Scott has never been known for comedic films, so his grasp on timing is a welcome change from all the serious stuff he’s done previously. His recent films have suffered because of lousy scripts, so teaming up with Cabin in the Woods’ Godard on such strong source material nicely complements Scott’s mastery over visual storytelling. The result is a very funny movie, with big sci fi spectacle, thrilling space exploration visuals and also a couple of life lessons. What more could you possibly ask for?

Despite being a fanatsy, this Ridley Scott film doesn’t feel fictional for a moment…

Unlike Gravity, which was at its best a unique sensory experience, The Martian rarely tries to overwhelm us with scale or spectacle. Instead—and this might sound weird—Scott’s film is mainly a wry comedy, one which smoothly transfers the castaway narrative to outer space.

Detailing (potatoes were grown at different times) and scientific accuracy (NASA was consulted) has been taken into account while also providing rough and ready translations for the scientifically challenged. At the end of an entertaining and engrossing 141 minutes, you doff your hat to the skill of the actors, the director, the never-say-die spirit of human beings and also remember the intrinsic value of trash.