but also satisfies intellectual curiosity by providing relatively easy-to-understand scientific explanations for how the protagonist managed to return from Mars.

 

Plot Summary

  In the movie "The Martian," protagonist Mark Watney, a member of the Ares III mission team, encounters a massive storm while on a manned mission to Mars. Although they were aware of the storm beforehand and believed they were well-prepared to handle it, the storm's intensity forces them to abort the mission and evacuate. During the evacuation, Watney is hit by debris and presumed dead as the crew cannot locate him in the blinding sandstorm. With his life support system damaged and communication lost, the crew reluctantly leaves Mars, and NASA officially announces Watney's death.

  However, Watney survives, buried under the sandstorm with a punctured spacesuit that self-sealed due to coagulated blood, preventing oxygen from leaking out. He manages to make it back to the base and begins recording video logs, strategizing ways to survive until the next Mars mission, expected in about four years. Despite limited supplies, Watney, a botanist, decides to grow potatoes using rationed food and water. With water scarcity on Mars, he eventually succeeds in producing water using rocket fuel, overcoming various obstacles and celebrating the first sprout of potatoes.

  Meanwhile, back on Earth, debates arise at NASA about whether to search for Watney's body. However, when satellite images inadvertently reveal Watney's presence, NASA decides to bring him back. Watney, recalling a past mission, retrieves the Pathfinder probe buried in the sand, allowing communication with Earth. Using hexadecimal code, Watney communicates with NASA and learns how to establish better communication using the rover's onboard computer network. With renewed communication, Watney plans his escape from Mars and eventual return to Earth, informing his crewmates and initiating a rescue mission by NASA.

 

  One day, upon returning to the base after working outside, Watney faces a sudden decompression accident, causing a portion of the base to blow away. His carefully nurtured potatoes are exposed to Mars' atmosphere and freeze, leaving Watney grappling with the fear of inevitable death. In this urgent situation, NASA hurries to launch a resupply probe, but the rocket explodes, leading to failure.

  Meanwhile, observing these events, the China National Space Administration (CNSA) decides to use a previously undisclosed satellite launch vehicle to rescue Watney. On the other hand, Watney's returning crewmates decide to spend an additional 533 days in space to rescue him. Upon receiving this plan, Watney begins modifying a rover to travel to the Ares 4 base.

  Charging the rover with solar power during the day and sleeping under it for protection, Watney repeats this routine for several months until he finally reaches the Ares 4 base. There, he modifies the MAV and successfully launches it. Despite setbacks such as fainting due to strong gravitational acceleration, a torn tarp during liftoff, and a difficult rendezvous with his crewmates' spacecraft, Watney ultimately holds onto the captain's hand and is rescued, returning to Earth.

 

Impressive Scenes

  Given the space backdrop, The Martian offers visually stunning scenes of unfamiliar planets and outer space, providing aesthetic satisfaction. The advanced facilities and equipment, such as spacecraft and the Mars habitat, add to the spectacle. Even without considering the movie's message or content, it can be enjoyed simply as a time-passing film without feeling boring, offering enjoyable viewing.

  Among these, Watney's struggle for survival stands out. Particularly, the scenes where he begins cultivating potatoes to solve the food problem and finally succeeds after several failures, watching the first sprout emerge and quietly saying "Hello" overflow with restrained elation, intensifying the emotional impact.

  The scene where Watney expresses gratitude for a single potato seed is truly memorable. While other iconic space films like Gravity left us grateful for a sip of water and the ability to stand on Earth, and Interstellar made us contemplate family while exploring space and relativity, The Martian can be seen as a survival film that showcases human resilience on Mars, making us appreciate a single potato seed. Despite not being a fan of potatoes, after watching the movie, one might crave them.

  Another memorable scene is the final escape, where Watney rides the massive MAV, moving during the night and charging with solar power during the day, evoking a sense of exploration of the unknown planet Mars. Despite being at the brink of life and death, Watney appears strangely serene. Upon reaching the final destination and leaving a note to take care of MAV, Watney's calm determination as he pushes the wheel once and sets off for the final escape is also unforgettable.

  Undoubtedly, the most nail-biting scene is the daring leap in space. While it's a scene embellished with cinematic fiction, the suspense of Watney puncturing his suit to propel himself with the thrust and then maneuvering through space to eventually succeed, albeit somewhat expectedly, keeps you on the edge of your seat.

 

Review

  The resilience shown by the protagonist Mark, amidst despairing circumstances, left a profound impression. Indeed, it's a given that he strives to survive; otherwise, there would be no story, and it wouldn't become a book or a movie. The issue lies in the extent of the despairing situation. The movie's backdrop is Mars, where there is a scarcity of food and water. While there are provisions for the mission, being stranded alone seems like a death sentence after rationing the supplies for a while.

  However, the protagonist refuses to give up, utilizing his expertise and knowledge to cultivate potatoes in the barren land and survive. He records hope day by day by not despairing and recording videos.

  The movie's setting is Mars. So far, there have been many movies set in space, ranging from the Moon to fictional planets far beyond several light-years away. However, this movie depicts a survival scenario on Mars. Setting it on Mars is a stroke of genius.

  Mars, in a way, is the most familiar planet to us in the solar system, but also, with today's technological capabilities, it's seemingly an impossible planet for humans to set foot on. In that sense, the events unfolding on Mars in this movie could be considered a glimpse into the near but not-too-distant future. While we can't go there immediately, Mars feels like a place that could be reached in the not-so-distant future. In reality, humanity is planning to colonize Mars. Led by eccentric genius Tesla's Elon Musk, it's said that within a few decades, humanity will set foot on Mars. And this doesn't seem entirely impossible. Thus, this movie, dealing with Mars, evokes thoughts of something that could happen in about 10 years, unlike other space movies set in a far-off future. It instills a sense of realism while still being a science fiction movie, providing an appropriate setting that allows for immersion.

 

- Comparison to "Cast Away"

  The movie evokes memories of Tom Hanks' "Cast Away," where he was stranded on a deserted island, adapting and surviving alone until finally returning to civilization. However, this movie takes place against the backdrop of space, involving various scientific knowledge. While the film incorporates elements of cinematic imagination and a bit of fiction, it also stimulates intellectual curiosity and unleashes the wings of imagination.

 

Final Thoughts

  In contrast to "Cast Away" or "Robinson Crusoe," in this film "The Martian," Watney is not alone. Although stranded alone on Mars, he is not alone in the sense that NASA and many others on Earth are tirelessly working to rescue him. The warm emotions conveyed by characters who never give up, showing hope that one is not alone and can survive any difficulty, were felt throughout the movie.

  Personally, I'm not particularly fond of space-related science fiction movies. They often feel unrealistic, and the scientific knowledge involved can be difficult to grasp, leading to a loss of interest in the film. However, I found this movie quite enjoyable. As mentioned above, it's entertaining both as a casual watch to pass the time and as a captivating survival story. It can be considered a space science fiction film that anyone can enjoy, excluding specialized knowledge, complex plots, or experimental visuals.