10 Sci-Fi Movies That Got The Science Right
6. The Martian (2015)
The Martian is an interesting film because almost everything shown is realistic and possible. The stranding of a single astronaut on Mars and his fight to survive was clearly thought through by author Andy Weir from start to finish.
The movie was even praised for its scientific accuracy by none other than Neil deGrasse Tyson. There was a great deal of care put into the details, including the subtle depiction of Martian gravity. Mars has significantly less gravity than Earth due to its smaller mass, and this was demonstrated throughout the film.
Matt Damon had no problem lifting objects he wouldn't be able to even move on Earth and the speed at which items fall matched the reality of life on Mars. Even the notion of farming potatoes by using his own feces stands the test of scientific accuracy, as does nearly everything in this movie.
The one thing that doesn't match reality is the sandstorm that stranded him there in the first place. While Mars does have massive storms like that, the tenuous atmosphere makes those winds far less damaging than what was seen in the movie. Other than that little detail, The Martian is a survival guide for anyone who finds themselves stranded on the Red Planet.