Director
Ridley Scott
Leading Actors/Actresses
Matt Damon
Supporting Actors/Actresses
Jessica Chastain, Kristen Wiig, Jeff Daniels, Michael Peña, and Kate Mara
Genre
Science Fiction
Language
English
Awards
Nominated for seven Academy Awards: Best Picture, Best Actor for Damon, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Sound Mixing, Best Sound Editing, Best Visual Effects, and Best Production Design
Date of Release
2 October 2015
Producer
Simon Kinberg, Ridley Scott, Michael Schaefer, Aditya Sood, Mark Huffam
Setting and Context
Mars, 2035
Narrator and Point of View
From the point of view of narrator Mark Watney
Tone and Mood
Solemn, Jovial, Brooding, Dire, Curious, and Scientific
Protagonist and Antagonist
Watney vs. Mars
Major Conflict
Mark's struggle to survive on Mars until a rescue mission is mounted
Climax
When the transmission between NASA and Mark stopped
Foreshadowing
Mark's upcoming struggle for food is foreshadowed by some dialogue early on into his video diary
Understatement
The severity of Mark's situation is often understated
The severity of damage to Mark's habitat is understated when it happens
Innovations in Filming or Lighting or Camera Techniques
Although not innovative in filming or camera techniques, The Martian is a very well-made and well-shot film.
Allusions
Allusions to the Bible, science, film, popular culture, ABBA, music (particularly disco music), mythology, politics, government, and many other things.
Paradox
Nothing grows on Mars, yet Watney magically grows potatoes.
Parallelism
No significant instances of parallelism.
