Talk about the stars aligning. In what was the sort of serendipitous twist that PR teams dream of, the release of the new sci-fi flick The Martian coincided almost perfectly with the announcement that NASA scientists had found evidence of flowing water on Mars. That discovery, aside from featuring a thrilling Nepali connection, has no doubt given new strength to collective interest in space exploration—which meant the timing simply couldn’t have been better for this Ridley Scott film. And happily, whatever hype has been generated is not misplaced; The Martian, adapted from the bestselling 2011 book of the same name by Andy Weir, is one of the more enjoyable space-survival dramas we’ve seen in a long time, a funny, energetic story about how necessity indeed breeds invention, and a salute to the sheer power of human resilience, ingenuity and hope. It eschews the heavy ponderousness that the genre been leaning towards in recent times, and piles on the science, and the jokes. And while that breezy approach might cost it in terms of emotional impact, and the pace can often feel too swift, as towed by talented actors—lead Matt Damon top among them—you’ll have a hard time disliking it.

Botanist-astronaut Mark Watney (Damon) finds himself in the extremely unenviable position of being stuck on Mars, injured and on his lonesome, after being left for dead by his crew in the wake of a deadly storm that had forced them to cut their research short and evacuate the planet. Millions of miles from Earth, communication channels cut off, and with woefully inadequate supplies of food and oxygen to tide him over until (if at all) a rescue mission is launched—four years, by his estimation—he knows the odds are pretty well set against him.

Instead of curling into fetal position and resigning himself to his fate, though, Watney springs right into action, determined, as he puts it, to “science the shit out of” his predicament, starting with removing that pesky metallic thing sticking into his abdomen with a little self-surgery. This is followed by a thorough examination of the thankfully still-intact living quarters, inventorising everything he has to work with—even going so far as vlogging the entire while for what he claims is posterity’s sake (although you suspect, a la Tom Hanks’ Wilson in Cast Away, it’s also so he doesn’t lose his sanity without anyone to talk to). And boy, does he prove resourceful: not only does he manage to use his “botany powers” to create his own water and grow plants, and find a rather unorthodox way of keeping warm, but he also eventually establishes contact with the folks back at NASA, who, after getting over their shock, must now figure out how to keep him alive and get him home. Considering the amount of time and money that goes into a single mission, however, that task is going to prove far, far easier said than done.

The Martian moves along at a speedy clip, which is good in that there are no sluggish bits to contend with, but also means some important details tend to get skimmed over, rendering developments rather rushed. As clear as it might be that Watney is a glass-half-full sort of fellow, it’s hard to believe how quickly he takes to his new environment—it wouldn’t have hurt to dwell a little longer on his initial travails. And the film also suffers a needlessly bloated cast-list where some big names have been slotted into some disproportionately small, poorly sketched roles. Cases in point: the wonderful Kristen Wiig, who plays NASA’s PR head, and who is inexcusably underused, or Donald Glover as a one-tone, jittery scientist. Even Damon’s character himself could’ve used another layer or two; while I’m thankful for the absence of a clichéd backstory such as the one Gravity unwisely opted for, something about his life, his people back on Earth, could’ve raised the stakes, invested us further in his struggle. As is, we certainly like him and care about him, but the sense of true peril doesn’t always come through.

Be that as it may, however, the film does make for a rather refreshing break from the kind of heavy existential riddles that others like Interstellar have been peddling of late, to often pretentious ends; here, space is less of a metaphorical entity, and more of an actual physical obstacle for our none-too-tormented hero to endure. “You solve one problem. And then you solve another. And then another. Solve enough and you stay alive.” That is, in fact, The Martian in a nutshell: much like the recent Everest, more than gloomy intellectual deliberations or symbolism, it’s a great deal more concerned with the bodily efforts involved in surviving hostile conditions—if it was the lack of oxygen that we keenly felt in the Kormákur vehicle, this time it’s potatoes.

Also, coming from a director whose previous dabbling in the subject has comprised films like the sci-fi horror classic Alien and 2012’s Prometheus—dystopian tales that seemed designed to discourage interplanetary jaunts—there is also surprising optimism running through his latest venture. Indeed, The Martian illustrates humanity’s capacity to adapt and thrive in the most unlikely of circumstances and the beauty of teamwork; Dariusz Wolski’s clear, bright visuals, the insertion of 70s disco into the soundtrack as something of an inside joke, and lashings of humour throughout (watch out for a hilarious Lord of the Rings reference), all work to underline that positive tone. And the science, though much of it went over my head, is still interesting enough to keep you hooked—it’s the sort of film that makes you wish you’d paid more attention in Chemistry class, like a ramped up, outer-space edition of Man vs. Wild.  

A large chunk of the credit for The Martian’s effectiveness, of course, is owed to Damon, who is just about perfectly cast as the quippy, creative ‘naut. Given that he occupies the screen for a majority of running time, and most of his dialogues are either spoken to a camera or to himself, it could’ve spelled hokey disaster in the hands of a lesser actor. But Damon pulls it off, infusing his character with wit, confidence and just the right degree of vulnerability.

Scott’s film does have its flaws, and you might not entirely be convinced by the premise, but it still makes for an entertaining watch—if only to witness Watney’s persistent improvisation in the face of overwhelming odds. If, however, you prefer your space dramas with a dash of metaphysical brooding, then you’re out of luck: The Martian is almost determinedly uncomplicated and doesn’t pretend otherwise. Take it or leave it.