My Rating: 5/5
My first from Andy Weir, and I am surprised how I haven’t yet read The Martian yet, even after the super success of the movie. That has to be my next from him for sure now that I have loved this one big time. Project Hail Mary is now more famous, all thanks to its big screen adaptation, where Ryan Gosling plays the lead character of Micro-Biologist cum Scientist, Ryland Grace. Do you see the similarity in the names? I guess Andy actually wrote this with him in mind, as it works wonders for the book; you will agree if you have read the book. The subject the book is written on is a beaten-to-death topic of Humanity coming to an end, an apocalypse is about to come, and only one man can save the planet from the same. There comes our hero in the form of Ryland Grace to save humanity, who goes out to check why the sun’s light is dimming with two other astronauts. The woman behind Grace, Eva Stratt, is the most powerful in the world, with immunity from all the superpowers to get to the root cause and solve it by hook or crook. She is so amazing, and I loved their interactions big time. How she convinces Grade to take the journey is another matter, which kept me hooked right till the very penultimate chapter of the book. The journey to the point where he can fix the problem is going to take 13 years, and it's a suicide mission, as they will not have enough fuel to return to Earth. Will he be able to save seven billion people and the only blue planet in the universe from extinction, or not is the rest of it. But the way it is done was a totally new way, very exciting and engaging to say the least, I was hooked to the book from the very first page and had to dedicate time to it to finish it in four flat days, so I can go ahead and watch the movie this weekend. Right from the word go, where they realise that there is a virus killing the sunlight slowly and gradually, the way it is calculated how long it will last before the disaster actually hits, its repercussions and how they plan to solve it was a totally out of this world experience, super suspenseful and anything can go wrong at any time.
What I loved most about the story is that multiple tracks are working at the same time and the original story is told in flashbacks, back and forth as the team travels out to their destination, how they get to it and what it takes to make a spaceship that fast and efficient plus the selection of the astronauts who will go on the death mission was totally terrific. And especially the interactions between all the world’s scientists coming together to save the planet, seeing Russians, Chinese and Americans on the same table was hilarious. I want to talk so much about the story, but there is no way I can do that without disclosing something important, which I don't want to do in the first place. Oh! Before I forget, I loved the Beatles connection too and had no idea that there was another drummer in the Beatles' group before Ringo Starr. How Beetles help Grace to save not only our planet but another one where actual life exists is why you need to read this book. But I must say it has so much science, especially physics and maths, that it became a turn off for me at times, and even the ending looked a little over stretched to me just for the thrill sake, but the twist in the end wasn’t predictable for me, and it kind of shocked me. I am not expecting a sequel, but if he actually writes one, I will be the first to get in line to get the book at the earliest and read it.
Having said all that, I have huge expectations from its movie adaptation, which was released this week in our part of the world, and I have booked it for Saturday morning, first thing, that too a 4DX version to enjoy the space travel. Do let me know if you have read this one and loved it too. I am so much looking forward to reading the Martian soon followed by Artemis from Andy Weir.
Movie: Again as it always happens, movie isn’t half as great as the book was especially when it comes to detailing, character development and story going places. Eva Stratt’s character is such a huge let down, I wouldn’t even call it half baked :(. Ryan Gosling does full justice with the author backed role, totally in the character and suits it big time. Visually I didn’t find the movie that appealing as the Martian was and we have seen way better movies based on space. Even when I watched it in a 4DX theatre just for that zero gravity feel and all that. I had huge expectations fro its length of two and half hours or little more but it wasnt upto the mark. Rocky’s character was the best part of the whole movie but it takes quite a while to get to that mark in the first place but from that moment movie goes on a different high and I loved the way it ends. One thing I must say that the movie doesnt have that much science thrown on its audience face as much the book does and makes it a little too much. Overall a pretty average flick nothing special that one should check it out on the big screen only. I will rate it a generous 3/5.
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