The Martian

During a manned mission to Mars, a fierce storm forces the crew to abort and they assume botanist-astronaut Mark Watney is dead. In reality he's alive, stranded alone with damaged equipment and dwindling supplies. Watney uses engineering know-how, dry humor, and careful planning to extend food, fix systems, and rig makeshift communications in hopes of alerting NASA and his crewmates. The story alternates between his day-to-day problem solving on the planet and the tense efforts on Earth, as mission control and the ship's crew weigh technical risks, politics, and the logistics of mounting a possible rescue. Scenes show him farming potatoes, jury-rigging life support, and improvising communications, while mission control wrestles with political, technical, and moral questions about mounting a rescue.

Released in 2015, The Martian was directed by Ridley Scott and adapted from Andy Weir's novel, with a screenplay by Drew Goddard. Matt Damon leads a strong ensemble that includes Jessica Chastain, Kristen Wiig, Jeff Daniels, and Michael Peña.

Reviews were largely positive, averaging 7.691 out of 10 from 20,697 votes, with praise for its clear, funny approach to technical problems and for Damon's grounded performance. Critics also noted the film's attention to scientific detail and its upbeat emphasis on teamwork and problem solving, making it entertaining and educational.

The Martian helped boost public interest in Mars missions and science literacy, sparking classroom projects, memes, and references in other media. Watney's resourceful attitude and the film's blend of humor with problem solving became frequent shorthand in pop culture discussions about space. Educators used the film to prompt STEM lessons.

It earned multiple major award nominations across guilds and academies, including nods from the Academy Awards and Golden Globes, recognizing its screenplay, technical achievements, and performances. Voters highlighted the visual effects and the adaptation, and several industry groups gave the production teams technical honors, and it sparked debate about mission costs.