maybe now is the only chance to see the movie. Yes, that's an important point. The cons of it are that it's a decent but not really that impressing movie. Not on its own, I'd say. So going in this order you can possibly get the result "Uh, okay, but what is this whole hype about?" and decide that the book is not worth it, because you have already given the whole thing a try, and it turned out overrated. Which would be a mistake, because the book has two main merits: the general idea of a castaway on Mars, and the realization of it, which is mostly about science used as a literary fabric (well, it is sci-fi). In the movie the former stays intact, of course, but the latter is very very very condensed, squeezed and filtered. So much that remained only what was really necessary for the plot (and here and there even less; some can point at factual holes in the movie, not knowing the book had actually covered these things, but they have been left out), and lost is most of what was making this whole science enjoyable. And even in spite of all cropping and filtering, the plot and dialogues are still heavily loaded. So loaded that every time a character is introduced they are subtitled, to save dialogue lines for other things (which also means that in these times you need to read and listen to different things simultaneously). I knew what's going on, because, well, I already knew what's going on - if you already know, it watches like an illustration, "Oh, here's X, and that's how they made Y!" - but if you don't, possible are moments of "Wait, what? Tell it once more, only slower." I often see complaints (even by those who besides that loved the book) that in places it's a data overload (as for me, I didn't feel so in reading), but when it posed a problem for some in a book, then imagine how it is on the screen, even shortened. They did effort to tell as much as possible in the movie language, through images, but still...
As for the pros, that is the main reason one choses the big screen for, opinions are divided. dieastra down there says the photos absolutely need it; me - not so much. Then again, I'm hard to impress at times. "Big screen necessary" level for me is LotR. About half of The Martian's best photos you can already see in my post.
tl;dr If you see it without reading and react "watchable, but nothing really special", don't think you have already got to know the book this way. If you don't, well, you might lose a few shots that are good, but also nothing you wouldn't find in any movie with the space. You decide.
Want the book? :)
Why would Martians wear helmets? Disguise? ;) You tell me! I only said the suits for humans in the movie are orange. And since it has no native Martians in it, I can't know what their tastes in clothing might be. :D
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Yes, that's an important point. The cons of it are that it's a decent but not really that impressing movie. Not on its own, I'd say. So going in this order you can possibly get the result "Uh, okay, but what is this whole hype about?" and decide that the book is not worth it, because you have already given the whole thing a try, and it turned out overrated. Which would be a mistake, because the book has two main merits: the general idea of a castaway on Mars, and the realization of it, which is mostly about science used as a literary fabric (well, it is sci-fi). In the movie the former stays intact, of course, but the latter is very very very condensed, squeezed and filtered. So much that remained only what was really necessary for the plot (and here and there even less; some can point at factual holes in the movie, not knowing the book had actually covered these things, but they have been left out), and lost is most of what was making this whole science enjoyable. And even in spite of all cropping and filtering, the plot and dialogues are still heavily loaded. So loaded that every time a character is introduced they are subtitled, to save dialogue lines for other things (which also means that in these times you need to read and listen to different things simultaneously). I knew what's going on, because, well, I already knew what's going on - if you already know, it watches like an illustration, "Oh, here's X, and that's how they made Y!" - but if you don't, possible are moments of "Wait, what? Tell it once more, only slower." I often see complaints (even by those who besides that loved the book) that in places it's a data overload (as for me, I didn't feel so in reading), but when it posed a problem for some in a book, then imagine how it is on the screen, even shortened. They did effort to tell as much as possible in the movie language, through images, but still...
As for the pros, that is the main reason one choses the big screen for, opinions are divided.
tl;dr If you see it without reading and react "watchable, but nothing really special", don't think you have already got to know the book this way. If you don't, well, you might lose a few shots that are good, but also nothing you wouldn't find in any movie with the space. You decide.
Want the book? :)
Why would Martians wear helmets? Disguise? ;)
You tell me! I only said the suits for humans in the movie are orange. And since it has no native Martians in it, I can't know what their tastes in clothing might be. :D