Quick Review: The Martian

Holy crap that was a good movie! I'm not going to go as far as saying Ridley Scott is back (seeing as how we don't give the same credence to one hit wonders), but by God he's crafted a masterpiece. This film is emotional, its visuals are breathtaking, every nuance is handled gloriously, and to put it simply: it makes sense.
(I had a little more time to bring you this review, so it is a little more thought out than my previous one!)
The Rundown:
Matt Damon: Most Best Actor Oscars nominations usually are given to actors who do a spectacular job in a movie, yet are surrounded by a cast that is equally good, so that the movie doesn't work unless everyone works. The cast as a whole is great in The Martian (and I'll get to them in a moment), but this movie does not work without Matt Damon. You believe he his Mark Watney, as much as Mark Watney is Matt Damon. You have faith in him, you cheer for him, and you go hand in hand with him on this mission. This movie might work with a completely different supporting cast, but it certainly does not work without Matt Damon. Take that Batfleck.

On Earth: The cast that makes up NASA, as well as the other organizations involved, is world-class. Jeff Daniels (The Newsroom), Chiwetel Ejiofor (12 Years A Slave), Sean Bean (The Lord of the Rings), Kristen Wiig (Bridesmaids), Donald Glover (Community), and Benedict Wong (Prometheus) each embody their character so beautifully. Daniels as the hard-nosed head of NASA. Ejiofor (who can be seen in the upcoming Doctor Strange movie), Bean (who it was nice to see not die for once), Wiig (who did a nice job handling more dramatic fare), and Wong (who I have a feeling might be showing up in more movies now) as what seems like the true brains of the operation. And when Glover makes an appearance, you just know whats coming (a plot-point used often in space movies), yet it is done so well that you are okay with it. And finally, Sherlock will notice an appearance by Jonathan Aris.

The Crew: No captain is strong without a strong crew, and Jessica Chastain (Zero Dark Thirty) captains an impressive crew. It was nice to see the pilot also being the joker (seeing as how the pilot in every other movie seems like they have a stick up their ass). Michael Pena (End of Watch), though not as funny as in Ant-Man, does an excellent job breaking the ice. I do hope his star is rising in Hollywood, because I always enjoy watching him. I think this might be the team/family dynamic Kate Mara (House of Cards) was looking for in the failed Fantastic Four movie. I would have liked to have seen more of her, but the scenes she is in she does a fine job. Sebastian Stan (Captain America: The Winter Soldier) might finally be getting some serious Hollywood recognition, and having a film like this on his resume will only help. And finally, Aksel Hennie (Hercules) is essentially a no-name, but does fine job providing some "explosive" muscle to this group. But like I said, this crew is captain by a strong captain. Chastain has proven multiple times now she can play a strong role, essentially breaking many gender walls. Expect her to show up in many more movies as a leading lady.

Now, we don't actually get to see this crew really in action until the third act, and what an act it is. That is some of the most thrilling cinema I have seen in a long time. I was actually moving around in my seat because of how nervous I became. The credit most certainly should go to Drew Goddard (The Cabin in the Woods), who drafted an incredible screenplay, which climaxed so beautifully in the third act. He has become quite a sought after writer/director over the last couple years, so expect to hear his name a lot more.

And finally, the thing that I enjoyed about this movie most: science (bitch?). Interstellar was a good movie. The science in it made sense, but only after watching it a couple times to really be able to follow. The same is not true for this movie! All of the science in this movie made sense as you are watching. There are even moments where you want to scream out an idea right before a character does, because you have been thinking right along with them. Not many movies can do that, and it is because of this that (despite a few F-bombs and a few more assumed ones) that you can take kids to see this, which is something that I couldn't say the same for with Interstellar.

I don't know if this movie will win a Best Picture Oscar, but it deserves the consideration. Its thrilling, funny, smart and really well done. And I highly recommend it!

Stay Tuned!