The Best Sci-Fi Movie Based On Real Science Isn’t On Netflix
There are countless flavors of sci-fi within the genre, from the fantasy-coded Star Wars to the technological apocalypse of Terminator, but it helps to understand the division between “soft sci-fi” and “hard sci-fi.” Soft sci-fi puts an emphasis on human emotion, politics, and psychology, while hard sci-fi strives to be scientifically accurate through the proper use of physics, astronomy, and mathematics. At the center of the two is The Martian, a tale of applying science to save the life of one person.
Saving Matt Damon
Set in the near future, The Martian follows a team of astronauts trying to get off Mars during a dust storm when one of them is hit by debris and left for dead. It turns out that Dr. Mark Watney is very much alive and now stuck on the surface. What follows is a harrowing rescue mission that uses real science, obeys the laws of physics, and, once again, the extreme lengths taken to rescue Matt Damon.
Real Science Behind His Survivial
Amazingly, the methods Mark uses to try and survive, as shown in The Martian, are all feasible. Growing potatoes on Mars is theoretically possible, and Mark is a botanist, so he has the training and expertise to make it work. Even today, NASA is conducting experiments growing crops with simulated Martian soil.
While the crop growing is realistic, even more impressive is the method Mark uses to ignite a rocket capsule. Breaking apart water fuel using the scientific process of electrolysis produces hydrogen and oxygen, which can then be ignited to create an explosion, or in the case of Mar’s thin atmosphere, thrust. This moment in The Martian seems almost unbelievable, but real-life MacGuyvers can do this on Earth.
The Logistics Of Space Travel
It’s not just Watley, on the surface, using science to survive, but the crew members that escaped to their ship have to figure out a way to get back to him without burning off the required fuel for their return trip home. The Martian is completely accurate in the length of a trip from Earth to Mars being eight months, but they can’t assume that Watley will survive long enough for another crew to come back and get him. What they settle on doing is one of the oldest tricks in NASA’s playbook, and it’s pulled off, again, entirely how it would function in reality.
Humanized By An Amazing Cast
The Martian isn’t just an amazing advertisement for a career in a STEM field, but it’s also beautifully shot by Alien director Ridley Scott, and the cast is so stacked that half a dozen names in you’re still coming across stars. Joining Damon are Jessica Chastain, Sean Bean, Donald Glover, Kristen Wiig, Kate Mara, Sebastian Stan, Jeff Daniels, Benedict Wong, Michael Pena, and there’s still more to go.
Sadly Hard To Stream Today
REVIEW SCORE
I am not a science guy, but I was able to appreciate The Martian, which walks that fine line between adhering to physics and getting you caught up in the race to save Watley. No matter how you feel about scientifically accurate movies, there’s going to be something in this one that will hook you and reel you into its world. The biggest problem with the film is that it’s only available to purchase or rent through Video on Demand using YouTube, Google Play, AppleTV, Amazon Prime Video, or Vudu.
Once you watch the film, you can even get more by reading the original novel, The Martian, by Andy Weir, or his latest, Project Hail Mary, which is also being adapted into a film featuring Ryan Gosling.
