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[Kunan]

The movie was great! It had fantastic pacing and I was quite engrossed in the plot, the characters and the moment to moment happenings. It actually turned away the bored feelings I've had with Matt Damon since Elysium and Interstellar. He's great in this!

I'm quite happy with the resurgence of scifi event movies in recent years. Keep bringing them on! I think I'll read the book sometime this fall.

Was anyone surprised to find out that it was 2 hours and 21 minutes? It's one of those movies that never feel long since there's never a dull moment.

Yea. It was technically a long movie, but it never over stayed its welcome throughout. Great pacing.

 

[therealminime]

This felt like a nice counter balance to the general (and totally enjoyable) craziness of Gravity and Interstellar and reminded me a lot of Apollo 13. I really liked it. Love the science heavy nature and love that space driven sci-fi movies are coming out so much more frequently now. And nice to have a good Ridley Scott film again, it's been a little while.

 

[Angry Fork]

When I saw the first trailer for this it looked like a movie that didn't care about hard science and was more for mainstream audiences who wanted a simple feel good story, is this the case or no? Feel uneasy about Ridley Scott after Prometheus also.

 

[Qvoth]

gonna watch this later, hopefully it's as good as interstellar

 

[The Artisan]

my advice to those of you wanting to see it in 3D: don't. the movie is great, but I don't think the 3D effects were that great, it just made the whole film darker (and thus less enjoyable) save some money and watch it normally.

 

[Dan]

When I saw the first trailer for this it looked like a movie that didn't care about hard science and was more for mainstream audiences who wanted a simple feel good story, is this the case or no? Feel uneasy about Ridley Scott after Prometheus also.

It's certainly a million times more interested in science and logic than Prometheus and its scientists-in-name-only. Obviously there are certain shortcuts and exaggerations but it's not super fantastical.

 

[manzoman96]

my advice to those of you wanting to see it in 3D: don't. the movie is great, but I don't think the 3D effects were that great, it just made the whole film darker (and thus less enjoyable) save some money and watch it normally.

Yeah I saw it in 2D and while I thought there were a couple scenes that would've been cool to see in 3D I don't feel like I missed out on anything.

 

[MIMIC]

Loved it. Didn't expect it to be as funny as it was. Awesome movie.

 

[kris.]

This hit every single right note for me that could possibly be hit. Loved it to death. Phenomenal.

 

[The Artisan]

Yeah I saw it in 2D and while I thought there were a couple scenes that would've been cool to see in 3D I don't feel like I missed out on anything.

yep. I needed to go the earliest showtime which was a 3D one and while was in it, I often took off my glasses and saw that the 3D tinted the movie into being much darker. I was so annoyed but the movie was still awesome.

I wish I got to smoke beforehand but, oh well that's a different and less important struggle

 

[Magwik]

The 3D version of the movie didn't seem darker to me at all and I much preferred the added depth to Mars and space. One of the first few times I'd recommend 3D over 2D.

 

[The Artisan]

The 3D version of the movie didn't seem darker to me at all and I much preferred the added depth to Mars and space. One of the first few times I'd recommend 3D over 2D.

well I was watching in Real3D, or whatever and it was definitely much darker with the glasses on. I'd definitely recommend 2D over 3D on this one. Unless I guess you got an imax around you.

 

[Can Crusher]

I thought this movie was utterly devoid of tension and meaning. I felt nothing watching it aside from laughing at a joke or two.

Don't understand the praise, the movie is about nothing. A bunch of empty science.

 

[Squirrel Killer]

Worth it to watch it in 3d?

God no. Not nearly as hamfisted as the comical 3D in the Moby Dick trailer before the movie, but unnecessary in any way, shape, or form for most of the movie. This is a big screen film, not a 3D-must-see one.

Spoiler

(Note: I normally hate 3D, but I did love it for Gravity.)

When I saw the first trailer for this it looked like a movie that didn't care about hard science and was more for mainstream audiences who wanted a simple feel good story, is this the case or no?

I wouldn't say you're entirely wrong about that, it's more that it uses the hard science as plot points to tell a simple feel good story.

