While watching “Project Hail Mary,” I smiled, laughed and cried (a lot). An emotional rollercoaster, “Project Hail Mary” is an adaptation of a novel by Andy Weir that shares the same name; it follows Ryland Grace (played by Ryan Gosling), a middle school science teacher with a doctorate in molecular biology, who is on a mission to save the world from a star-eating microbial organism called astrophage.
The movie’s ratio of solemnity to lighthearted playfulness, its meticulously crafted relationships and its dazzling visuals all contribute to the movie’s effortless charm.
All of this without even mentioning the fact that somehow, this masterful piece of media managed to make me almost unhealthily attached to a faceless organism resembling a pile of rocks.
The movie begins with a very disheveled Ryland Grace tumbling out of some sort of pod on a spaceship with no memory of how he got there. Through a series of discontinuous flashbacks, we learn of the events that landed Grace on the ship and his purpose in being there.
We learn that Grace is recruited by Eva Stratt (played by Sandra Hüller) to partake in Project Hail Mary, a mission to save the world (shocking!) from the astrophage. Astrophage is draining the sun at an alarmingly rapid rate. If the trend continues, Earth’s temperature will drop, having catastrophic effects on all living things.
When a research accident proves deadly, causing an explosion that kills the mission’s leading science specialist, Grace must (unwillingly) join the astronauts in traveling to Tau Ceti, the one star unaffected by the astrophage, to see if he can figure out why Tau Ceti is immune, and, by extension, how to save Earth.
The movie’s key supporting character is introduced when, after encountering a mysterious, foreign spaceship, Grace meets an alien. An autonomous, spider-like pile of rocks, voiced by James Ortiz and later dubbed ‘Rocky’ by Grace, the alien shares the same goal as the scientist: save their planets from the astrophage.
The relationship between Rocky and Grace—two different species coming together in friendship and mutual respect—showcases an incredibly impactful message.
The film walks a tightrope between being a collection of clichéd tropes that takes itself too seriously and a movie with no substance at all. However, Gosling’s incredible portrayal of Grace and his lovable dynamic with Rocky pull on the audience’s heartstrings, making the focal point of the movie human connection.
Even Mary, Grace’s ship, voiced by Priya Kansara, has a subtle personality, aiding Grace in his mission.
Grace himself is an interesting, but not unfamiliar, character. He embodies the “Refusing the Call” trope, presented with his destiny but unable, or unwilling, to accept it, until it was forced upon him by external forces.
Grace provides a truly integral balancing mechanism to the movie, both heightening the film’s gravity and providing the viewer with a respite from the film’s seriousness.
The movie navigates complex interpersonal relationships well, crafting a subtle yet flavorful romance between Stratt and Grace and an unexpected friendship between Grace and Carl, a security guard played by Lionel Boyce.
Finally, we must mention the film’s gorgeous visual effects, which convey the vastness of the universe and inspire a sense of awe in the viewer, reminding us how small we are.
“Project Hail Mary” is not an original movie by any means. It’s something we’ve seen before in many different forms. However, you will find yourself hopelessly invested regardless—it has all the elements of a timeless blockbuster.
If you enjoyed films such as “The Martian” and “Interstellar,” you’ll love this film, as it skillfully incorporates elements of both, crafting an engaging narrative that blends a multitude of elements already familiar and well-loved by the audience. However, even if you’re not into space movies, there’s a little something for you too in this movie.
