The Martian (2015)

Directed by Ridley Scott

Written by Drew Goddard (screenplay) and Andy Weir (novel)

Starring Matt Damon, Jessica Chastain, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Kristen Wiig

      A gripping sci-fi story brought to the big screen by writer, Drew Goddard and adapted by novelist, Andy Weir, The Martian will leave you at the edge of your seat, mentally and audibly cheering at every small victory that gets astronaut Mark Watney (Matt Damon) one step closer to getting home. Directed by the exquisitely aged mind that brought us other science fiction films such as Alien (1979), this film has a refreshing splash of comedy thrown throughout to leaven the sometimes confusing dialogue filled with lots of astro physics and chemistry. However this film did have me bragging to my friends after that I know how many Earth days equals a Mars sol. 

     Set in the near future, Mark Watney and his fellow Hermes crew members lead by Commander Melissa Lewis (Jessica Chastain), are on a routine walk when a storm strikes the dry planet and sends the crew in a frenzy as they hustle to get back to their ship. The impending situation leaves the crew with no other choice but to evacuate, but while doing so Watney is struck by flying debris and left stranded on Mars while the rest of the Hermes crew presumes him as dead. Talk about some bad luck. Mark wakes impaled by a metal rod and still on Mars. With enough food rations to last him about a month, and stuck in a small life habitat not meant to keep humans alive for very long, his death seems imminent. With the tireless efforts of NASA and Watney's own brilliance, he perseveres and we witness humanity unify as we "bring him home."

     Brilliantly casted, the real beauty behind The Martian lies behind the importance and fluidity that every cast member brings to this storyline. There is no evil NASA scientist secretly plotting against Wateny's heroic return to Earth. Everyone in this film comes together and is genuinely sincere over the efforts to send this astronaut home, and their acting performances show this. Damon's role scored him an Oscar nomination for best lead actor and won him a golden globe. Matt Damon brings a very personable character to the screen that we all cant help but relate to and root for. He doesn't have some sob story of his wife and kids that he needs to get back home to. He's just a man who was doing what he loves and suffered a terrible accident that no one could've predicted. He bring's a very astonishing level of intelligence matched with a dry sense of humor that makes this one of my favorite roles that Matt Damon has played. 

    Aside from Damon, this movie brings us a cluster of strong supporting cast members riddled with Oscar nominees and winners. Jessica Chastain has always and will always be one of my favorite actresses after her roles in The Help (2011) and Zero Dark Thirty (2012), so seeing her play this intellectual commander of the Hermes ship that had a manned mission on Mars was so different than her other roles but she did a stellar job. You can really feel guilt for leaving Mark behind but admire and believe her conviction in getting him back. The rest of the Hermes crew (Michael Pena, Sebastian Stan, Kate Mara, and Aksel Hennie) all contribute to the collective greatness of this film. The most prominent NASA crew member was Vincent Kapoor played by the growingly talented Chiwetel Ejiofor. Ejiofor's character, along with Kristen Wiig's character, give us faith that everyone on ground control is doing everything in their power to help Watney. Donald Glover plays astrophysicist Rich Purnell and brings some comical moments to the film. 

     Screenplay writer Drew Goddard beautifully made a film that could've been 142 minutes of confusing science diction and boring scenes that tend to drag on, into something that is brimming with humor and really appeals to a wide audience. I left the film shocked that over 2 hours had passed because every minute had me intrigued. I especially enjoyed the music in the film and found myself downloading lots of old songs that The Martian re-surfaced (Like David Bowie's "Starman"). With a cast that is out of this world (had to throw at least one space pun in there), tremendous visuals, and an unforgettable storyline, The Martian will undoubtedly be deemed a Science Fiction classic. 

I give The Martian an...

8/10