‘Very Good’: Ridley Scott’s the Martian Praised by NASA Astronaut

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Retired NASA astronaut Chris Hadfield recently reviewed scenes from Ridley Scott’s critically acclaimed sci-fi film, The Martian (2015), for Vanity Fair. Based on the novel by Andy Weir, the film is known for its realism, and Hadfield confirmed how accurately it portrays the challenges of space travel and life on Mars.

Throughout the video, Hadfield generally offers positive feedback. However, he does point out some instances where the movie takes liberties with the truth.

He pointed out that Mars is fascinating because of its dust storms. “We can observe these storms from Earth using telescopes,” he explained while watching a depiction of one, “and sometimes they cover vast areas of the planet all at once.”

He explained that one of the biggest issues with the movie The Martian is how realistically it portrays the thin Martian atmosphere. The air on Mars is so thin, it’s comparable to being over 100,000 feet in the Earth’s atmosphere – much higher than Mount Everest, which is around 28,000 feet. Most climbers need oxygen to reach the Everest summit, and Mars’ atmosphere is four times thinner. He pointed out that even if the wind was strong, there wouldn’t be enough air particles to create a significant force. Therefore, the scene where characters attempt to move debris with wind to knock Mark Watney over isn’t believable because there simply aren’t enough air molecules to make it happen.

The filmmakers chose to depict Mars with Earth-like gravity, which isn’t accurate. Mars’ gravity is only about 38

The Martian Accurately Depicts How Astronauts Work and Think

What truly makes The Martian stand out is its focus on believable, science-driven solutions to problems. And in that regard, the film is very successful.

Matt Damon, as Mark Watney in the movie, is figuring out how to grow enough food to survive until rescuers arrive. He’s limited to potatoes, which are a good choice because they’re easy to grow and reproduce. To succeed, he needs a few key things: water, fertile soil, warmth, and oxygen.

It’s logical that they’re trying to grow plants on Mars. You can’t realistically ship all your food there in cans and dried packages – you need to be able to grow it locally. We’ve been successfully growing plants in space for years, and the movie does a great job of showing how a small, self-contained environment could allow a single person to grow potatoes on Mars.

Radfield explains that the concept involves recycling waste – specifically, human waste – to grow potatoes, similar to using manure as fertilizer on Earth. He points out that many materials, even rocket fuel, are simply hydrocarbons – combinations of hydrogen, oxygen, and carbon. As long as the right chemical processes are used, these materials can be broken down to provide the necessary nutrients for plant growth.

Essentially, Earth’s atmosphere wasn’t always full of oxygen – it developed over time through natural chemical processes. In the movie, Mark Watney, played by Matt Damon, is trying to speed up a similar process on Mars.

Radfield also commends Weir’s work on the novel that inspired the film. He highlights that a key strength of The Martian is its origins in Andy Weir’s book, noting Weir’s intelligence and engineering background. Importantly, Weir actively sought feedback on the scientific accuracy of his writing, sharing his work with the public and asking for corrections and improvements.

He finishes by highlighting how realistically the character of Mark Watney was portrayed. He explains that Watney felt like a genuine astronaut – someone with both a strong academic foundation and the practical skills to handle any situation. This, he believes, gave audiences a true sense of what it’s like to be an astronaut, acknowledging both the challenges and the surprisingly joyful, collaborative spirit. He feels The Martian captures this camaraderie better than most other space films.

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The movie was a major success, receiving positive reviews and earning a significant amount of money at the box office. Directed by Scott and written by Drew Goddard, it made $630.6 million worldwide on a budget of $108 million, and won numerous awards.

In the movie The Martian, Matt Damon plays Dr. Mark Watney, a plant scientist and engineer who finds himself stranded by himself on Mars. The film also features a strong supporting cast, including Jessica Chastain, Jeff Daniels, Kristen Wiig, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Sean Bean, Michael Peña, Kate Mara, Sebastian Stan, and Mackenzie Davis.

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2025-12-26 20:10