 

[Lunar FC]

I thought this movie was utterly devoid of tension and meaning. I felt nothing watching it aside from laughing at a joke or two.

Don't understand the praise, the movie is about nothing. A bunch of empty science.

Only 6 peoples live, billions of dollars and everybody's reputations on the line at every moment.

Loved the movie, wish it had maybe strayed a little more from the book in some instances. But thought they handled it pretty damn great.

 

[Mineshaft_Gap]

What the fuck is it that writers always feel the need to have Sean Bean's character

Spoiler

make a sacrifice for what he thinks is right. Lord of the Rings, Game of Thrones, Goldeneye, I'm sure there are others.

Guy can't catch a break.

 

[-griffy-]

When I saw the first trailer for this it looked like a movie that didn't care about hard science and was more for mainstream audiences who wanted a simple feel good story, is this the case or no? Feel uneasy about Ridley Scott after Prometheus also.

Here are some of Neil DeGrasse Tyson's tweets from earlier (he also posted some spoilers so I'd avoid his Twitter if you haven't seen it yet):
The @MartianMovie — where fluency in Science, Technology, Engineering, & Math rule all decisions of survival.
The @MartianMovie — where Science, Technology, Engineering, & Math are highly developed characters unto themselves.
The @MartianMovie — where you learn all the ways that being Scientifically Literate can save your life.
The @MartianMovie — where science, not human emotion, drives the plot’s Humor, Interpersonal Relations, Tension, & Suspense.
The @MartianMovie — where you experience Love, Hate, Envy, Anxiety, Pride, & Heroism, all through the lens of science.
In the @MartianMovie, they got crucial science right, while enhancing the story by fictionalizing the science that remained.

 

[Magwik]

What the fuck is it that writers always feel the need to have Sean Bean's character

Spoiler

make a sacrifice for what he thinks is right. Lord of the Rings, Game of Thrones, Goldeneye, I'm sure there are others.

Guy can't catch a break.

Spoiler

At least he didn't die

 

[PsihoPerihelion]

Damn, Ridley. You are the best when you are on your A game.

 

[Atraveller]

I like the movie well enough, but that scene with

Spoiler

Chinese space officials is pure cringe. Their lines sound like they were translated by someone with the control of the Chinese language slightly above Bing Translate, coupled with the amateur time acting and line delivery, it's just god awful! Who talks like that?

And the bulk of the conversation being cut out from the movie didn't help.

 

[gregor7777]

I like the movie well enough, but that scene with

Spoiler

Chinese space officials is pure cringe. Their lines sound like they were translated by someone with the control of the Chinese language slightly above Bing Translate, coupled with the amateur time acting and line delivery, it's just god awful! Who talks like that?

And the bulk of the conversation being cut out from the movie didn't help.

Such a small part of a great movie.

 

[Game4life]

Lacked the thrill of Gravity and lacked the charm of Cast Away. Utterly disappointed by the movie. The amount of exposition and explaining they had to do for every scene felt like a very uncreative way to communicate the science to the audience.

 

[diamount]

I loved it! Though the book did a better job in explaining Watney's space hacks (well being a book, it can afford a lot more scientific explanations) like him counting every tiny bit of calories or oxygen he has. In the movie he kinda became a witty botanist who survived mars.

They omitted one disaster, too, which I think is for the best considering the length of the movie.

Book spoilers inc

Spoiler

The hab explosion?

 

[CitizenCope]

Very excited to see this as the summer had no blockbusters to me.

 

[Atraveller]

Such a small part of a great movie.

I know, but it was so jarring! The dialogue barely makes sense, they might as well be talking in jibberish, even the local garbage soap operas were better than that!

 

[xxracerxx]

Great movie....

Spoiler

wish though that they had ended it like the book

. <--- Ending spoiler.

 

[Concept17]

Damn, even gaf loved it? Can't wait till I have time to go see it!

 

[diamount]

I know, but it was so jarring! The dialogue barely makes sense, they might as well be talking in jibberish, even the local garbage soap operas were better than that!

I'm guessing the movie won't pass the Chinese censors anyway, so they don't have to worry about that.

 

[Blizzard]

Damn, Ridley. You are the best when you are on your A game.

