It is a rare movie adaptation that matches the strengths of the book. It's rarer still for both book and movie to be so excellent.
http://letterboxd.com/three_star_dave/film/the-martian/
Very glad I saw it. (In 2D — though I have heard the 3D is pretty darned fine.)
And the best commentary I have seen for it (including hover text): https://xkcd.com/1536/
206 view(s)
Can't wait to see it.
Hollywood have spent a fortune rescuing Matt Damon from various strandings – perhaps he should stay home more!
I'm about to go watch it!
Was awesome! A little rushed compared to the book and the typical Hollywood unrealistic computer eye candy scenes.. Overall, very impressed
+Gary Rudd I thought the computer eye candy scenes were pretty well done, esp. the landscapes.
And I really only noticed "rushing" at one point, during the journey (or, rather, the lack thereof).
+Dave Hill I didn't mean the effects.. They were breathtaking! I mean things like thr actual use of computers with giant fonts and unrealistic prompts ("calculations correct") and sitting next to a supercomputer with your laptop plugged into it… I'm a tech guy, I was referring to the representation of the actual use of computers in the film being a bit over the top (typical Hollywood)
+Gary Rudd Ugh. The use of computer displays in the movies is a whole other post, agreed.
Some of that in the movie can be attributed to Stuff That Will Be (or is) Thrown Up On the Big Screen at Mission Control. But, yeah, I did cringe a little with "Calculations Correct."
My assumption with the supercomputer was that he was borrowing time illicitly on it, and so found it easier to terminal in directly to one of its physical ports rather than breaking through network security. Which is still a bit weak, but better than the alternative that it calculates faster because the cord is shorter.
they me see up the ending though. they were doing so well until they got to the end.
*messed
+Grace d'Eustachio Are you referring to the changes in the climax, or in the additional material in the denouement?
As to the former, I think they (marginally) improved the climax from the book by (a) creating some closure in the captain's arc and (b) giving the protagonist some agency in the conclusion.
As to the latter … my recollection is that the book felt like it ended a bit abruptly; I'm not sure the additional ending material in the movie was an improvement, but it was structurally more sound.
+Dave Hill
I was referring to the change in the climax (the ending was good).
SPOILERS
Yes it gave Lewis closure, but Beck is the EVA specialist. This is his job. For the commander to say "He is too far, so I need to go out there" is bad commanding on her part.
+Grace d'Eustachio It was, I'll admit, the most "conventional action movie" aspect of the whole thing, but I was willing to give it a pass, particularly for the reasons given regarding both Lewis and Watney.
And in that vein, I highly recommend this article — http://www.buzzfeed.com/adambvary/the-martian-page-to-screen-drew-goddard?utm_term=.dx1aNZ8la — with the screenwriter, who discusses how the various changes were made between the novel and the movie. In general, I agree with the various creative points made.