I hardly ever go to the movies. Whether that is because Netflix and Hulu are sufficient enough that I can binge watch episodes from my bedroom and don’t have drive twenty-five minutes to Tinseltown. Maybe it’s because the overpriced movie tickets, drinks and popcorn don’t live up to the hype.

Nevertheless, it’s rare to see me at the movies.

After seeing multiple commercials, tweets and movie reviews for it, I decided to take the grueling twenty-five minute venture to see The Martian.

The Martian depicts protagonist NASA astronaut Mark Watney (Matt Damon) and his manned mission to Mars along with other NASA astronauts. However, the mission is cut short due to a severe storm on Mars. Watney is blown away during the storm, after being hit by debris, and his crew departs without him. Watney, who is presumed dead by his crew and the rest of the world, shows the journey of his survival of being alone on Mars and his search for an escape plan from his solitary confinement.

Even though there is action in the film and the build up leads to a very climatic ending, the pace was, in my opinion, too slow and almost made me fall asleep.

The film is 144 minutes. I usually like to steer away from movies that long, even though you get the bang for the buck. It’s almost too boring. The audience didn’t pay to sit in movie theater seats for over two hours, or to be relaxed. We want to be on the edge of the seat, something that doesn’t happen if the movie is so long. The action is just too slow.

I’m not saying that it had to be anything like Mad Max, which was nonstop action for basically the whole movie, just maybe that need to be sped up a bit.

Would I recommend seeing before it leaves the big screen? Yes. Just make sure that you don’t have anything rushed during it, as it is a two and a half hour endeavor.

Rating: 9/10