The Martian (2015)


This article is part of a series:
Most Believable Sci-Fi Movies

To date, no other film has been able to do what The Martian did in 2015. It’s touted as the most scientifically accurate movie ever made, thanks largely in part to the wonderful novel (same title) by Andy Weir. Astronauts, scientists, and fans alike can’t stop raving about just how well Weir’s fictional novel (and the subsequent film) captured the human elements of space travel; every piece of the puzzle, from the astronaut’s team-first attitude to Watney’s survival strategies, were clever and correct.

The inflatable HAB is already in the works. The “poo-tatoes” are sustainable and achievable. Even the Rich Purnell Maneuver had roots in real life science, although many considered it to be a clever Hollywood plot device. Turns out that the whole ‘gravity-assist trajectory’ thing was conceived back in the 1960’s by Michael Minovich and put into effect by NASA for the 1977 launch of The Voyagers, a twin-craft designed to take a tour of our solar system’s furthest reaches.

Ladies and gentleman, MATT DAMON.