A True Love Letter to Science and Humanity

Rating: 9/10 (5 October 2015)

Sir Ridley Scott is finally back on track. There's no argument that his last couple films have not been up to his standard. However, now he has gone back to his roots to bring us an adaptation of the sci-fi novel by Andy Weir The Martian.
The story itself is pretty straightforward. Mark Watney (Matt Damon) is presumed dead when stuck with debris during a storm on Mars. When the rest of his crew decides to abort and he turns out to be alive, Watney must ration his remaining resources in an attempt to same himself and make contact with NASA. Despite the familiar storyline (can you say Cast Away meets Apollo 13?), only a true mastermind behind the camera can give the story so much depth and make it so enthralling.
The cast is definitely one of the best ensembles of the year. Everyone does fantastic with the roles given to them, namely Chiwetel Ejiofor and Jeff Daniels. And while everyone does a great job in the movie, the man whose shoulders the film truly rests on is Matt Damon, and he excels in every scene he is in. The audience is always eager to follow Damon's successes and failures on Mars. Damon is so good at playing a wise- cracking scientist and showing us what it might actually be like to get left on Mars alone. With Damon's character, the movie is allowed to delve into themes about what makes us human and our drive to help one another.
One of the aspects of the film that truly fascinated me was how much science was explained out in the movie. The science is always intriguing and never makes one feel as though they are in school needing to remember everything they heard.
The Martian is easily one of the best films of the year and a very welcome return to form for Sir Ridley Scott. The entire cast excels at bringing the audience a fascinating trip not only of the inner-workings of NASA, but of a man's journey of survival as he is left on Mars.
"I admit it's fatally dangerous, but I'd get to fly around like Iron Man"