Seen a movie: The Martian
Monday, 5 October 2015 22:57![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
aletheiafelineaNo spoilers. Somehow I managed… I think so?
I was anxious about this movie; I always am when it comes to adaptations of books I love. That’s why I went without checking anything and knowing nothing about it. Fresh mind, no prejudices, no expectations as far as possible and all that. Okay, apart of who’s playing Mark. That was rather impossible to avoid…
To my relief, it wasn’t half bad. I wasn’t really blown away, but I’m not disappointed, too. What I haven’t really expected (or rather, expected the exact opposite :P ) was that it would turn out a faithful adaptation. No usual “based on motives”, you know that one: “Oh, it’s perfect and we must bring it to the screen; we’ll only rewrite the plot, make new characters from the scratch and kick out the original ones, and of course put it all in different setting.” Thankfully, not this time. Actually, it makes the impression as if they made the movie fully aware they’re making it for the book’s fans, and decided that everyone who’s going to watch it have read the book anyway. Up to the point that those in the audience who haven’t, won’t know what is Mark’s reply when he’s warned to mind his language, because he’s being broadcasted to the whole Earth. Granted, it wasn’t a terribly sophisticated reply, but still it’s a loss. :) I kind of waited for it, damn you, Hollywood…
Still, it’s adaptation, so changes was unavoidable. To my even bigger relief, they turned out more improving than damaging. Losses are regrettable but justified – the book is not exactly a novelette, and it’s a (not very long) movie, not a TV show. So, no stone Morse telegraph, no making soil from sterile dirt, no dust storm, no descend down the Schiaparelli’s slope. And most of what is – the potato farm, Pathfinder, the accident with the air lock – is very, very shortened and simplified. The whole journey to Schiaparelli feels very short. Actually, the whole movie doesn’t feel like taking a year and half… More like months, at best.
On the other hand, the whole thing in a way is closer to the first, unabridged version of the book. No, it doesn’t have the last scene that version had, but in its place it has a whole patchwork of similar scenes that have been added there. I have mixed feelings about it, same as about other major changes. Usually I hate when it happens to an adapted thing, but here most of it wasn’t bad. The biggest improvement has occurred where the book’s weakest point was, this being the characters. Except Mark, that is. I was a bit ‘meh’ about Matt Damon. Yeah, he fits the role so much he was an obvious choice, but I wished for some less popular face… In watching this didn’t turn out too big an obstacle, but I prefer the book’s Mark. And nothing will keep me from seeing him still as on the cover. *shrug* :) What I regret a little, is that the story’s general balance has been shifted toward the Earth parts. Now it’s more equal, and Mark gets less screentime. Then again, as I said, the other characters has been improved, which means mostly the NASA team, and embarrassingly I found them often more interesting than Mark himself, which is kinda fail for the movie’s whole idea. In some cases this means mostly good bringing out what was already in the book – the Big Boss is exactly the cold and merciless yet rational and decisive dick he should be *g* – but in some notable cases a new quality has been made. Venkat was a big and happy surprise from his first scenes. I haven’t watched Chiwetel Eijofor before, but he was a great choice; he gave Venkat the life his book version had been lacking and very much needing. But even a bigger surprise was Rich the astrodynamicist, who looks very unlike my private idea (for some reason I saw an elderly and quiet guy, maybe a little balding and overweight), but I’m much happier with the movie version. Someone give this man some supporting role award, okay? :))) Especially for hisvery late morning mode. And another one for the screenwriter, for adding him the “Sorry, what’s your name?” scene. ♥♥♥ Speaking of surprises, hi, Sean! He did a maybe not particularly outstanding (though only because he had good rivals), but decent enough job, as usual, and as others gave his character what his book version was mostly missing. Sad news for Sebastian Stan’s fans, though – he got about one and half scene, noticeable mostly for, well, fans. I realized it was him not before while writing this post… The only character I found worse than the book version is Mindy Park, who’s originally all competence, quick mind and not taking shit from anyone, but here she’s like a teenager who hasn’t quite believed yet she really works for NASA and omg, big bosses are talking to her!!1! I don’t know, maybe this was the actress’ decision to play her this way, but in such case I don’t like this decision. I had been expectant also for Commander Lewis, but for most of her screentime she turned out a mild disappointment. She seemed somewhat feeble, compared to the book version, who gave off more authority. However, she earned some points in her last scene (yeah, the big one), and this is one of those changes I have mixed feelings about. On one hand, it’s a plot change, and a nonsense one at that (she can not do things like this; she’s the main Commander, for sanity’s sake); on the other hand, it works. That is, in movie terms.
Um, about that. In general, The Martian aims more at realistic than flashy. Like, “scenes in China are spoken in Chinese entirely” realistic. Still, the plot, or precisely speaking the ending, got some corrective surgery for more ‘wow’ factor. Part of me grumbles; other part says “who cares, it worked.” (Okay, the Iron Man was too much. :P Broadcasting the Hermes’ channel to the whole Earth, live and unfiltered, too. Not blaming the movie for this, though. *shrug* This one is on the book.) Also in terms of art, realistic didn’t mean ugly this time, even though I don’t think this movie is to be seen on the nominees list for the Best Photos Oscar (to be frank, as well as the rest of the movie; its strongest part is acting). The Martian’s Mars is rocky and mountainous, and not really looking like a perfect choice for a landing spot, but nice for watching. I liked also Hermes the mother ship’s look, with its gravitation wheel. And the scene with the safety belt, especially the last frames of it, looked really great. On the other hand, speaking of looks, can someone kindly explain me why orange is apparently the bestest color for suits on Mars…? >_<
I’m a little unhappy that the movie’s (and Mark's) final message is the nice and good but still hackneyed “When you think everything is lost, and you will, keep fighting” in place of the original “I’m no one really important, and yet the whole Earth wants me back, no matter the price, because the human herd leaves no one behind.” I wouldn’t call it a really great movie, but it was an enjoyable movie. Though mostly for a fan. :)
PS. The movie too, as the book, doesn’t explain why Mark had no his own entertainment storage, and therefore why Lewis’ music makes the soundtrack.
