The Guardian said, "These disappointing discoveries changed the place of Mars on humanity's mental map.
Films such as Total Recall (1990) and Red Planet (2000) focused more on the colonization of Mars by humans.
[1] The Guardian, reporting on the release of John Carter (2012), said, since 1995, six films featuring Mars performed poorly at the box office.
[4] The Atlantic called The Martian "the subgenre's newest and best entry", citing the positive reviews and strong box office returns on opening weekend.
It said, "Many films seek to dramatize the Red Planet’s harsh landscape as a romantic frontier, but The Martian is one that actually succeeds.