Over the past ten years, the fiction genre has again become one of the most sought-after in modern cinema. Thanks to advances in modern technology and visual effects, directors have the opportunity to implement even the most innovative and ambitious projects. First of all, this applies to Hollywood studios, which can afford to create films for hundreds of millions of dollars. Thus, fans of the genre get the opportunity to enjoy watching a truly spectacular and large-scale science fiction movie.
Also, a great role in the popularization of the genre was played by the fact that it is truly multifaceted. Previously, mostly the same type of space action films were shot in this direction, which did not carry serious artistic integrity. Such films have remained in the history of cinema as entertainment tapes at one time. However, science fiction can now be multifaceted. Some directors create whole new worlds or galaxies in which there is a confrontation between representatives of different races. Other directors touch on the subject of alien invasion. But in the vast majority of cases, the plot is based on the subjugation of other planets by a person. This is what one of the best films - 2015 "The Martian" narrates. It will be discussed in this article. We will review the reviews of the movie "The Martian", its plot, actors and much more, no less interesting. We will try to make out the movie in the smallest details and pay attention to every detail.
The Martian: Release Date
The premiere took place on September 11, 2015 as part of the Toronto Film Festival. However, the wide distribution of the Martian took place only on October 2 in America. This film was expected in Russia in theaters since October 8. The film was more than successful at the global box office, having recouped its budget several times. This is precisely what returned eminent Ridley Scott to the Hollywood elite. Due to some of Scott’s failed work, many have already thought it was time for the veteran to retire. But he proved that he could still compete with much younger directors.
Plot
The content of the movie The Martian is quite interesting. The events of the film unfold on the planet Mars. Mankind has finally been able to achieve the necessary progress in the field of space technology and is now making expeditions to the red planet without any problems. These studies play a very important role. So only the best of the best were able to board the Ares-3 mission. In the center of the plot is a group of skilled astronauts who happened to spend a long amount of time outside their home planet. During this period, they managed to make friends and become real friends. But none of them succeeded in foreseeing further events ...
Further, the plot of the movie "Martian" is developing dynamically. There was a danger of a sandstorm, as a result of which the astronauts could seriously suffer or even die. So in extreme conditions, they were forced to board the spacecraft and leave the planet as soon as possible. One of the astronauts could not do this due to serious damage to the suit. As a result of this, the team considered him dead and flew to Earth without him.
Mark regains consciousness, miraculously surviving. Only now he understands what a difficult situation he was in. He was left on an unfamiliar planet in complete solitude. And there is no hope that anyone will go looking for him, considering them dead. But, fortunately for the protagonist, the planet has reserves of water, food and oxygen, thanks to which he can hold out for some time. However, he needs to come up with a way that would allow him to survive on Mars for the whole four years. After so much time, a new expedition will arrive on the planet. Will he be able to survive and not lose his mind on a desert planet in splendid isolation and with minimal provisions? How will the movie "Martian" end? This is not worth talking about now, as the whole intrigue will be lost. One thing is for sure: the finale will not disappoint you.
Producer
The director's chair in The Martian was taken by none other than Ridley Scott himself. This man is already over 80, but he continues to actively shoot about a film a year. Many young directors could envy the fertility of a veteran of American cinema. He began his career in the distant 70s. And even then, he managed not only to declare himself to the whole world, but also quickly become one of the most prominent figures in Hollywood.
Scott's first major success was the sci-fi horror movie Alien, which was shot for less money. But the budget was enough to convey the whole atmosphere of horror into which the main characters fell. “Alien” forever changed the face of modern cinema and spawned an outstanding franchise that has not died to this day.
Then Ridley Scott took off the great masterpiece of the fantasy blade-runner cyberpunk. Despite the fact that the film failed at the box office and was not appreciated by the public at the time of release, now the film is an unconditional classic that every movie fan must see.