You can comment also in Disqus, here.
I was anxious about this movie; I always am when it comes to adaptations of books I love. That’s why I went without checking anything and knowing nothing about it. Fresh mind, no prejudices, no expectations as far as possible and all that. Okay, apart of who’s playing Mark. That was rather impossible to avoid…
To my relief, it wasn’t half bad. I wasn’t really blown away, but I’m not disappointed, too. What I haven’t really expected (or rather, expected the exact opposite :P ) was that it would turn out a faithful adaptation. No usual “based on motives”, you know that one: “Oh, it’s perfect and we must bring it to the screen; we’ll only rewrite the plot, make new characters from the scratch and kick out the original ones, and of course put it all in different setting.” Thankfully, not this time. Actually, it makes the impression as if they made the movie fully aware they’re making it for the book’s fans, and decided that everyone who’s going to watch it have read the book anyway. Up to the point that those in the audience who haven’t, won’t know what is Mark’s reply when he’s warned to mind his language, because he’s being broadcasted to the whole Earth. Granted, it wasn’t a terribly sophisticated reply, but still it’s a loss. :) I kind of waited for it, damn you, Hollywood…
Still, it’s adaptation, so changes was unavoidable. To my even bigger relief, they turned out more improving than damaging. Losses are regrettable but justified – the book is not exactly a novelette, and it’s a (not very long) movie, not a TV show. So, no stone Morse telegraph, no making soil from sterile dirt, no dust storm, no descend down the Schiaparelli’s slope. And most of what is – the potato farm, Pathfinder, the accident with the air lock – is very, very shortened and simplified. The whole journey to Schiaparelli feels very short. Actually, the whole movie doesn’t feel like taking a year and half… More like months, at best.
On the other hand, the whole thing in a way is closer to the first, unabridged version of the book. No, it doesn’t have the last scene that version had, but in its place it has a whole patchwork of similar scenes that have been added there. I have mixed feelings about it, same as about other major changes. Usually I hate when it happens to an adapted thing, but here most of it wasn’t bad. The biggest improvement has occurred where the book’s weakest point was, this being the characters. Except Mark, that is. I was a bit ‘meh’ about Matt Damon. Yeah, he fits the role so much he was an obvious choice, but I wished for some less popular face… In watching this didn’t turn out too big an obstacle, but I prefer the book’s Mark. And nothing will keep me from seeing him still as on the cover. *shrug* :) What I regret a little, is that the story’s general balance has been shifted toward the Earth parts. Now it’s more equal, and Mark gets less screentime. Then again, as I said, the other characters has been improved, which means mostly the NASA team, and embarrassingly I found them often more interesting than Mark himself, which is kinda fail for the movie’s whole idea. In some cases this means mostly good bringing out what was already in the book – the Big Boss is exactly the cold and merciless yet rational and decisive dick he should be *g* – but in some notable cases a new quality has been made. Venkat was a big and happy surprise from his first scenes. I haven’t watched Chiwetel Eijofor before, but he was a great choice; he gave Venkat the life his book version had been lacking and very much needing. But even a bigger surprise was Rich the astrodynamicist, who looks very unlike my private idea (for some reason I saw an elderly and quiet guy, maybe a little balding and overweight), but I’m much happier with the movie version. Someone give this man some supporting role award, okay? :))) Especially for his
Um, about that. In general, The Martian aims more at realistic than flashy. Like, “scenes in China are spoken in Chinese entirely” realistic. Still, the plot, or precisely speaking the ending, got some corrective surgery for more ‘wow’ factor. Part of me grumbles; other part says “who cares, it worked.” (Okay, the Iron Man was too much. :P Broadcasting the Hermes’ channel to the whole Earth, live and unfiltered, too. Not blaming the movie for this, though. *shrug* This one is on the book.) Also in terms of art, realistic didn’t mean ugly this time, even though I don’t think this movie is to be seen on the nominees list for the Best Photos Oscar (to be frank, as well as the rest of the movie; its strongest part is acting). The Martian’s Mars is rocky and mountainous, and not really looking like a perfect choice for a landing spot, but nice for watching. I liked also Hermes the mother ship’s look, with its gravitation wheel. And the scene with the safety belt, especially the last frames of it, looked really great. On the other hand, speaking of looks, can someone kindly explain me why orange is apparently the bestest color for suits on Mars…? >_<
I’m a little unhappy that the movie’s (and Mark's) final message is the nice and good but still hackneyed “When you think everything is lost, and you will, keep fighting” in place of the original “I’m no one really important, and yet the whole Earth wants me back, no matter the price, because the human herd leaves no one behind.” I wouldn’t call it a really great movie, but it was an enjoyable movie. Though mostly for a fan. :)
PS. The movie too, as the book, doesn’t explain why Mark had no his own entertainment storage, and therefore why Lewis’ music makes the soundtrack.
You can comment also in Disqus, here.
no subject
Date: 2015-10-09 19:02 (UTC)Someone's getting a proper sci-fi language! :D
I've no idea where she picks that stuff up. :D
no subject
Date: 2015-10-09 20:12 (UTC)