Movie Review: The Martian

Emotional. Riveting. Exquisite. The Martian was, hands down, one of the best movies of the year. Sure, the story was simply about human survival on Mars, but with Ridley Scott's masterful direction and some technical brilliance, everything was just exceptional. The script was solid, there was a surprisingly consistent humor that balanced the movie perfectly well, the visual effects were no less than spectacular and highly enthralling, and the camera work and editing was fluid and natural to the point that it consumed me. The acting performances were also pretty outstanding from Jessica Chastain to Kristen Wiig to Jeff Daniels. It was Matt Damons' impeccable performance though that elevated the film into something else. He easily got to me; I sympathized with him, worry for him, and cheered for his survival. The Martian was completely immersive and compelling and there's something wonderfully optimistic about the film. Move over, Mad Max: Fury Road and Inside Out! There's another contender this year. 9.5