'Every human being has a basic instinct: to help each other out'

Rating: 6/10 (14 January 2016)

'Every human being has a basic instinct: to help each other out' Odd that everyone is raving about the acting in this film. Yes, it is a good idea to watch the survival of a lone man on another planet, but the acting and the dialogue are so flat line and the actors seem so uninvolved with this read-through of a script that after a while all the fancy special effects even get more interesting than the story. Some are remarking how far better Andy Weir's book is in comparison, but even Ridley Scott has slow moments in trying to keep this space venture airborne.
The story (brief as it is) – 'During a manned mission to Mars, Astronaut Mark Watney (Matt Damon) is presumed dead after a fierce storm and left behind by his crew. But Watney has survived and finds himself stranded and alone on the hostile planet. With only meager supplies, he must draw upon his ingenuity, wit and spirit to subsist and find a way to signal to Earth that he is alive. Millions of miles away, NASA and a team of international scientists work tirelessly to bring "the Martian" home, while his crewmates concurrently plot a daring, if not impossible, rescue mission. As these stories of incredible bravery unfold, the world comes together to root for Watney's safe return.'
The cast includes such winning actors as Michael Peña, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Jeff Daniels, Jessica Chastain, Kate Mara, Kristen Wiig, Sean Bean and others but there is little to no development of their characters until the very end. Jump on if you must see every movie that is nominated for best film/actor but be aware this tale goes on for well past 2 hours in length.