Ridley Scott settles the score on the debate of whetherThe Martianis a comedy. Released in 2015, the sci-fi feature sees Matt Damon’s Mark Watney stranded on Mars after a fierce storm blew his fellow astronauts off the planet. Many critics point out the film’s lightheartedness in depicting a hopeless situation. In 2016,the space moviewon a Golden Globe Award for Best Picture in a Comedy or Musical,leading many to debate whetherThe Martianfits the genre.
During the director’s roundtable hosted byThe Hollywood Reporter, Scott discussed the filming ofThe Martian, where he dropped a comment about it as a comedy. When asked about the rumor that his 2015 movie was more expensive to make than sending a rover to Mars, Scott revealed thatThe Martian’s production cost was “$80 million,” butthe studio didn’t see it as “a comedy” at first.This resulted in the film being shelved for “two years” until the director was asked to take a look, andhe recalled finding it “really funny.“Check out what Scott said below:
ROSS(To Scott) I heardThe Martianwas more expensive to make than it was to send a rover to Mars. Is that true?
SCOTT:No, I think we cost about $80 million. The studio didn’t realize it’s actually a comedy, so it sat on the shelf for two years and then they said, “Do you want to look at this?” And I read it and said, “It’s really funny.”
What This Means For The Martian
The Martian Was Intended As A Comedy
According to the latest Golden Globe Awards eligibility and consideration rules, the film’s category is determined by what “best matches the overall tone and content of the motion picture,” meaning that for a drama to qualify as a comedy, the comedic elements must outweigh its dramatic tone. Scott’s comment clarifies thatThe Martianwas always intended to be a comedyin a sci-fi space setting, which was why he entered the film in the Comedy or Musical category.
The Martian: How Scientifically Accurate The Matt Damon Movie Really Is
While The Martian is scientifically accurate during some parts of the movie, Ridley Scott’s sci-fi takes speculative liberties with other scenes.
Aside from going home with the Award in the Motion Picture category, Damon won the 2016 Golden Globe Award for Best Actor in a Comedy or Musical forThe Martian, and Scott also received a nomination for directing the film. Thefilmmaker’s decision to enter the film in the Comedy category (and won) waswidely criticized, leading the Foreign Press Association to modify its rules from 2017 onwards, resulting in the clarification listed on the current rule sheet: “a motion picture that is primarily intended to have a serious or dramatic tone but contains comedic overtones or elements should be entered as a drama.”
Our Take On Whether The Martian Is Comedy
We May Have Missed The Point
It’s a clever move on Scott’s part to enterThe Martianas a comedy rather than drama since it would have to compete withThe Revenant,Mad Max: Fury Road,Spotlight,Room, andCarol.TheLeonardo DiCaprio-led moviewas the winner of the race. DiCaprio also won the Golden Globe Award as the lead actor. It’s unlikely thatThe Martianor Damon would be able to beat DiCaprio orThe Revenantin the same category since the film was a favorite during the award season. Scott’s decision toenter it as a comedy played a crucial role in its Golden Globes win.
There is no denying thatThe Martianhas comedic overtones and elements. However, as an epic sci-fi film depicting a depressing situation where one man is trapped alone in space, its tone is too lighthearted to take the situation seriously. Scott’s comment also implies that while many believe his 2015 space adventure is a sci-fi thriller, they may havemissed the entire point of the film. Either way,The Martianis due for a rewatch.
The Martian
Cast
Adapted by Ridley Scott from Andy Weir’s novel of the same name, The Martian follows the plight of astronaut Mark Watney (Matt Damon) after he finds himself stranded alone on Mars after he is falsely presumed dead during a mission. Unable to communicate with Earth and armed with little more than his scientific expertise as a botanist, Watney must find a way to survive on the barren planet until the next scheduled mission arrives.
