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It's difficult to do book adaptations right because someone, somewhere will always complain. My take on it is to never really compare the two. They are completely different mediums and unless they DRASTICALLY change the story elements, leaving bits and pieces out is completely fine and even expected. With The Martian, Ridley Scott manages to stick to the core idea and themes presented in the novel, capturing the isolation and loneliness brought fourth and delivering an entertaining survival flick.
The book was one of my favourite books to read that year. It was a hilarious, thrilling and scary read. The thought of being alone there terrified me and I wouldn't have survived a second. Mark Whatney, played by Matt Damon, not only survives the initial disaster, but inspires. The man does so many things with so little and here I am sitting on my ass with a bag of chips watching bad sitcoms. I knew the film wouldn't perfectly capture the same feeling the book had, but it does a decent job of attempting to.
Whatney is struck by some debris after a storm hits home base on Mars. The crew decide to leave, thinking he's dead. Guess what? He survived. With the crew heading back home, Whatney is literally stuck on a deserted planet by himself. He has to find a way to survive, communicate and hopefully live long enough to find rescue. The harsh elements of Mars might be a challenge for him.
Damon does a pretty good job of bringing the humour to life. Whatney uses comedic relief while talking to himself and his video logs to help with the mental strain of being in this situation. In all honesty, I would do the same thing. Being able to laugh a bit and have some fun, helps alleviate tense and impossible situations. Had he been down and depressed the whole time, maybe he wouldn't have found ways to accomplish things. While Damon is indeed a focal point of the film, the rest of the cast is stacked. Here's a quick list: Jessica Chastain, Kristen Wiig, Jeff Daniels, Sean Bean, Michael Peña, Kate Mara, Sebastian Stan, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Donald Glover and Mackenzie Davis. Not bad for a film about one guy trapped on another planet. Each serve their roles fine, some more than others. Glover's character is an odd one, popping up to help solve and issue, then disappearing right after.
Arguments have been made about whether or not this is a comedy. It is not, there are certainly comedic elements, but expect a survival struggle story with beautiful desolate terrain shots and lots of science mumbo-jumbo. One thing the book did was explain, a lot, of the science, the film sidesteps this, which is an improvement. I'm all for the realism of situations, but my understanding of those elements were next to none. Scott's slight change of the climax is understandable to add more tension to the scene and overall, the film is an enjoyable treat. Scott's film record has been hit or miss in his later career and the Martian, is a hit for him and the audience.
The Martian
Ridley Scott
Ridley Scott
It's difficult to do book adaptations right because someone, somewhere will always complain. My take on it is to never really compare the two. They are completely different mediums and unless they DRASTICALLY change the story elements, leaving bits and pieces out is completely fine and even expected. With The Martian, Ridley Scott manages to stick to the core idea and themes presented in the novel, capturing the isolation and loneliness brought fourth and delivering an entertaining survival flick.
The book was one of my favourite books to read that year. It was a hilarious, thrilling and scary read. The thought of being alone there terrified me and I wouldn't have survived a second. Mark Whatney, played by Matt Damon, not only survives the initial disaster, but inspires. The man does so many things with so little and here I am sitting on my ass with a bag of chips watching bad sitcoms. I knew the film wouldn't perfectly capture the same feeling the book had, but it does a decent job of attempting to.
Whatney is struck by some debris after a storm hits home base on Mars. The crew decide to leave, thinking he's dead. Guess what? He survived. With the crew heading back home, Whatney is literally stuck on a deserted planet by himself. He has to find a way to survive, communicate and hopefully live long enough to find rescue. The harsh elements of Mars might be a challenge for him.
Damon does a pretty good job of bringing the humour to life. Whatney uses comedic relief while talking to himself and his video logs to help with the mental strain of being in this situation. In all honesty, I would do the same thing. Being able to laugh a bit and have some fun, helps alleviate tense and impossible situations. Had he been down and depressed the whole time, maybe he wouldn't have found ways to accomplish things. While Damon is indeed a focal point of the film, the rest of the cast is stacked. Here's a quick list: Jessica Chastain, Kristen Wiig, Jeff Daniels, Sean Bean, Michael Peña, Kate Mara, Sebastian Stan, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Donald Glover and Mackenzie Davis. Not bad for a film about one guy trapped on another planet. Each serve their roles fine, some more than others. Glover's character is an odd one, popping up to help solve and issue, then disappearing right after.
Arguments have been made about whether or not this is a comedy. It is not, there are certainly comedic elements, but expect a survival struggle story with beautiful desolate terrain shots and lots of science mumbo-jumbo. One thing the book did was explain, a lot, of the science, the film sidesteps this, which is an improvement. I'm all for the realism of situations, but my understanding of those elements were next to none. Scott's slight change of the climax is understandable to add more tension to the scene and overall, the film is an enjoyable treat. Scott's film record has been hit or miss in his later career and the Martian, is a hit for him and the audience.