The Martian

Andy Weir's self-published novel, The Martian, was a hit in both online and physical formats. Its film version, realized by director Ridley Scott, perfectly explains why that was. It's a simple survival story with a guy the audience comes to love.

Botanist and Astronaut Mark Watney (Matt Damon) is part of the Ares III mission to Mars. But a giant sandstorm hits the planet and messes up the mission. Mark gets lost in the chaos, so the other astronauts leave Mars without him. Mark wakes up alone on the Red Planet. The first thing on his mind is to science his way out of this mess until the next Ares mission arrives. It's a lot easier when he gets in touch with NASA. But a mistake on either end could screw him up big time.

Matt Damon as Mark Watney is what the movie is all about. He's a strong-willed man with a good sense of humor and amazing survival skills. The first thing he does when he realizes his situation is to treat his wounds. He also loves to criticize the numerous disco tracks left with him at every opportunity. Only when things go south or stupid does Mark loose his cool. Still, he's a very relatable protagonist throughout the film's 2 1/2 hours. 

Everyone else on the cast is good too. The Ares crew consists of Jessica Chastain, Kate Mara, Sebastian Stan, Michael Pena and Aksel Hennie. They're a well-rounded crew of characters; only wish I'd see them more with Mark before the storm hit. That could've explained the stakes more. On Earth, Jeff Daniels as NASA director Sanders is more of a person than a hate sink like most movie bureaucrats. Donald Glover, as a scientist who helps makes the ending possible, was good comic relief.

The film is a visual showcase as well. Whether it's the red planet or space, cinematographer Dariusz Wolski and the visual effects team make them look good. Special notice goes to the Ares III's spaceship, the Hermes. It's a rotating spaceship realized with both live-action and CGI elements into one seamless machine. The visual effects department's finest moment is the climactic scene when Mark is saved. 

The Martian is about a guy surviving impossible odds. It doesn't need to get any more complicated than that. It's by far the most optimistic sci-fi film Ridley Scott has ever made. It's both technically and emotionally proficient, and for that, it's one of Scott's best films ever.