One of the Most Accurate Sci-Fi Movies Ever Made Is About to Touch Down on Streaming

by

A lot of sci-fi leans heavily into the fiction part, but back in 2015, Ridley Scott – the director behind Alien – really wanted to bring the science back to science fiction. And he succeeded! With audiences paying closer attention to how realistic movies are, Scott’s 2015 film has been praised for being incredibly scientifically accurate. Honestly, considering the whole movie revolves around the details of space travel and just *surviving* on Mars, you’d almost expect that, wouldn’t you? The hints should be pretty clear, because we’re talking about The Martian, and it’s about to find a new home on streaming!

Ridley Scott’s The Martian is coming to Netflix soon. You’ll be able to watch the film on the streaming service starting October 1st. Based on the book by Project Hail Mary author Andy Weir, The Martian features Matt Damon as Mark Watney, a resourceful botanist… and the only person left on Mars after being accidentally left behind during a NASA mission. Believing him to be deceased, his team moves on, but Mark manages to get in touch with NASA and must find a way to survive on the planet until they can send a rescue team. Here’s what the movie is about, according to the official description:

As astronauts launch from Mars, Mark Watney is left behind, mistakenly thought to be dead after a powerful storm. With very limited resources, this stranded explorer has to use his intelligence and determination to stay alive on the unforgiving planet. At the same time, NASA and a global team of scientists are working around the clock to bring him back, and his fellow astronauts are developing their own risky plan to rescue him.

I remember when The Martian came out in 2015 – like so many of Scott’s films, it was a huge success! It made an incredible $630 million at the box office, especially considering it only cost $108 million to make. In fact, it’s become Ridley Scott’s most profitable film to date. But it wasn’t just the numbers; both critics and general audiences really loved this science-driven adventure. It still has an amazing 91% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, and audiences clearly agreed, giving it a 91% score of their own!

Is ‘The Martian’ Scientifically Accurate?


20th Century Fox

Let’s address this right away: it’s understandable that The Martian isn’t completely realistic. After all, the story takes place on Mars! However, the methods Mark Watney uses to stay alive, and the scientific details of NASA’s rescue efforts, have been praised for their accuracy by none other than Neil deGrasse Tyson.

The astrophysicist, as he often does, used X (formerly Twitter) to discuss the movie, pointing out both its scientific errors and its successes. Although the film contains fictional science, it accurately portrays several key elements of space travel and highlights the value of a scientific background. It’s not completely realistic – particularly the scene with the Martian storm – as some viewers might think. However, the film seems to get more things right than wrong. It’s a generally positive assessment despite the inaccuracies.

Read More

2025-10-01 17:24