With the sudden increase in the popularity of space themed adventures, we became enthralled with the visual adaptation of the novel The Martian. We find ourselves stuck and stranded 140 million miles away from Earth. The hero of this story is Mark Watney, played by Matt Damon, a NASA astronaut exploring Mars. He and his fellow astronauts, played by Jessica Chastain, Kate Mara, Michael Peña, Sebastian Stan, and Aksel Hennie, are overtaken by a dangerous storm while researching soil. They rush to escape the planet, but as they board the MAV escape vehicle, Mark Watney is struck by debris and is reluctantly left behind by the crew. Watney is now presumed dead and is stranded with no way of contacting NASA. Watney is left with his gardening skills, three years worth of potatoes, old episodes of Happy Days, and his fellow crew mates’ selection of disco music.

The Martian differs from the norm of “sci-fi space-thrillers” by infusing Damon’s sense of humor and will to persevere in the face of mortality. While facing his own struggles on the red planet, Director of NASA, played by Jeff Daniels, his PR, played by Kristen Wiig, and their expert on Mars, played by Chiwetel Ejiofor, are in the works of trying to bring Watney home while also dealing with a PR disaster.

This film makes us instantly root for Watney in his struggle, all thanks to the great casting by Carmen Cuba and Nina Gold. The Martian’s use of ’70s disco music provides a refreshing soundtrack for Watney’s survival story. This film is a homerun for the sci-fi genre as a whole, while providing us with a spectacle of cinematography and a screenplay that will make people of all ages laugh and cheer.