The Martian (DVD REVIEW)

The Martian DVD Review by Kam Williams



Damon Channels MacGyver to Survive as Astronaut Stranded on Mars


MacGyver was a TV series which revolved around a title character famous for relying on his vast body of scientific knowledge while using everyday household items to save the day in a variety of life-and-death situations. The Martian is an outer space adventure in which a stranded astronaut with an uncanny knack for improvisation takes a similar approach to surviving on Mars.

The picture stars Matt Damon as Mark Watney, a wounded botanist inaccurately presumed dead and left behind by fellow crew members in the wake of a dangerous dust storm on the red planet. However, he is actually very much alive, but without the oxygen, water, food, equipment and other resources needed to last the four years it would take for NASA to mount a rescue mission. 
 
So, resourceful Mark proceeds to do everything from perform surgery on himself to growing potatoes in a makeshift garden, fertilizing the plants with his own poop. And, like an intergalactic variation of the island-bound protagonist played by Tom Hanks in Cast Away, Matt Damon appears alone on screen for the bulk of the sci-fi saga.

The great news is that Damon proves captivating, and the 141 minutes running time flies by in a flash. Besides amusing us with his ingenious inventions, Matt repeatedly makes us laugh via myriad humorous asides.

Directed by three-time Oscar-nominee Ridley Scott (for Thelma and Louise, Gladiator and Black Hawk Down), The Martian has all the tension of Gravity, plus it manages to keep you on the edge of your seat for an hour longer. Furthermore, its visual effects are the equal of Interstellar, and it features Mark Damon for the duration instead of merely for a cameo. 
 
Think Robinson Crusoe on Mars, just sans a primitive manservant named Friday.



Excellent (4 stars)
Rated PG-13 for profanity, injury images and brief profanity
Running time: 142 minutes
Distributor: 20^th Century Fox Home Entertainment
Blu-ray Extras: Signal Acquired: Writing and Direction (Learn how the producers brought an acclaimed novel, a master director and a stellar cast together.); Occupy Mars: Casting and Costumes (Matt Damon and his ensemble of incredibly talented actors discuss their roles.); 5 Theatrical In-World Pieces (Ares III: Farewell; The Right Stuff; Ares: Our Greatest Adventure; Leave Your Mark; and Bring Him Home); Ares III: Refocused (Seven years after the events of Ares 3, take a deeper look at the true story behind Mark Watney's daring rescue.); gag reel; and the production gallery



To see a trailer for The Martian, visit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ej3ioOneTy8

To order a copy of The Martian on Blu-ray, visit: