There is Life on Mars - A review of Ridley Scott's, The Martian

What comes first the chicken or the egg; or in this case - the book or the film?

I read Andy Weir's  The Martian whilst on holiday recently - in two days! I couldn't put it down, such was its intensity; I was gripped.

Then came the build up to the film with trailers, press previews and haughtiness from the experts who discredited some of the science featured in the film.

My advice is read the book and absorb the science and the maths involved in keeping a human alive on Mars then go watch the film and enjoy it for what it is - sheer enjoyment.

Matt Damon is majestic as Mark Watney, the hapless NASA botanist who somehow managed to miss the last flight off the planet. Well, he was impaled to the satcom antenna due to a fierce storm at the time - the rest of the crew thought he was dead!

Thus begins his heroic quest to first of all stay alive and secondly to communicate with Earth. We watch his survival and study of the human condition whilst flitting between the angst of mission control and the reactions of his crew mates - speeding back home.

Between all of them and some help from the Chinese, an audacious rescue mission is put into place. But will it work?

Ridley Scott has directed what I believe to be a masterpiece of science fiction which in the not too distant future could turn out to be almost science fact. 

Try to catch it in 3D!