By Brett Blake THE MARTIAN is not simply a great film. It is not simply the best film Ridley Scott has directed since 2005. It is also one of the best films he has ever directed. And it is, as of this writing, the best movie of 2015. It is a captivating, exhilarating, and hopeful vision of space travel and mankind’s admirable ability to go the distance and do what is seemingly impossible. Based on the best-selling (and, initially, self-published) novel by Andy Weir, THE MARTIAN tells the story of Mark Watney (Matt Damon), an astronaut on a manned mission to Mars who is left for dead by his crew following a devastating storm. He must then figure out both how to signal NASA and his teammates (who have departed the planet) that he is still alive, and how to survive on this inhospitable world until a rescue mission can come for him. This is juxtaposed with the efforts of NASA back on Earth to formulate a plan to get Watney home, as well as the efforts of his crew to potentially take part in a daring rescue of their own. The end result is an emotional and entertaining powerhouse of the highest order, a crowd-pleaser that never panders, and which celebrates ingenuity and the “can do,” pioneering spirit that calls mankind to explore the universe. Up front, a few words are warranted about director Ridley Scott and his work here. In recent years, it’s become fashionable in snooty online critic circles to bash his directorial output of the past decade, and to be fair, I don’t think even Scott’s biggest fans would attempt to argue that the last six or seven movies he’s made represent his strongest work. However, the notion - which is popular amongst the cinematic intelligentsia - that he’s become a hack, a man who makes pretty images that contain little substance underneath, is - I think - grossly unfair. In the interest of full disclosure, I do consider myself a Ridley Scott fan, and in the last ten years I’ve defended even some of his lesser offerings (yes, I’m the guy who liked ROBIN HOOD… and EXODUS: GODS AND KINGS), but even taking that into consideration, the apathy (and even outright ire) some film fans have for him is baffling. If nothing else, THE MARTIAN is a full-throated response from Scott to his detractors, and it demonstrates that he’s not just coasting on his considerable visual prowess. The movie is the work of a director fully-engaged with the material and directing the hell out of it. There is a tangible feeling of wonder and awe at the sight of the Martian vistas, just as the sequences based entirely on character interaction are staged with great energy, and it is truly the character work that sets this movie apart and elevates it to the level of greatness. Most of Scott’s best films are those that offer intensely visceral or intellectual experiences, but THE MARTIAN is deeply warm and emotionally-affirming, and it is probably the most human movie he’s yet made. Of course, that he has his strongest screenplay since KINGDOM OF HEAVEN at his disposal certainly helps, too. Said screenplay is courtesy of Drew Goddard, a writer with a strong sense of tone, and he brings that to his work here. The script is masterful in the way it contains lots of science-y jargon and exposition (all of which feel incredibly plausible, though - not being an engineer or a physicist - I’m not really qualified to judge how accurate it really is), but Goddard presents this material in surprisingly compelling ways. Goddard also balances a variety of moods and themes with total ease; the movie is frequently incredibly funny, just as it is frequently unbelievably tense, and just as it is frequently wonderfully optimistic and inspiring. To see so many people - across ethnicities, genders, and nations - working to solve a single problem imparts a hopeful message about the unifying power of shared humanity, and it is one of the reasons the movie has a genuine “feel-good” quality to it. Though it boasts a phenomenal (and very large) cast, Matt Damon is the clear focal point and anchor of the movie, and I think simply calling it a great performance kind of underrates how good he is. This is some of the best work Damon has ever done; his Watney is engaging and sympathetic, and Damon brings gigantic amounts of charm to the part. The character faces a host of dire problems throughout the film, but Damon imparts a keen intellect and enormous good humor to the the role which make it virtually impossible to not pull for the guy in a big way. This is an Oscar-worthy performance. Damon’s supported by a murderer’s row of talent. On the home front, the likes of Chiwetel Ejiofor, Jeff Daniels, Sean Bean, Kristen Wiig, Donald Glover, Mackenzie Davis, and Benedict Wong all manage to make these people feel real, and each contributes in ways that impact both the plot and the emotional stakes. Bean and Ejiofor, particularly, do some great and understated things with their characters. In space, we have Jessica Chastain, Michael Pena, Kate Mara, Aksel Hennie, and Sebastian Stan sketching out a believable team chemistry, and you instantly buy that these people enjoy being around each other, something that plays a big motivating factor as the movie closes in on its third act. In short, it’s an incredible ensemble. Technically, the movie is as polished and handsome as any Ridley Scott film as ever been. Dariusz Wolksi’s cinematography captures the burnished hues of Mars in a striking way, and contrasts that with the sterile spacecraft and NASA administrative buildings. The effects are convincing and effective. The sound design is impressively detailed, as are the production and costume designs. Expect most - perhaps even all - of these to be recognized come Academy Awards season, and such accolades would be richly deserved. THE MARTIAN is what great science fiction should look like: big ideas and sweeping visuals, yes, but yet still a story that is fundamentally about some aspect of the human condition. It is simply a remarkable accomplishment, and an incredibly satisfying time at the movies.
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