The Martian (2015), PG-13, ★★★★

Matt Damon stranded on a planet...again. 

Mars. The red planet. The fourth planet in the solar system.

If you have not heard from the news, there has been reports that NASA has found water in Mars. Anything may be possible on that planet where the environment could be palpable or inhospitable to the specimen in a suit. Even though, initially, Mars does not look like a great place to live, it creates an environment in which some of the conditions can equal the challenging task into turning a bleak situation of being stranded to an accomplishment in which the main character rejoices. This movie could have potentially and easily have been degraded into a terrible Hollywood science fiction movie. But, the bottom line is that it is a great outlook of an enthusiastic astronaut stranded in another environment using intelligent dialogue and humor to entertain all audiences. It is director Ridley Scott's best movie in a while.

The movie commences on a landing site called Acidalia Planitia on Mars. The Hermes crew is led by Commander Melissa Lewis (Jessica Chastain), along with botanist Mark Watney (Matt Damon), computer expertBeth Johanssen (Kate Mara), pilot Rick Martinez (Michael Peña), Chris Beck (Sebastian Stan) and Alex Vogel (Aksel Hennie). They are on a mission in gathering samples before re-entering the vessel. The crew learns that an intense storm is passing through and they all try to get out through the gusty winds and bleak view. However, a piece of debris knocks Watney out of sight (no spoiler), and as they try to find him, they retreat as the storm is too strong to find him.

Back on Earth, director of NASA Teddy Saunders (Jeff Daniels) holds a press conference in which the mission has been successful but regretfully informs that Watney has been killed in the process. Watney wakes up on Mars and makes a video log stating that he's alive and acknowledges it would be another four years to send another manned mission to Mars and with the current food supply, he will die. So, he states that he needs to "science the s**t of the situation" into growing food in a place where nothing grows.

At NASA, engineer Vincent Kapoor (Chiwetel Ejiofor) is trying to get another mission funded to bring Watney back without interfering the plans of the next two Ares missions. However, he, Mindy Park (MacKenzie Davis) and Director of Media Relations Annie Montrose (Kristen Wiig) discover movement on Mars and proves that Watney is alive. The story becomes internationally inspiring and some participate to bring him back.

Oh, math. 

I had a blast with this movie because it does not become another grim science fiction copy of Interstellar. This is a straight-forward science fiction movie that is about problem solving using mathematics and engineering to get out of a situation to get back home. It is a great advertisement for NASA in general, engineers and maybe for students who want to become engineers. But, it also a great movie about teamwork. It is the best movie bringing up that topic since Apollo 13 in which the world unites to bring one man home. This bring a portraits of a dream-like vision of nations setting their problem aside with one another to become one nation, one world.

Matt Damon gives one of his best performances of his career as a smart botanist with a sense of humor that many people will get in the movie, but he provides so much charisma and enthusiasm, he balances the fun, humor and suspense into one. We like him from the start and sympathize with him trying to get him back home. It is a huge ensemble cast and they are all terrific ranging from Jessica Chastain, Michael Pena, Kate Mara, Donald Glover, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Sean Bean, Jeff Daniels and Kristen Wiig out of all people. They bring such a genuine effort to try to solve and operate as best as they can to rescue one person. They are in a bit of a Saving Private Ryan type of problem in which have to save astronaut Watney. It should've been called Saving Botanist Watney. Haha. Oh, that's terrible.

As I said before, this is director Ridley Scott's best movie in a while and has made great science fiction classics in his resume such as Alien and Blade Runner. Even though his next sci-fi film, Prometheus, had flaws and ambiguity, the film is not as bad as everyone thinks. Scott is out of his comfort zone in providing too much serious drama and hefty dark elements, he brings a good amount of it and balances it with humor with a few 80s music in the background. There's no question that the look is fantastic as always. It never fails. But, overall, it is an endorsed message in how intelligence and work ethic overcomes adversity especially in a planet millions of miles away. He and Drew Goddard, the writer, brings the adaptation of Andy Weir's novel to life and has created this sci-fi blockbuster entertainment into one of the most enjoyable experiences of the year. It is in consideration for the one of the best films of the year.

****