A Great Modern Version of Apollo 13

Rating: 9/10 (24 October 2015)

I went into the screening of The Martian disappointed that Bridge of Spies was sold out and I'd have to settle for what I thought would be a lame sci-fi action flick. Boy was I surprised at how good this movie was. There is a lot going on with the story throughout the movie – yes, "rescue Matt Damon" is always the main plot, but the story went in unexpected and even complex directions that I didn't expect. There are the expected themes of loneliness, sacrifice, perseverance, etc., but also some really interesting scenes about corporate management, the purpose of space exploration, even about the value of a single human life. This is a movie that can serve as an entertaining popcorn flick, but it also has enough substance to be quite thought-provoking for those paying attention closely.
Matt Damon gives an excellent performance, especially in the most intense scenes. Supporting actors are good as well – this is definitely a film where Jeff Daniel's "stoic harass boss" character fits really well as the leader of NASA. I didn't find the visuals to be as stunning as many did, but maybe that's just because I had a crappy seat in the theater off to the side.
Overall, this is a great sci-fi film that actually has a lot of, well, science. It's actually pretty nerdy at times, with some cool nerd jokes thrown in. I did find some of the humor to be too forced, seemingly present simply to keep the popcorn audience watching. Bad jokes and a ridiculous but forgivable ending aside, I have no major complaints about this movie. It's a wholly satisfying 2.5 hours of entertainment.