If Joss Whedon combined Apollo 13 & Cast Away...

Rating: 9/10 (14 January 2016)

Walking into this my only expectation was to see a NASA space drama about a man stranded on Mars that was better (and more realistic) than Mission To Mars & a survival drama that wasn't as boring as Cast Away. To say those expectations were exceeded is an understatement as it is, IMO, the 3rd funniest movie of 2015 (behind Spy and Sisters) and the 2nd best overall of 2015 (behind Mad Max).
Ridley Scott, a master of the sci-fi genre has crafted a truly unique movie with all the dramatic excitement and realism of Apollo 13, the dramatic struggle to survive of Cast Away and, with witty dialogue and jokes all the laugh out loud humor of Joss Whedon(in that the humor comes from (side) dialogue. Scott is able to depict the will to survive while simultaneously making you laugh which adds a humanizing level to the film. And the cinematography is beautiful and overall direction top notch.
Matt Damon is superb as Mark Watney, proving once again that anyone who says he can't act, just doesn't like him, cause this guy can act the crap out of a role. Personally I think he deserves the best actor Oscar for this more than DiCaprio for The Revenant(although Leo is way past due). Not only is Watney someone you want to see survive and come home, but he's a guy you'd want to hang out with. A cumulative portion of the movie is Damon talking to himself via video diary and his performance was still funnier than Rogen in The Night Before, Schumer in Trainwreck, Helms in Vacation, Sandler in Pixels or Hart in The Wedding Ringer.
The insanely talented ensemble cast of dramatic and comedic heavyweights and newcomers is impressive and add so much to the film. You not only laugh at what they say but you want to see them succeed in bringing Watney home because you like them and want them to accomplish their goal. Actors such as Jeff Daniels, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Jessica Chastain, Sean Bean, Kristen Wiig, Michael Pena, Kate Mara, Sebastian Stan, Donald Glover, and MacKenzie Davis all add something funny, different, and and satisfying to the movie.
All in all, a fantastic 8 star movie that effortlessly blends genres and proves both Ridley Scott and Matt Damon still "have it". Highly highly recommended for fans of Sci-Fi, Drama, Comedy or GREAT movies in general.