Film Preview: The Martian (2015)

Page Revisions:

(June 14, 2015) Original
(August 30, 2015) New Trailer (#2) / New Poster (#2) / Page Redesigned
(September 27, 2015) New Poster (#3)

Release Date:

October 2, 2015

Synopsis:

From IMDb: “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.”

Poster Rating: C / B- / C-

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Review: (#1) As much as I like Matt Damon, staring at him in a poster like this is not a pleasant experience. It’s also not very creative.

(#2) Adding a background image that’s more detailed and interesting is a nice change of pace from its predecessor. It creates a desolate environment for the character making him feel less isolated than before without completely erasing his solitary position.

(#3) An entry for foreign territories, this design is a bit too clean in places (particularly inside the helmet) to give a feeling of in-the-moment. Making the star easier to see doesn’t add suspense, it makes things look weak.

Trailer Rating: A / B+

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Review: (#1) Striking every beat simply and effectively, this trailer has excitement, it has plot revelation, it has performance and all of it’s blended together quite admirably.

(#2) The second trailer isn’t nearly as tense, explaining more of the film’s plot and never giving the audience more reason to want to see the film than the first trailer did. Audience’s will still turn out for it in spite of its predictability.

Oscar Prospects:

Could be a player in the Oscar race. Science fiction isn’t always in the Academy’s wheelhouse, but recent high profile nominations for Gravity and District 9, it’s possible the tides have turned, but this doesn’t look like the kind of movie the Academy recognizes and could be relegated to the tech categories only.