The Martian, starring Matt Damon, is in my eyes a fairly unique movie that did a lot of things right. Probably one of the most intriguing aspects of the movie overall is the semi-hidden but fairly obvious message regarding Mark Watney’s(Matt Damon’s) time alone on Mars. After being left behind on Mars by his fellow astronauts due to a series of unfortunate events, Mark awakens to find himself on Mars, alone. Soon coming to the realization that he only has less than half the food he needs to make it to the next potential supply drop he is left with the very real chance that he might die on Mars. It is at this point that I feel like myself and most others would have probably given up on any hope of surviving. However, Mark teaches us that having perseverance and the patience to solve one large problem after another will eventually lead to a solution, in this case Marks reunion with his team mates. Thus, The Martian conveys this powerful message in a way that in some ways is not relevant to many as not everyone is a scientist on Mars, yet in reality, is relevant to everyone. Almost everyone has major problems in their life that get them down or make them want to give up; however, this movie demonstrates that by solving one small problem at a time, a much bigger obstacle can be overcome.

Yet, the Martian isn’t just about trying to convey a message, at the same time it is still a movie for the purpose of story telling and entertainment. The Martian has a fair amount of comedic relief that really adds a lot to the overall experience and makes the movie not only more enjoyable but also more realistic.  By adding in jokes regarding not only his situation, but also about his fellow team mates who were not with him at the time, it allows us to get a sense of who not only who Mark is as a person, but also what his team mates are like while at the same time providing humorous moments which allow us to relax after many of the more tense situations. I’d say overall the Martian is definitely worth watching not only for the inspirational story but also for the comedy and overall story as well.