The Martian is a brilliantly written adaptation of the same-named Andy Weir classic and a funny, yet deeply introspective, sci-fi flick in its own right. After a crewed mission to Mars goes wrong, botanist Mark Watney (Matt Damon) gets stranded; it’s just him, his tech, and any other NASA-sent resources in years past on a planet millions of miles from Earth. Instead of giving in to his current circumstance—either by committing suicide or letting himself slowly starve—he adapts. He jerry-rigs aging tech both to keep himself busy and survive; he creates an entire farm based solely on his scientific knowledge (and a lot of feces as fertilizer); over time, he even manages to reconnect with NASA. Though he has help on the ground, Watney must do whatever he can to survive both physically and mentally, because, as director Ridley Scott has made clear in his other famed intergalactic franchise, “In space, no one can hear you scream.”

Scott yet again proves his prowess beyond Earth in The Martian. Relying heavily on his old tricks of the trade—slow space fade-ins, lived-in ships and interstellar habitats, and mesmerizing synthesizer scoring throughout—the film balances its epic scale with an effectively simplified script that relies on Damon’s quick-witted humor. While Scott has had a tendency to philosophically over-indulge himself in recent years—look at Prometheus and Alien: Covenant—Martian’s simplicity allows him to focus on the subtlety of it all, especially in its most isolated moments: “I almost said ‘everything will be fine’ out loud,” Mark chuckles as he experiments with his rover’s heating, laughing along in what for anyone else would be a soul-crushing experience. Watching Watney traverse seemingly limitless orange horizons, learning and reacting as he goes, becomes a true treat of imaginative in-the-stars exploration thanks to Scott’s directorial touch.

Damon also perfectly captures Watney on-screen. Every time a new challenge arises, he cracks a joke; as disasters occur, he bounces back; as good things come, he goofs around. “I’m definitely going to die up here if I have to listen to any more god-awful disco music,” he says at one point into one of many cameras. He retains a charismatic elasticity that shines through in the worst of times, elevating Mark Watney passed what could have been an immemorable role and character—especially as Damon teases or gets teased by his old crew members who are equally enlivened. Damon ensures Watney’s humor comes off as a coping skill as much as it does an inherent personality trait, making him the ideal candidate to explore such an isolating experience through.

Scott and the other filmmakers also rip open the lid on the political aspects of space travel. While Watney’s journey itself is about human willpower and the sheer capability people have when working together, there is also NASA’s side of the ordeal, which focuses primarily on cultural and political components of space. For example, when NASA Director Teddy Sanders (Jeff Daniels) gets told of Watney’s survival by NASA’s Director of Mars Missions Vincent Kapoor (Chiwetel Ejiofor), NASA’s media relations director Annie Montrose (Kristen Wiig) steps in: “I mean do you realize the [public] shit storm that is about to hit us?” she implores. Montrose demonstrates the political and cultural risks of admitting NASA abandoned an astronaut on Mars; through Martian, the NASA crew desperately juggles how to save Mark whilst navigating how to politically and monetarily angle their schemes. Even as they try appealing for more congressional support, the “shit storm” on the ground becomes too big for the U.S. alone to handle, allowing for a subtle nod—even if it’s ultimately a bit underused—towards positive U.S.-China relations in a time when such positivity erodes. “I’m keeping us airborne. Reminding folks why we need to keep our eyes in the sky,” a strained Sanders emphasizes to a colleague, reinforcing the idea that the galaxy can unite humans everywhere. The “shit storm” may be challenging, but the reward could see permanent change in global attitudes which, even a decade later, are desperately needed.

Overall, while The Martian can feel a little tumultuous through some jumbled time-skips with not much change and a few underused themes could have enhanced the film further, Ridley Scott’s Mars adventure is a bold display of human courage despite the odds. For sci-fi fans, cast fans and Ridley Scott fans, The Martian is a lighthearted accomplishment most suited when one feels down about themselves. If a man can escape a planet, everyone else can do anything.

Screens for free Tuesday, 4/22, 6:00 p.m. @ Museum of Science
Preceded by “Life in Space: Exploring Space Medicine & Genetics” panel
Part of the ongoing repertory series: Massachusetts Space Week