Scott's adaptation of Andy Weir's 2014 bestselling tale of an astronaut left for dead on Mars carries the director's usual visual flair and moves quickly to fit in all the science and problem-solving scenarios Damon and NASA must face to survive and effectively mount a rescue mission. It's a lot of data to digest at times, but it never slows the story, mainly because the film has strong supporting players like Jeff Daniels, Jessica Chastain and Chiwetel Ejiofor to effectively get its points across.
The film, though, truly belongs to Damon. His Mark Watney is an experienced scientist, smart and resourceful, but he's also a human being, alone on an alien planet and facing an increasingly grim chance of survival. Damon deftly toggles between both "realities" with the utmost of ease. We celebrate his triumphs and agonize in his defeats not because the story dictates it, but because we feel it from an affable, engaging soul that could just as easily be one of us.
The Martian is not just one of the most entertaining films of the year, it's one of the smartest, for its science and technology, but more importantly, for its humanity. Grade: A -
