Matt Damon’s popular 2015 sci-fi film, The Martian, is currently a top 10 movie on Prime Video, according to data from FlixPatrol.
Interest in watching The Martian is rising, likely because Matt Damon’s recent success in Christopher Nolan’s Odeyssey is drawing audiences to theaters. It seems many viewers who see the new film are then seeking out more of his work at home.
The Martian Is a Streaming Hit
In the novel The Martian, astronaut Mark Watney is mistakenly believed to be dead after a strong storm on a Mars mission and is left behind by his team. However, he survives and must use his intelligence, humor, and scientific skills to stay alive with limited resources. He needs to find a way to let Earth know he’s still living and hold out until a rescue can reach him.
Both film critics and general audiences loved The Martian. It’s considered a smart, thrilling, and humorous sci-fi survival story, earning a high 91% ‘Certified Fresh’ rating on Rotten Tomatoes from both reviewers and viewers alike.
With worldwide earnings of over $630 million, The Martian was a major success in theaters. It also received critical acclaim, earning seven nominations at the Academy Awards, including a nomination for Best Picture.
Ridley Scott directed the film The Martian, which Drew Goddard adapted from Andy Weir’s novel. Matt Damon plays the lead role of Watney, and the film also stars Jessica Chastain, Jeff Daniels, Kristen Wiig, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Sean Bean, Michael Peña, Kate Mara, Sebastian Stan, and Mackenzie Davis.
The Martian is a Favorite Of Scientists
Both viewers and experts have applauded the film for how accurately it portrays science. Astrophysicist Paul M. Sutter, for example, gave The Martian a positive review in a video he created.
Donald Glover perfectly captured how physicists and engineers explain complex ideas, according to Paul Sutter. He noted that Glover’s portrayal of Rich Purnell in The Martian accurately showed the tendency to use everyday objects and say things like, ‘Think of this as the particle, and it moves like this’ – a common practice in their field.
He also commended The Martian for using accurate physics to drive the story. Sutter explained that the biggest challenge in the movie was the immense travel time to Mars – it’s incredibly distant and follows its own orbital path. The film cleverly used mathematically correct principles of orbital mechanics: by slingshotting around Earth, a spacecraft gains speed, allowing for a quicker return trip to Mars than a direct launch would allow.
Sutter ended by giving The Martian his strongest recommendation. He said, “I’d give these scenes a perfect score – a 10 out of 10! I really love this movie, especially how it highlights science and how it ultimately solves the problems.”
The Martian is streaming now on Prime Video.
2026-07-21 00:46