THE MARTIAN  4.0***

          From director Ridley Scott, the amazing visionary behind the sci-fi classics  Alien (1979) and Blade Runner (1982) (and other genre films:: Blackhawk Down(2001), Gladiator(2000) & Thelma & Louise(1991)) comes a visually stunning science fiction survival movie. . Matt Damon plays astronaut Mark Watney whose team is sent on a mission to Mars. The mission has to be aborted when an intense dust storm hits and Watney is left behind when he is injured and presumed dead.. Watney wakes up and discovers he is now stranded alone on a deserted planet . Watney must put all his skills and intelligence to the test in order to survive. As luck would have it, Damon's character is a botanist, and his biggest problem is having enough food to survive on until the next manned space crew can come back to rescue him.. So he gets to work planting crops using his own  body waste for fertilizer.  He also has to figure out a way to communicate with NASA back home. It's “Cast Away” meets” Apollo 13”, a survival thriller with men/women using ingenuity and good old fashioned brainpower to get the job done.. and dogged determinism that it makes what could otherwise be a very  depressing film upbeat and hopeful . However, when he has to put on his dramatic chops in certain scenes, he truly commits to  the situation adding to the suspense and sizzle of the movie. The supporting cast, everyone involved, all do great work as well. Jeff Daniels, Jessica Chastain, Kate Mara and particularly Chiwetel Ejiofor.  

The visual effects and cinematography are awesome. With the Wadi Rum Valley in Jordan serving as the backdrop for the filming of Mars together with the addition of marvelous CGI, the audience is treated to the most realistic depiction of Mars ever shown in cinema . Another delightful aspect is the storytelling. Unlike most sci-fi films where there is a continuing sense of urgency and doom, this film carries a very hopeful tone and the characters remain optimistic, particularly as to Watney saving himself, and then the  others to rescuing him.  The “Martian” is a must-see on the BIG screen for all sci-fi fans, and actually everyone else. Matt Damon is amazing  and the almost 2 1/2 hour story never disappoints. I believe this film has  Oscars Nominations on the way for Best Visual Effects,  Best Cinematography, Best Sound Editing and perhaps Best Actor and Best Picture/Director.

This is the best science-fiction movie I've seen in the last few years, equal to and even better than “Gravity”. It is now in my top 5 to 10 Best Sci-Fi movies of all time.