94% critics, 94% audience -- I love when movies have exactly matching numbers.

One of the many things I laughed at:

Spoiler

When they brought up the Elrond Council, I was like, 'Oh Sean Bean was in that too'.

It was awesome when he was explaining that. And then the other person was like, "I hate you all".

 

[Atraveller]

I'm guessing the movie won't pass the Chinese censors anyway, so they don't have to worry about that.

There's plenty of Chinese speakers outside of China though.

 

[jerry113]

What a positive depiction of science in popular media. I like this.

 

[diamount]

There's plenty of Chinese speakers outside of China though.

Not enough to warrant authentic translation though.

 

[IKizzLE]

Loved it.
As a former engineer in the aerospace industry...only if it was that exciting, glamorous and harrowing.

Liked it more than Interstellar and gravity.

 

[overcast]

Thought it was pretty good. Damon was pretty much on point for every one of his scenes, personality really shined through. The NASA stuff in the middle was decent, but kind of bogged it down due to just how much there was. The cutting back and forth kind of killed some of the tension

Spoiler

though the launch gone wrong was pretty thrilling

. Donald Glover stuck out as out of place to me. Just annoyed me and he seemed too much of a pure goof (lame ass noises). Wiig wasn't very good either. Luckily the core elements are nailed.

The heavy optimism works for and against it. It's easy to cheer for Mark and for the mission to succeed. On the other hand

Spoiler

did we need to cut to the world rooting the rescue mission on? Needless padding and corn.

Loved the descriptions of various scientific procedures that took place. Made me somewhat feel like I understood what was happening.

Probably a solid 7/10 movie. Enjoyable.

 

[neshcom]

Just got out and I feel conflicted. I definitely see it as a modern Apollo 13, but I was frustrated by the end of the movie. (Act 3 to ending spoilers)

Spoiler

The constant hitting of one-in-a-million targets started to get me upset. Between a secret Chinese rocket, the planned detonation, the arm thing working out, and the captain deciding to make the grab, I just felt completely removed. Maybe the stakes have more room to breath in the book, but the last act of the movie is just miracle after miracle despite the stakes barely ratcheting up at all. That all feeds into a personal distaste for sci-fi that wants to pat itself on the back too much. There's a tipping point between human ingenuity and putting space agencies on a pedestal and I think The Martian is just barely on the wrong side of that line.

(General movie spoilers)

Spoiler

As far as storytelling goes, the movie trods along decently, but so much time has to be compressed that we never get a solid feeling for Watney's day-to-day struggle. Maybe I want a more brutal film, but we only get the highlight reel of the worst moments and are left feeling like everything else is peachy-keen. Also had a disconnect in Act 1 when we're lead to believe Watney is trying to gauge a drive to the A4 landing site. The establishing that he isn't going anywhere near there didn't even register until him heading for a rover is suggested.

Overall, I liked it and, for a sci-fi movie, find it really sellable to mainstream audiences. It doesn't try to push many boundaries in its scope narratively, but it does tell a very full tale about a fascinating concept.

 

[bounchfx]

The 3D version of the movie didn't seem darker to me at all and I much preferred the added depth to Mars and space. One of the first few times I'd recommend 3D over 2D.

I agree here, it's one of the few movies I'm really, really glad I saw in 3D and felt like it added a lot to the scenes. It's a breathtaking movie, visually.

also on the darker thing, I noticed at first, but after 10 minutes you just kinda get used to it. I really wish films would start accounting for what the glasses do to the brightness/color though.. I'm kind of stunned they don't. (unless they do, but it doesn't seem like it)

 

[Oni Jazar]

I'm going to see this in DBox today! I hope the movie has enough motion scenes. The only other DBox movie I saw was mad max and it was glorious.

 

[Qvoth]

Just finished, it was great!
Imo interstellar has a more epic feel while this is more feel good

 

[d00d3n]

Spoiler

In the book there are tent like attachments that connect to the rover's air lock. The rover in the movie isn't really like the one described in the book. Also, I saw an interview where Scott said this is one of the last scenes cut from the movie. I assume it will be included in a DC when the movie is released on bluray.

Thanks!

