An incredible story of human determination and scientific success - ****

Based on a science fiction novel by Andy Weir, the film made an effective transition to film through the direction of  Ridley Scott and screenplay  by Drew Goddard.  Scott's vision about human compassion serves as fuel that moves the story bedded upon a sensitively written script.

Ares III is a manned mission to Mars, it is  six-man mission led by a woman commander Melissa Lewis (Jessica Chastain). While on a routine exploration, the mission is aborted because of a sand storm that threatens to destroy their space ship.  While escaping, astronaut/botanist Mark Watney (Matt Damon) is hit by a debris that throws him off and thus fails to escape.  Presumed dead he is left behind by his team. The story moves forward as he finds a way to survive with existing supplies and finding a way to communicate with Earth.

The story is set in an ideal world where women can become commanders of space exploration missions and nations like China offer help to rescue just one man. It created characters that contrast the grim situation that Mark Watney finds himself in and pursues the idea that with the help of science and human determination man can overcome overwhelming odds.  It tells us to prioritize problems based on importance and urgency and inspires us to pursue knowledge that might come in handy in times of catastrophes.

Mostly shot in a big sound stage in Budapest with exterior shots of Mars taken from a desert in Jordan, the movie presents credible visuals that gives you a sense of reality to each scene.  The duration of more than 2 hours running time does not feel exhaustive because of entertaining characters and the portrayal of Matt Damon whose character is really the spine from which all the other characters are attached to.