About the movie:
During a manned mission to Mars, Astronaut Mark Watney (Matt Damon) is presumed dead after a fierce storm and left behind by his crew. But Watney has survived and finds himself stranded and alone on the hostile planet. With only meager supplies, he must draw upon his ingenuity, wit and spirit to subsist and find a way to signal to Earth that he is alive. Millions of miles away, NASA and a team of international scientists work tirelessly to bring "the Martian" home, while his crewmates concurrently plot a daring, if not impossible rescue mission. As these stories of incredible bravery unfold, the world comes together to root for Watney's safe return. Rated PG-13.
My thoughts:
This is one of the best movies I've seen in a long time. In many ways, it is a cross between two Tom Hanks movies: Apollo 13 and Castaway. It was such a pleasure to watch a movie that is excellent because of its intelligence with no trace of sex or senseless violence. The Mars landscape is beautifully visualized, but the movie really owes its success to Matt Damon and the rest of the superior cast. Science has never been more cool as Damon's character, Mark Watney, has to rely entirely on his brains and scientific knowledge to survive on a planet with no oxygen or food. Fortunately, he also has an incredible will to survive and a sense of humor that keeps him from going crazy from loneliness. He has his low moments, but he never really gives up hope that he will find his way out of a seemingly impossible predicament. The Martian deserves a 5-star rating and a big thumbs-up!
Disclosure: I borrowed this movie from the public library. This post contains my Amazon affiliate link.