Then the director’s career quickly went uphill. He managed to work in a variety of genres and shoot more than 30 magnificent works. Almost all the prominent Hollywood stars have worked with Ridley Scott. So its influence on this sphere cannot be overestimated. Only in recent years, in his work, a noticeable decline began to be observed. Scott produced one disastrous film after another, more and more convincing fans that age was taking its toll.
But in 2015, thanks to the movie The Martian, he was able to shut up all critics. He created a truly innovative fantasy drama full of irony and new ideas. So to this day, Ridley simply has no equal in this genre.
Preparing for filming
As you know, the script for The Martian is entirely based on the work of Andy Weir, which was popular in the homeland. That's just the content of the book turned out to be too scientific and poorly understood by the average man and connoisseur of fiction. So it was extremely difficult to transfer this to the cinema format. According to Ridley Scott himself, he could not master the novel, since everything described there was something unattainable for him. It was for this very reason that he took the risk and completely relied on an adapted and more simplified scenario.
Heroes of the movie "Martian"
Despite the fact that “The Martian” is a film of one actor, a lot of talented and well-known people appeared on the sidelines in it. So we bring to your attention the actors of the movie "Martian" (2015).
Matt Damon
Mark Watney performed by Matt Damon turned out to be a truly memorable character, whom you sincerely begin to empathize with during the film. His fate somehow reminded me very much of the story from the film "Outcast", which was released 15 years before. In that film, the main character was also in splendid isolation without the ability to connect with the rest of the world. So Damon was able to perfectly cope with a rather difficult task assigned to his shoulders. It was in the “Martian” that Matt Damon fully demonstrated all his talent.
Before that, you could see Matt Damon in many other popular blockbusters such as The Departed, Bourne Identity, Ocean's Eleven, and many others. So fans of his work will be interested to look at their favorite in an unusual role, with which he coped just fine.
Jessica chastain
She, like the other minor heroes, was given very little screen time. But even this was enough for Jessica Chastain to create a catchy image on the screen. In “Martian,” Jessica Chastain played the role of ship captain. Like Damon, Jessica is an extremely sought after and eminent actress who always perfectly complements any movie. And this was no exception.
Chiwetel Ejiofor
The actor of the movie “The Martian” (2015), who managed to become the most sought-after black actor in Hollywood in a fairly short amount of time. More recently, he starred mainly in not the most notable dramatic films. But already now it can be observed in various projects of such studios as, for example, Marvel. He was also nominated for an Oscar for starring in the historical drama 12 Years a Slave. It was there that he was able to fully reveal his full acting potential and become a real star.
Before the movie “The Martian,” Chiwetel Ejiofor had already collaborated with Ridley Scott. We are talking about the criminal thriller "Gangster", according to many, which became one of the main masterpieces of the director in the 21st century. Then the actor also got a supporting role.
Kristen Wiig
Kristen Wiig is also a fairly sought-after actress in recent years. Many are used to seeing her in the comedy genre. In particular, she is also the main star of the most popular American parody show, Saturday Night Live, for which she has received many prestigious television awards. But from time to time she still tries her hand in other areas of cinema. In this film, she also has a momentary appearance on the screen.
Jeff Daniels
We think that for many Jeff Daniels needs no introduction. He managed to play several great roles at once, thanks to which he has long gone down in the history of cinema and TV. First of all, he is famous for the mass audience thanks to the dullogy "Dumb and Dumber." However, there were much more dramatic projects worthy of attention in his career. We recommend that you familiarize yourself with the films The Purple Rose of Cairo, Speed, and the series News Service. In “Martian,” he played Dr. Teddy Sanders.
Sean Bean
NASA Flight Director Mitch Henderson, performed by Sean Bean, also turned out to be a very interesting character. However, the timing did not allow to fully reveal the character of the hero. In any case, the appearance of such a star always has a positive effect on the overall picture of what is happening on the screen.
