Damon on Mars.

Rating: 8/10 (9 October 2015)

The Martian (2015): Dir: Ridley Scott / Cast: Matt Damon, Jessica Chastain, Jeff Daniels, Kristen Wiig, Kate Mara: A fish out of water story that delivers Ridley Scott one of his better films in a while. Matt Damon plays an astronaut who ends up stranded on Mars when a mission is struck within a space storm. Damon is knock unconscious and the crew believe him for dead. Reluctantly they are forced to leave. Damon awakens alone and isolated but since he is playing a guy who is extremely intelligent and witty, he is able to use science to create water, heat as well as grow a crop of potatoes. This is far more uplifting than Interstellar, which is depressing. Here Scott allows for a touch of humour as Damon faces any challenge that hits. This is where Damon is at his best and where humour becomes a counter to a dire situation. Unfortunately the supporting cast is completely cardboard. Jessica Chastain is a terrific actress who spends much of the film on a spacecraft going back and forth on the Damon search. Jeff Daniels plays the typical NASA suit leader whose job is to counter the press in the wake of Damon going missing in space. Then when it is discovered that he is alive Daniels is pitted between truth and lame excuses whether Damon is rescued. Kristen Wiig is completely miscast, and Kate Mara's role has all the personality of the sh*t Damon plants to grow potatoes. The special effects are impressive but thankfully not as claustrophobic as Interstellar. The theme regards the idea of living and surviving on Mars using one's mind to increase one's chances of propelling beyond. Score: 8 ½ / 10