The Martian
Movie, 2015, Named by fans, Set in Third in the trilogy
The Martian is #45 of 48 in release order and #45 of 48 in chronological order in the Spiritual Trilogies.
The story
During a manned mission to Mars, Astronaut Mark Watney is presumed dead after a fierce storm and left behind by his crew. But Watney has survived and finds himself stranded and alone on the hostile planet. With only meager supplies, he must draw upon his ingenuity, wit and spirit to subsist and find a way to signal to Earth that he is alive.
The Martian recap
During a storm on Mars, botanist Mark Watney is hit by debris and left for dead when his crewmates, led by Commander Melissa Lewis, evacuate and fly home. He wakes alone, pulls the antenna out of his side, and works out he must survive four years until the next mission. He grows potatoes in the base using the crew's waste and makes water from rocket fuel. NASA notices him in satellite photos. He drives to the old Pathfinder probe and uses its camera to talk to Earth. NASA rushes a supply rocket, which explodes on launch. A NASA astrodynamicist finds a way to send the crew's ship, Hermes, back to Mars for him, and China lends a rocket for supplies. The crew agrees. Watney drives across Mars to the landing site for the next mission and strips down its ascent vehicle to reach orbit. It is the third of the Alone Trilogy, after Cast Away and I Am Legend.
The Martian ending explained
Watney is rescued in orbit and goes home to teach. His ascent vehicle reaches orbit too far from Hermes. Lewis flies out on a tether as the crew blows a hole in their own ship to slow down, and Watney punctures his suit glove to steer himself toward her. She catches him. Back on Earth, he teaches would-be astronauts about survival, and the next Ares mission launches.
Post-credits scenes
No. There is no post-credits scene.
Where to watch The Martian
The Martian is streaming on YouTube TV, TNT, TBS, and tru TV in the US. You can rent or buy it on Amazon, Apple TV, and Google Play.
Ratings
IMDb 8.0/10, Rotten Tomatoes 91%
Where it fits
- Release order: after Sicario, before The Big Short.
- Chronological order: after I Am Legend, before Inside Job.
Cast
- Matt Damon as Mark Watney
- Jessica Chastain as Melissa Lewis
- Kristen Wiig as Annie Montrose
- Jeff Daniels as Theodore "Teddy" Sanders
- Michael Peña as Rick Martinez
- Sean Bean as Mitch Henderson
- Kate Mara as Beth Johanssen
- Sebastian Stan as Chris Beck
- Aksel Hennie as Alex Vogel
- Chiwetel Ejiofor as Vincent Kapoor
- Benedict Wong as Bruce Ng
- Mackenzie Davis as Mindy Park
Directed by Ridley Scott.