STARRING: Matt Damon, Jessica Chastain, Kata Mara, Jeff Daniels, Chitwetel Ejiofor, Kirsten Wiig, Sean Bean and Michael Pena, Kate Mara, Sean Bean, Sebastian Sean, Donald Glover, Benedict Wung, Mackenzie Davis and Aksel Hennie. Written by Drew Goddard. Based on The Martian by Andy Weir. Cinematography by Dariusz Wolski. Directed by Ridley Scott. Budget $108 million. Originally released in 2015. Original box office haul $630 million. 141 minutes long.
(I saw this at the cinema 11 years ago, back then I wrote the following review. let's see how I fee about it now.)
30 days into a mission to Mars, poor old astronaut and botanist, Mark Watney (Matt Damon) is accidentally marooned and left for dead following a violent Martian storm, while his crew mates piss off home. What follows is Mark's battle to survive for four years with just enough food for 50 odd days, while NASA fight to bring him home any way they can. And that's the story in a nutshell, or should that be space helmet?
And what a fantastic story this is, by god, the time just flew by, seriously I had no idea this film ran for 2 hours and twenty minutes, I was so engrossed that I would have been just as happy if it had been on for another 2 hours. It's beautiful to look at, gripping, enthralling and uplifting. I have to say that despite enjoying Gravity greatly, I was left a little flat by it, not so with The Martian. This is just fantastic from beginning to end and I utterly loved every single second!
Also, huge kudos to Ridley Scott who just directs the shit out of this film! No one does science fiction like him, it looks so real it's staggering!
Go and see it and enjoy.
10/10
2026 revisit.
Nope, can't find a single goddam thing to change about the above review. I've seen this at least six times since it was first released, it's become a feelgood Sunday movie and I've already seen it this year at home. But back on the big screen, this just comes to life, it sings, it soars, it's an utter delight. Visually breath-taking, Old Ridders, as he likes to be called, sure can mount a damn fine little movie. And a huge big up to Matt Damon who just nails this perfectly. It still brings a tear to the eye! It's such a deeply satisfying watch, all the performances mell together, the story is gripping and the building tension is wonderful.
Just do yourself a favour and go and see it, seriously it's a sheer delight.
STILL 10/10
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