The Martian

Matt Damon,  Jessica Chastain,

Kristen Wiig, Jeff Daniels,

Sean Bean, Chiwetel Ejiofor

"Bring Him Home"

After a fierce storm on the planet Mars, Astronaut Mark Watney (Matt Damon) is missing and presumed dead by his crew mates. They hastily have to leave the planet for their own safety. Their mission cut short, they are heading back to Earth which would take several years.

But as luck or bad luck would have it, Mark is still alive albeit a bit bruised from being tossed around during the storm. Finding himself alone on a strange planet with help being miles away, he has to learn to survive on very meager supplies as well as rely on battered communication lines to relay to Earth that he is still alive.

I'd say that 90% or perhaps more like 85% of the film is focused on Matt Damon as the unfortunate and 'abandoned' astronaut. He has the task of making sure that the audience doesn't get bored with watching him survive on Mars. He delivers his lines with a dash of humor, still being his charming self even though he has to act without any interaction with other actors. It is also interesting to note how much weight he, himself lost in the course of the filming just to make his characterization more realistic.

The film is well made through the able direction of Ridley Scott who thrives in these types of movies. Films that offer the correct blend of action, drama and humor through a good narrative about the triumph of the human spirit in the face of adversity. 

The support cast composed of well established stars do their part but the success of "The Martian" is hinged firmly on the shoulders of Matt Damon. And no surprise there ... he delivers and doesn't disappoint at all.