Later this year, The Martian is going to have its 10th anniversary and although its original hype has waned, it still shows what a science-fiction should be.
A brief summary: A sudden dust storm forces the evacuation of the Ares III crew from Mars. During the emergency launch, botanist Mark Watney (Matt Damon) is thought to have died in the storm as the crew leaves him behind. Watney then sets out to survive alone on Mars until NASA can rescue him or leave him for dead.
This is not your typical science-fiction. This movie, based on Andy Weir’s 2011 novel of the same name, is unique because it doesn’t rely on aliens, galactic wars, or other common sci-fi elements. Rather, it focuses on an extremely relatable situation that could happen today.
The Martian, which featured Aliens director Ridley Scott as director, is set in the near future where manned space travel to Mars is a reality. Other than that, it’s setting is largely what we would see today.
Furthermore, the movie leans heavily on the science aspect of the genre. Oftentimes, science-fiction tend to be fantasy stories that take place in space. Science plays a huge role in the story, which is used to enhance the fiction instead of the other way around.
In fact, Neil deGrasse Tyson commended the movie for getting a large majority of the scientific aspects correct. That doesn’t mean a sci-fi can’t be enjoyable if it isn’t scientifically correct. Rather, it just highlights the uniqueness of The Martian.
Another big area that helps the film stand out is its relatability and appeal to human nature. That’s not a common trait in most science-fictions because the genre tends to lend itself to fantastical stories.
While the overall premise is not relatable, the message does connect strongly with the audience. It’s the human drive to survive at all costs as well as the need for cooperation in order to succeed.
Watney is not saved because of only what he did. He had the entirety of NASA as well as help from the China National Space Administration helping rescue him. His story became a worldwide phenomena that on his rescue day, the entire world tuned in.
This idea is extremely relatable in a way that we all could see ourselves watching CNN as the Ares III returns to Watney. Science-fictions tend to separate themselves from reality in order to tell their stories. The Martian does the opposite.
Now, there is nothing wrong with embracing the typical style of science-fiction. You’ll see a lot of love for Aliens on this site and that just goes to show that science-fiction is a wide genre with many unique fans.
What I’m more trying to highlight is the genre isn’t just one idea or approach. Rather, it can be eclectic and feature a host of approaches to it. The Martian just so happens to be a perfect example of how to do the genre differently.
The film’s approach is fantastic and the way it tells its story is gripping. All of this happens in a world that you can feasibly see happening in a few short years.
It’s hard to believe The Martian is approaching is decade mark. Watching it today is just as poignant as back in 2015 and is well worth the viewing for any fans of the genre.
What about you? What did you think of The Martian? How did you feel like it fit within the science-fiction genre? Let us know in the comments below or head over to our Discord channel to join the conversation.
Featured Image: 20th Century Studios (via NPR)
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