Project Hail Mary Review
Space is truly the final frontier for humanity and that statement has never been more true for many films. Whether that be Christopher Nolan’s Interstellar or 2001: A Space Odyssey, space-centric science fiction films continually amaze audiences. One of those films had a unique groundedness to them that resonated with many on a deeper level: The Martian. Based on Andy Weir’s story and starring Matt Damon, the 2015 survival-thriller flick was a large-scale showcase of perseverance, unity, and teamwork that had this universal connection. However, the highly anticipated adaptation of Weir’s latest novel, Project Hail Mary, takes those ideas to a whole new level.
Project Hail Mary sees Ryland Grace (Ryan Gosling), a middle school teacher, being sent on a mission to find something that will stop several stars, including the Sun, from dying out. After waking up several years later in a stationary spacecraft, Grace tries to continue despite the loss of his crew. However, when his ship comes across a curious alien he calls Rocky (James Ortiz), Grace must work with Rocky, in addition to his own skills, to save both their worlds.
It should come to no surprise that Christopher Miller and Phil Lord take precious care with Weir’s story. From a cinematographic standpoint, this really holds true as the two manage to amplify that sense of cosmic longing tenfold. Project Hail Mary has these unique transitions where it switches between 16:9 and 4:3 between the past and present moments, nailing in this dread. Yet, the visual storytelling in every scene captivates no matter what’s happening on screen. Whether it be a blurry fade-in on a long-haired Gosling to the many sparkling, ethereal lights or the darkness of space itself, the visual effects and cinematography really stand out.
This can also be applied in how Project Hail Mary visually presents the relationship between Grace and Rocky. Miller, Lord, and the creative team do a wonderful job in blending the CGI with the actual puppetry of Rocky, making it feel like Rocky is an actual character rather than a stilted object. There are some cute, carefully paced, montages in the second act when Grace and Rocky are building their friendship that allow the effects to work. However, when Grace finally does pick the voice he wants for Rocky, one can’t help but adore the little creature even more.
That said, those who might not have read the book might consider Rocky to be a “Baby Yoda” companion to Gosling’s Grace. However, Rocky is more than that in the grand scheme of things considering how he helps Grace. Both Grace and Rocky show that they’re capable of what they do and the scientific knowledge that they have in a way that sparks this curiosity. This is really shown in later parts of the film once they figure out the problem they have to solve. Although it may feel like they’re both going back and forth between finding solutions and discovering more problems out of their answers, Miller and Lord show that their mutual bond is what matters most.
The stakes of Project Hail Mary are also incredibly high, but capture these themes perfectly in ways that make every character well-rounded. This really shows in those scenes on Earth, where Grace is slowly, but inevitably, coming to the terms he’s given by his boss, Eva Stratt (Sandra Hüller). Although Stratt may be direct and focused at first, the pacing of the film gives leeway to revealing Stratt’s empathy for the situation. She genuinely cares for Grace’s wellbeing, but she understands that saving Earth comes first, even if she has to put Grace at risk.
This also goes for Officer Hatch (Lionel Boyce), one of Stratt’s officers who becomes Grace’s friend. He may be a little bit more playful than Stratt, as seen in a few montages where he also has some fun with Grace, but he’s also more concerned with the problem at hand. The rest of Grace’s crew, including Yáo Li-Jie (Ken Leung) and Olesya Ilyukhina (Milana Vayntrub), also support Grace and Stratt’s means to the end. However, unlike Weir’s book, it does feel like these scenes are much more dense in terms of how much time is spent with the crew’s dynamic. Yet, it also feels like shortening these parts does make sense in
Miller and Lord also make it clear that unity, humanity, and most of all, perseverance, is what matters most in Project Hail Mary. When Grace hits a theoretical roadblock or an emotional state of distress, the film only revels in that pain just long enough to make him more emboldened. That entire transition into the final act (which didn’t necessarily feel like it given how Grace and Rocky find their solution) plays into those ideas as Grace does all he can to get both of them out of the mess they find themselves in. Furthermore, the way that a previous scene of him showing that self-centeredness mirrors what later happens to both him and Rocky will certainly make some viewers shed a tear or two.
Project Hail Mary is not just a faithful adaptation of Andy Weir’s novel, but also a cinematic achievement in and of itself thanks to Christopher Miller and Phil Lord’s handiwork. Gosling gives one of the most amazing performances he’s had in his career and his chemistry with everyone, let alone the bulky Rocky, works in amazing ways. Even though it’s been a few days since I’ve seen this, Project Hail Mary has etched itself into my heart.
Project Hail Mary releases in theaters on March 20.
Rating: ★★★★★
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Christopher Gallardo is a freelance entertainment writer and critic. While not running The Reel Roller, Chris can be found writing reviews and breakdowns on all things films and TV. Outside of entertainment writing, he’s currently taking classes for a Bachelor’s of Science with a minor in Digital Media & Journalism. Plus, he loves Percy Jackson, animated films and shows, and Fallout! Follow Christopher on Instagram & X.