CAPSULE: The Martian (2015, Dir. Ridley Scott)

Anyone expecting anything but pure entertainment out of a film that blatantly front-and-centres the line "I'm gonna have to science the shit out of this!" in its trailer is going to be disappointed by Ridley Scott's latest. By the same token, I'd be surprised if anyone going into The Martian has hopes high enough that they couldn't be surpassed by this Matt Daaaaamonnnn fronted science-positive retread of Castaway.

I'm a Damon fan, so there was little not to enjoy in the plight of Mark Watney, NASA botanist stranded on the surface of Mars staring down a four year episode of 'MacGyver'. Around Watney's constant to-camera mansplaining, Scott fashions a good old bring-him-home yarn (it is Damon's stock in trade after all). On Earth, NASA, led by Jeff Daniels, seeks to balance costs, human life and its media image, the last via Kristen Wiig's PR manager. In space, the mission crew, headed by Jessica Chastain, struggle how to maintain their ridiculously personable camaraderie in the face of the hard decisions they've had to make.

And in a saavy emerging market-shoring move, the Chinese lend a hand.

I'm not making light of The Martian. It really is that breezy an affair. Reasonably tight science, committed performances, super solid production design (those orange and blue ribbed spacesuits y'all) and the cinematography of Scott's favoured recent collaborator Dariusz Wolski, place a super respectable sheen over what is essentially a disaster comedy from affable quipper (and Joss Whedon acolyte) Drew Goddard, working from Andy Weir's science-spec novel. It flies by, despite its two hour plus runtime and its one-too-many perfectly placed mishaps.

Those wanting something a little deeper (and less disco infused) may want to ponder why our cinematic vision of space travel has moved so far from the under-ambitious (or at least under-funded) reality of NASA today. Why The Martian feels more like wish fulfillment than it should in this day and age...

Think about that when you're sowing your shit potatoes.

Otherwise, sit back, switch off and enjoy the rescue mission.

★★★☆

Trailer: