The meaning of the film The Martian
Among the films “about space”, which appeared one after another on the wave of popularity of sci-fi themes on the screens of cinemas, “The Martian” stands out not only for the almost complete absence of any action, but also for its unprecedented charge of motivation. It’s hard not to admire the heroism of astronaut Mark Watney, his desperate struggle for life on a deserted planet, as well as the well-coordinated work of NASA members who did everything possible to save the hero. The meaning of the movie “The Martian” is simple, but at the same time deep, and it is about it that I am going to talk to you.
Heroes of the film “The Martian”: the image of Mark Watney, the teamwork of NASA and “Ares-3”
Of course, the semantic basis and the most important message that the filmmakers send to the audience is a vocation to never give up. But in “The Martian,” what matters is how the hero copes with the challenges he faces many. Time after time, Watney demonstrates composure: no matter how hopeless the situation may seem, he approaches the solution of the problem in a purely rational way, turning off unnecessary emotions, although we know that sometimes they overwhelm him – after all, there is no one to share his experiences in a deserted space with. In addition, Mark Watney is able to solve problems sequentially: he divides any complex problem into several simpler ones, and then deals with each separately, in order. It is these two skills – being cold-blooded and dividing complex tasks into simpler ones – that help Watney survive. In fact, this is much more important to him,
It seems that NASA employees live at work, and they have no personal life at all
In turn, the events taking place at NASA headquarters, as well as on board the Ares-3 mission ship, demonstrate an example of excellent teamwork. Pay attention – here too, emotions are inappropriate, although sometimes they are difficult to avoid (for example, when NASA decides to tell the mission participants that Watney survived). It is worth noting here that the film completely lacks any lyrical, in other words, love line. We do not know anything about Mark Watney’s life on Earth, only a passing mention of the families of Captain Lewis and other crew members. As for NASA employees, sometimes it seems that they have no personal life at all – they spend days and nights at work. And this is not surprising – when it comes to serious (and dangerous!) Scientific expeditions, it is better to forget about feelings and affections for a while.
If not for a solid theoretical basis, Watney would not have coped with all the problems that arose.
The relationship between characters and the meaning of the movie “The Martian”
Even though I said that there is no lyrical line in the plot of “The Martian”, this does not mean that the heroes do not feel any feelings at all. But the relationship between them is either friendly, reminiscent of Soviet movies rather than Hollywood blockbusters (for example, the relationship between the crew of the Ares-3), or team-based (between NASA employees, when they solve work problems together or negotiate).
It is important that the “Martian” does not have an antagonist (“villain”, antihero). Yes, sometimes heroes make mistakes. Yes, they do not always manage to agree. But no one sabotages the common cause, no one pulls the blanket over themselves – everyone is working on solving one problem that is important for everyone. This is also a tribute to realism – in life we do not face “absolute evil”, most people act with the best intentions, but everyone has different ideas about what will be better for achieving the goal. Therefore, disputes and disagreements arise in the NASA camp, but in the end someone takes responsibility for the final decision. This is another important side of the meaning of the film “The Martian”: only by joint efforts, both mental (innovative ideas, the ability to negotiate) and physical (the ability to work without interruption, a constant increase in the pace of work), you can come to a great goal (save human life, launch a rocket into space). Please note that the motivation of the heroes is not money, not a career, not patriotic feelings. People work for the idea, and this idea unites different states.
Money, career, love – none of this worries the heroes of the film. Science and the salvation of human life is what matters
It’s time to summarize. What is the meaning of the film “The Martian” and what new can it tell the viewer? (Of course, this list is not complete, you can go on and on!)
- Even in a seemingly hopeless situation, there will definitely be a way out. This requires a clear goal, common sense and consistent problem solving skills, and good general preparation. Of course, if you are not flying into space, you may feel that all these skills are not necessary for you. But in fact, this scheme can be applied to any field of activity, to any work or life situation.
- No matter how hard romantic comedies and melodramas try to assure us that feelings, relationships, love are the main thing in life, in many areas of activity they are inappropriate. At the same time, the film demonstrates an excellent example of healthy relationships between colleagues, comrades who work together to solve a common problem.
- In achieving the goal set for the team, the ability of the leader (NASA leader, Captain Lewis) to take responsibility for making a decision, as well as the ability of all participants to agree, play an important role.
