Epic sci-fi survival adventure

Rating: 10/10 (8 October 2018)

My Grandma sent this movie up for Christmas 2 or 3 years ago. She had seen it, and said it was quite good. (I had seen it in the cinema fliers when it first came out, but hadn't thought it interesting.) After Grandma's recommendation, I was expecting it to be good.
I was blown away! I had expected it to be good. But it was really, REALLY good! Greatly exceeded my expectations.
The story is this: in 2035 (the year isn't mentioned in the movie - only the bonus features, and apparently the novel (which I haven't read)), during a manned mission to Mars, a massive and powerful sand storm forces the crew to evacuate the planet. Unfortunately, one of the astronauts, Mark Watney (Matt Damon) suffers an accident in the storm, and is (justifiably) presumed dead. They are forced to leave without him.
However, Mark is not dead. He manages to make his way to the Hab that the crew had been staying in, where he fixed his wound (the only hard-to-watch scene in the movie). He must try and survive on a desert planet - and try and make contact with NASA. Meanwhile, by viewing satellite images of the Hab (showing equipment moved since the crew of the ship - the Ares - evacuated), realise he is still alive. They begin planning an attempt to save Watney, AND try to make contact with him.
The movie's plot is brilliantly constructed and executed. Many condemned the film's light tone, but I actually quite enjoyed it. It's a refreshingly uplifting movie. If you want a horror movie, go watch "Alien" or something.
The acting in the film is great, as is the sense of humour. It's surprisingly genuinely funny. But the special effects are breathtaking. They're truly GREAT.
Overall, The Martian is an extremely enjoyable and entertaining science fiction tale of survival that is VERY scientifically accurate (much more so than your average sci-fi). It's highly recommended.