Back in 2015, Matt Damon Headlined a Cutting-Edge Sci-Fi Hit That Could Have Been Significantly Grimmer.

Andy Weir’s futuristic story The Martian was an immediate hit upon its release back in 2014, even with its acclaim, it made for a surprising selection to become a major cinematic release. First put out by the author himself, the story depends heavily through the personal reflections belonging to the astronaut-botanist and technician Mark Watney detailing with great care on his strategies to stay alive following his isolation on the red planet through cultivating potatoes and dismantling pieces of former mission equipment. Dialogue is sparse in the text and heavy on explanations regarding scientific processes.

However, filmmaker Ridley Scott along with screenwriter Drew Goddard delivered a captivating film in The Martian, that debuted a decade back back in early October 2015. Matt Damon excellently portrays what makes Watney such a compelling protagonist: his positive mindset along with technical jokes dispel the deep fear in a scenario where his odds to live are very slim. Much as the original story, the picture delivers believable futuristic fiction, loaded with comedy and suspense. Still, the production team was forced to introduce certain adjustments for cinema, spending more time focused on the space agency staff attempting to rescue Watney, and adding more action to the climax. And those changes came at the expense of two of the best segments from Weir’s original novel.

A Narrative Focused on Food Rations

The Red Planet Odyssey is a story about calorie counting. The protagonist constantly calculates his dietary needs required for survival, as the space agency works to determine how to get him more. After an incident ruins his cultivated potato patch and a hastily assembled space-bound supply delivery detonates following liftoff, Watney’s sole chance turns into a rescue mission by the crew who mistakenly abandoned him.

Both the book and movie make it clear that this plan, which involves the Ares III team using Earth’s gravity for acceleration and returning to Mars for the rescue, is highly dangerous. Yet, Weir establishes a clearer comparison regarding the perils encountered by the entire team.

The Grim Backup Strategy

The vessel must intercept its assigned cargo vehicle to obtain adequate supplies and liquids for the journey to Mars and return. In case of failure, the astronauts maintain a dark backup scheme: everyone except for computer specialist Beth Johanssen (portrayed by Kate Mara on screen) would commit suicide. Beth, chosen to be the sole survivor, due to her youth and petite size, would resort to cannibalism for survival. When the Ares III does get the supplies, the relieved crew jokes about the order in which Beth would have dined on them. This represents rather dark comedy, thus it’s clear why it was removed, however, I value the plot’s precision in making every character confront against the brutal facts of off-world life. This also highlights their readiness to sacrifice themselves, beyond just aiding Watney.

The Tense Communication Blackout

The cinematic rendition likewise excludes the nail-biting segment from The Martian to allocate additional runtime to the rescue operation aspects occurring in orbit. In the original text, the protagonist loses his capacity to contact mission control, forcing him to rely solely on himself for the final section of the story. Watney must then travel toward a rover meant for a later red planet trip. That voyage is threatened by a dust storm that will prevent his rover’s solar cells from charging and eventually leave him stranded. Mission control is aware of the approaching storm, but can’t warn him. They remain in anxious anticipation to determine if the astronaut will deduce the situation and modify his strategy, or whether all their efforts to rescue him will prove pointless.

Once more, it’s understandable this segment was removed from the movie. Persistent exchanges among Watney and supporting roles increases the picture’s liveliness. But part of me still wishes Goddard and Scott had been a bit gutsier and relied on Damon to hold down scenes where he battles the environment solo, and the ensemble cast situated in the same role as the audience: helplessly hoping for the best.

Expecting New Cinematic Versions

Goddard is revisiting Weir’s creations with an adaptation of his 2021 novel Project Hail Mary Tale, scheduled for 2026 under the direction of Phil Lord and Christopher Miller. In the vein of The Martian, the narrative centers on a lone space traveler using his knowledge and ingenuity for survival. Ryan Gosling will be filling a similar character to Damon’s: a film personality with sufficient charm to hold down lots of solo scenes while delivering Weir’s unique comedy. I hope that adaptation is as good as The Martian, but either way, it’s well worth reading the book to observe which elements fail to make the jump.