 

[Messypandas]

Questions. Did the Aquaman line make it? Also

Spoiler

the gay missile gag?

 

[Fret]

I thought it was okay, editing was extremely fast paced, vast majority of the scenes seemed rushed to me. Pacing was all over the place, especially in the beginning

 

[DieH@rd]

Questions. Did the Aquaman line make it?

Aquaman line was one in the promo videos.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wygmxzp6VzY

 

[kinoki]

I'll go watch this in a couple of weeks. But after I've seen it I'll be faced with a serious question most of you might have already asked yourself: after the three-punch combo that is Gravity-Interstaller-Martian, what's next for realistic science fiction in space?

 

[KimiNewt]

Questions. Did the Aquaman line make it? Also

Spoiler

the gay missile gag?

Neither, but the Aquaman one is in the extra footage.

So I saw this yesterday, thought it was pretty great. Not amazing, but a good adaptation. They made a good decision about what to cut-off, and there's no helping cutting off some parts. I think one thing cutting things off worsened the film by is that Mark's situation seemed much more perilous in the book than in the movie (I even checked with my friends who did not read the book).

As for some of the changes:

Spoiler

The epilogue scene was fine. The rescue scene, I thought was better in that book - more tense and less silly (the "Iron man" thing actually being performed).
The book also had an emphasis on everyone just doing their own job, which is why it slightly irked me that the commander would go out like that (I minded the iron-man thing more).

On the Chinese part:

Spoiler

I figure they changed the dialogue and reasoning a bit for Chinese audiences, as it was less "noble" in the book and had some criticism of the government.
Odd that they didn't end up making it super explicit that the astronaut in Ares 5 was Chinese. Some people may not entirely catch that (in the books they had them promise to put a Chinese astronaut on Mars in return for the supply rocket, the Chinese scientist later lamenting that they gave up on a scientific probe for a Chinese astronaut that would do the exact same scientific work as an American would).

I did not like Gravity or Interstellar, but I think one thing they did do better than this film is that their use of sounds (both music and sound in general) was better.

EDIT: I forgot to mention, one thing that the film (kinda) added that I really like is

Spoiler

the scene where Mark's writing stuff after the airlock explosion, and you can hear the hab fabric patch swaying in the wind and it's making him super nervous.

I'll go watch this in a couple of weeks. But after I've seen it I'll be faced with a serious question most of you might have already asked yourself: after the three-punch combo that is Gravity-Interstaller-Martian, what's next for realistic science fiction in space?

The Martian is waaay more realistic than either of the others. And there's nothing coming up, I don't think.

 

[Captain.Falafel]

From someone who did not particularly enjoy Interstellar or Gravity (and generally isn't a big sci-fi fan), I thought The Martian was a hell of a lot of fun.

It's just plain enjoyable. Great theater experience.

 

[Mengy]

Loved it.
As a former engineer in the aerospace industry...only if it was that exciting, glamorous and harrowing.

Liked it more than Interstellar and gravity.

I love both Interstellar and Gravity, but yeah I think I enjoyed The Martian more too. Much more science oriented, which I thought was awesome and that really pulled me into the film. It also had some Moon feelings going on, with roaming around the planet in a rover with star filled skies above him. Felt a lot like Cast Away in space, and I love Cast Away too.

I'm going to have to see it again.

 

[Troy]

Since we're comparing, I thought Interstellar was an awful movie(lol love) and Gravity was a major bore. The Martian was infinitely more enjoyable to me than both of those combined. Looking forward to watching it again when it comes to video on demand.

 

[b&jy77VjiKn$#F]

I too enjoy The Martian more than Gravity and Interstellar.

 

[gregor7777]

I agree here, it's one of the few movies I'm really, really glad I saw in 3D and felt like it added a lot to the scenes. It's a breathtaking movie, visually.

Same thing here. As sort of a space nerd, seeing the landscapes in 3d was probably my favorite part of the movie.

3d all the way for this one, and I'm generally not a big fan of 3d.

 

[Blizzard]

I also liked it more than Interstellar (which seemed too loud and impersonal and crazy for me) and Gravity (stuff with character(s) bugged me, and the whole movie was sort of a drawn-out small-scope problem instead of a broader story).