Review of Martian (2015) by Samantha K — 05 Mar 2016

Welcome back, Sir Ridley Scott. After a one-two punch of disappointments, the legendary director is back with what is one of his finest outings not just in recent memory, but in his entire career. The Martian just works, whether that's due to the beautiful visuals, the clever screenplay full of wry sarcastic humor, or the ensemble cast who give some of their best performances of their respective careers.

Writer Drew Goddard nails the sense of humor of Andy Weir's novel, and proves why he's one of Hollywood's finest screenwriters. Perhaps the greatest achievement of The Martian's script, however, is ultimately how inspiring it is; between this and Interstellar, space adventure films that are sure to renew your interest in the great beyond are on a nice little streak.

Matt Damon is perfectly cast as Mark Watney, delivering the aforementioned humor in a charming, charismatic matter that doesn't feel out of place. However, when the time calls for it, Damon succeeds equally in his more serious moments as well.

The rest of the ensemble cast all give it their all too, and nobody does anything less than great. Ridley Scott is definitely capable of getting the best out of his cast, and this is no exception. Scott is also capable of creating a visual masterpiece, and The Martian, again, is no exception.

The Mars landscape is stunning, and the numerous space shots are equally so. All of the other technical aspects are perfect as well. It's always nice to see a director step back into the spotlight after a misfire or two, and The Martian is the perfect piece for Ridley Scott to do just that .

It's funny, it's thrilling, and most of all, it's just a great time.