Kate mara
Well, the last person whom it makes sense to mention in this article is actress Kate Mara. She is the sister of another, no less famous Hollywood star Rooney Mara. However, Kate appears on large screens much less often, preferring television. In “Martian,” she played astronaut Beth Johansson.
Where were the shootings
Where was the movie The Martian Filmed? The film was shot in the Wadi Rum desert, in Jordan, which became an ideal place to recreate the general atmosphere of Mars. However, the place where the movie "The Martian" was shot was not enough. Most of the visual components were made using the most modern computer effects. It took quite a while to prepare for creating the effects. But the final result, no doubt, exceeded all possible expectations.
Reviews from viewers and critics
Reviews for the movie "Martian" are mostly positive. The film became one of the main hits of the rental in 2015. So we can say with full confidence that the fans were more than satisfied with what they saw. By modern standards, Ridley Scott didn’t have much money. Typically, the standard amount for producing fantastic blockbusters is 250 million. Scott only had a hundred. But this did not affect the quality of the work. Many viewers leave positive reviews for the movie "Martian" for their magnificent visuals, thanks to which it is incredibly interesting to watch what is happening on the screen. Also out of the pros is a brilliant game performed by Matt Damon, who was able to surpass himself.
Critics also leave positive reviews for the movie The Martian. In particular, the overall percentage of positive reviews on the well-known review generator is 91%. For this genre, this indicator is a huge rarity. Critics were primarily struck by the plot of the movie “The Martian,” not the visual component. The script turned out to be extremely exciting and presented while watching a lot of surprises that pleased everyone without exception. Despite its serious overload with all kinds of scientific details, it will be interesting to any audience to watch what is happening on the screen. And what ends the film "The Martian" will exceed all your expectations.
As for the other technical components, they also turned out to be more than convincing. Despite his age, Scott is not afraid to use the most modern and little-known technologies for filming in the spirit of special cameras mounted on astronaut helmets. Many of the cameras and techniques used were more than innovative and could not fail to impress the audience.
Awards
The Martian film was awarded a huge number of major awards and became one of the most successful science fiction films of the last five years. In particular, the film received seven Oscar nominations at once, including an award for the best film. That's just to win at least one of them, unfortunately, the creators of the picture did not succeed. But on the Golden Globe the situation was much more positive. There, the “Martian” (2015 film) won two of the three awards at once. That's just the main award was somewhat curious. As you know, the film was positioned by the creators as a dramatic film with elements of science fiction. However, he won the controversial nomination for Best Comedy / Musical of the Year. This circumstance caused a lot of jokes on the Internet and left many fans at a loss. Also, Matt Damon deservedly received a prize for Best Actor.
Themes and Impact
As you know, the director of the film all his life has specialized mainly in dark and intense scenes in the cinema. His films are full of suspense, which is the main component of such genres as horror and thriller. So many fans were very surprised by the atypical for Ridley Scott near-positive and light narration that was present in the “Martian”. Yes, it was still a drama. But at the same time, she was not deprived of comic moments that could amuse the audience while watching. But Scott himself equated such humor with the hangman’s jokes.
The director was inspired to create such a movie by the eminent Stanley Kubrick, a classic of the genre who gave the world the legendary Space Odyssey. Also, of course, it was a clear attempt to tell the story of modern Robinson as part of a fantastic genre. However, the idea embodied in this film is somewhat deeper than it might seem at first glance. In particular, the question arises of the significance of one particular life taken. So after watching the “Martian,” there remains a lot to think about.
Total
As a result, we got one of the most striking and unusual science fiction films of the 21st century, which definitely will appeal not only to fans of the genre, but also to the mass audience. Ridley Scott was able to make another revolution in the genre, giving the world another masterpiece. At the moment, he continues to actively make films and act as a producer. One can only hope that he will repeatedly please us with his magnificent films in the future. Well, we strongly recommend watching the Martian. You will definitely be pleasantly surprised by what you see on the screen.