“Project Hail Mary,” directed by Phil Lord and Christopher Miller of “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse” and “The Lego Movie,” delivers a stunning look at the stars and a heartfelt friendship between two aliens. The screenplay, penned by Drew Goddard, is an adaptation of the novel “Project Hail Mary” by Andy Weir, released in 2021. I haven’t read the novel, so I can’t speak to the quality of Goddard and Miller’s adaptation of the source material; however, the film is gorgeous and well worth anyone’s time. At its core, “Project Hail Mary” is a story of hope and comradery––something I think audiences will resonate with.
Back of the DVD Summary:
“Ryland Grace, played by Ryan Gosling, a middle school science teacher, awakens alone the spaceship: Hail Mary. His memory is hazy and unclear, but as it returns through flashbacks, he learns he was sent on a desperate mission as humanity’s last hope. His goal: understand and stop the alien microorganism astrophage before Earth’s Sun is devoured. Out among the stars, Grace meets another traveler, Rocky, who himself was tasked with saving his planet.”
Gosling as Grace is truly phenomenal. He balances an endearing awkwardness with also being a foremost scientific mind. If the film had only been Gosling fumbling his way through saving Earth, that would’ve been entertaining enough, but what makes “Project Hail Mary” special is who Gosling meets in the stars.
The relationship between Rocky, an Eridian from Erid (he’s an alien), and Grace. Normally, cooperative alien relationships exist in high sci-fi, the kind that’s set hundreds to thousands of years ahead of our own time. I feel like it’s more rare to see that kind of relationship in a more contemporary setting. Going into the film, I worried Rocky would serve as a cute, comedic pet meant to sell toys, and any agency or character would be left for Grace. I’m glad I was wrong.
Rocky was every bit as smart and capable as our human lead. He arrived with his own spaceship, tools, mission and culture. Even when the two were getting a sense for each other, there was no otherness to Rocky; his character was approached with earnest curiosity. I appreciated that Rocky’s body, craft, tools and language were appropriately alien. Aliens don’t have to be humanoid and the film embraces that.
I thought the idea of a first contact story as well between multiple aliens was unique. How often do you get to see multiple species meet each other for the first time?
The visuals were literally out of this world. It’s been a long time since space has been portrayed as endlessly beautiful and terrifying. There are a few scenes earlier on in the movie where the framing is Grace basically on a tight rope, but instead of falling off a cliff, he’d fall into nothingness. I cannot wait to see this movie again on the big screen because it’s a feast for the senses.
I could not have anticipated the emotional rollercoaster I was going to go on. At each point, when I thought I had a grip on what was happening, it would surprise me. The script and direction were unpredictable, but not illogical. The twists and turns felt appropriately foreshadowed, or at least didn’t come out of nowhere.
Toward act three of the film, I thought, while necessary, the flashback sequences were not as well punctuated as they were earlier in the story. Avoiding spoilers, the flashback shows how Grace ultimately got onboard the Hail Mary. The moment arrived at a strange point in the film because it coincided with the present and past’s “all is lost moment”. I see the intention, yet by the time the story goes back to the past, we’d spent so long in the present, the effect is jarring.
Beside the minor nitpick, I didn’t have any issues with the film or its pacing. “Project Hail Mary” immersed me in its world from frame one. I loved the ending. It made me emotional and ended up being clever. There’s a unique trait where the stakes were simultaneously universal and highly interpersonal. I also loved the premise of intergalactic microorganisms eating the Sun––I could not have predicted how it would resolve itself, and the result, I think, will surprise you. Do yourself a favor, go out and see this film. You will love Grace and Rocky.
