I find it interesting that many of the moments I found lacking or confusing while watching the movie are things people are saying differed from the book. Guess I should just read the book.
I thought it was a pretty good movie, but not quite great. Probably because a lot of the 'omg science' moments that had my girlfriend's 65+ year old parents--who loved the movie--in awe weren't as novel to me. Like there were people in the theater that actually gasped when the 'slingshot around the Earth*' plan was laid out. Whereas I'd been wondering for a while why nobody was suggesting it. I guess I've seen too much sci-fi, but to someone that is seeing that kind of thing for the first time I'm sure it was a pretty cool idea.
It's cool that sci-fi and space movies are becoming more common, and appealing to wider audiences. That can be a double edged sword though, too.
edit: Hell, even my girlfriend who isn't opposed to sci-fi but not exactly into it, commented how if they said the air was so thin that the later plot point was possible, then how was the earlier plot point a problem in the first place. I was impressed she caught that, but also disappointed that plot hole was big enough for her to catch.
*Would use spoiler tags, but slingshotting around a planet isn't exactly spoiler worth at this point as it's practically become a trope.
