Movie adaptations from books—especially beloved books—can be frightening things. Reading is a deeply personal act, where we take in words and build worlds inside of our minds where only we can experience them. Seeing a movie based on a book is almost like going on a blind date with someone you’ve known intimately through letters but never actually seen. That first meeting isn’t always a good one, because when beheld with your for-real eyes and ears, the person you see and hear isn’t necessarily going to be anything like the version of the person you thought you knew.
Fortunately, The Martian, is a good blind date. Screenwriter Drew Goddard has translated Andy Weir’s novel into a script that keeps almost all of the science and humor intact, and director Ridley Scott allows the vast emptiness of Mars to speak for itself, while keeping the gimmicks to a minimum.
And, of course, Matt Damon does wonders for the role of Mark Watney—the best botanist on the planet. The planet of Mars.
Read 14 remaining paragraphs | Comments
