Since the supposed “channels” of Mars were seen in the 19th century by the Italian Giovanni Schiaparelli, the red planet has been a fertile cradle for both space exploration and entertainment. Even after discovering that our planetary neighbor is nothing but an inhospitable place of sand and rock, science fiction still manages to create new stories that take place in this bleak environment. Now, Mars is the setting for the new movie from Ridley Scott (Prometheus), Lost in Mars (The Martian), adaptation of eponymous book of Andy Weir.
Lost in Mars tells the story of the astronaut Mark Watney (Matt Damon), who was left on the red planet after his team left him dead after a sandstorm. Alive, Watney has only few provisions and his biology knowledge to survive until they send a new mission to Mars.
From the synopsis, we can already imagine the classic story of the man who needs to take directly from nature everything he needs to survive. The interesting point of the story is that this time we are not on an island in the middle of the ocean, but on another planet. Terrifying and heartbreaking, isn't it? Yeah. It could be. But that is not what happens in this work by Ridley Scott.
The film starts reasonably well, giving the viewer the necessary tension and lack of hope, generating curiosity to know how the protagonist will escape the situation. The problem is that all this climate, suitable for this type of story, ends up being broken by the excess of comic relief existing in the script of Drew Goddard (The secret of the cabin). It is okay to have some doses of humor, even because some parts are well punctuated and intelligent. But there is so much exaggeration that it almost becomes a comedy. After all, when NASA personnel themselves start making fun of an astronaut who has been presumed dead and abandoned on another planet, it is because something in this universe is disconnected.
Another problem in the film, and perhaps the worst of all, is the construction of the scenes. Many of the twists are guessed by the viewer minutes before it happens, putting an end to suspense and surprise. Furthermore, at no time did we get to feel the real seriousness of the situation in which the character finds himself, much because of the excessive communication - comical - with the people of Earth and in the closed plans in the actor. When we see open plans - which could very well be used as a narrative tool to give us the feeling of isolation - we realize that they are made to represent only a passage of time.
The flaws aside, the photography and the 3D of the film are incredible. The depth of the scenarios, whether they are on Mars or the mission ship, gives a different visual beauty to the work. All the contrast of colors and the wise use of lenses, make this film a visual dazzle for any film buff. A pity that so much beauty was not well conducted.
Lost in Mars is a film that will please a good part of the audience, mainly for the cast and the load of comic reliefs. But for those moviegoers who know Ridley Scott and know what he is capable of - or at least what he was capable of - there is that bitter taste in his mouth.
See the full sheet and full cast of Lost on Mars
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