In the hallowed halls of “Legendary Film Directors,” Sir Ridley Scott doesn’t need to show his ID. They know him at the door. That said, Scott hasn’t been at the helm of a the kind of runaway hit that made him a household name in a good long time.
His recent directorial work, including “The Counselor,” which I hated, and “Prometheus,” which I unhappily tolerated, are not genuine, grade-A Ridley Scott material in the vein of “Alien,” or “Gladiator.” I’m happy to report that Scott’s latest crack at it, “The Martian,” has very much more in common with the latter than the former, and it’s about time.
“The Martian” is a brilliant examination of the effort required and physical and psychological cost of survival. Matt Damon stars at Mark Watney, a NASA astronaut who becomes stranded, alone, on Mars after violent storm forces an early evacuation.
Drew Goddard, a rising star and protégé of Joss Whedon, who helmed such wonderful projects as “The Cabin in the Woods,” and the Netflix series “Daredevil,” continues to prove that he is a writer who is very keyed into what makes an idea memorable, no small feat. Goddard is smart, cunning and best of all patient. When leaving breadcrumbs, its easy to want to either put the big reveal in neon lights or pushing it out before it’s fully cooked. Goddard has an unmistakeable talent for delivering the right information at the right time.
On the acting front, Matt Damon delivers an incredible performance that is a wonderful combination of sardonic wit, brilliant scientist, and unrelenting dreamer. Being that his character is stranded on Mars, Damon was acting by himself, with few emotional catalysts to help him. Nevertheless, “The Martian” will likely go down as one of the crowning achievements of Damon’s career.
Put those three things together in one movie, visionary directing, brilliant writing and compelling acting and, well, that’s how you make a good movie. “The Martian” isn’t the best thing that these three individuals, Scott, Goddard and Damon, have ever produced, but it’s a fascinating combination of their strengths and an exemplary fusion of the different talents it takes to make a great film. I think everyone could easily enjoy this film, and it will be a welcome treat for the often-starved science-fiction fans out there.
5 of 6 stars