The Martian

Matt Damon is left on Mars in Ridley Scott's latest film.

Matt Damon plays Mark Watney in "The Martian". Watney is left behind on Mars after a sand storm. While heading towards the ship that is to take them home, Watney is hit with debris and taken for dead. When he awakens he is alone and his journey for survival begins.

Watney is a part of the Ares III mission. His fellow crew include Lewis (Jessica Chastain), Martinez (Michael Pena), Johanssen (Kate Mara), Vogel (Aksel Hennie) and Beck (Sebastian Stan). We are introduced to the crew eighteen days into their mission. As soon as we are introduced, the crew aborts their mission and head back to earth as the oncoming sand storm is proving to be more dangerous than anyone predicted. It all happens quickly that it is an initial shock to follow Watney as he wakes up. The pace becomes considerably slower and we are finally able to appreciate the situation he finds himself in.

Even though the pace is slower, the film is never dull. You are invested in Watney's journey. He is brilliant and seeing him "science" everything is fascinating. We are invested in NASA's attempts to bring him back home. While they are usually slow and meticulous with their launches and builds, they must work faster in order to improve Watney's chances of survival. We also get to know the Ares III mission crew a little more, but not to the point that we know Watney and mission control.

The story is an interesting one even if, like me, you don't understand everything that is being said. (Science was never my best subject.) The effects are beautiful and the acting is good. I think Matt Damon did a great job capturing the hope and desperation Watney felt while being stranded. I also think everyone at mission control including Jeff Daniels and Chiwetel Eljiofor did a good job with their roles as well. I am not a fan of Kristen Wiig, but I will say I was pleased with her work in this film. The Ares III crew also did a good job, but there weren't any stand out performances for me there.

I enjoyed this film. It keeps you invested in the story although I did feel some of the humor was forced. I'm also considerably more appreciative of science. I think most people have seen this film already, but if you haven't, I say check it out. It's a thrilling ride that you don't want to get off of.