Deron Generally
Deron Generally
Project Hail Mary
Amazon MGM Studios
Directed by Phil Lord & Christopher Miller
Written by Drew Goddard (Based on the novel by Andy Weir)
Starring Ryan Gosling, Sandra Huller, James Ortiz, Lionel Boyce, Ken Leung, Milana Vayntrub and Priya Kansara
Science teacher Ryland Grace wakes up alone on a spaceship light-years from Earth. As his memory returns, he uncovers a mission to stop a mysterious substance killing the sun and save Earth. An unexpected friendship may be the key.
I am going to say up front that I have read Andy Weir’s novel Project Hail Mary multiple times since it came out in 2021 and there will definitely be moments where I compare elements of the film adaptation to the novel. There won’t be many, but the ones that I make will have relevance to the film itself and its characters. That being said, the film version of Project Hail Mary is everything that I was hoping it would be and more.
The movie begins with Ryland Grace (Gosling) waking up to discover that not only is he on a space ship, but that he is years away from Earth. As he attempts to put the pieces of this mystery together, the audience is given flashbacks of who he is as he attempts to discover the same as well as why he is in space. Gosling has nothing but heavy lifting to do throughout this film both as its main protagonist and as the focus of the story. I love that the film makes it a point of showing things through his point of view and perspective instead of showcasing side stories and perspectives that he wasn’t a part of. It makes everything that happens in the movie feel more intimate.
Eventually Grace remembers his past as a science teacher and how he was recruited because of a theory he crafted about alien life. A theory that gets the attention of Eva Stratt (Huller) who recruits him after telling him that interstellar life has been discovered and that life is consuming the sun. Huller is great as Stratt. She has a cold detachment from everything but she is ruthlessly efficient in what she does, which is not really made clear in the film. The book expands on the almost limitless power she wields in the world and the consequences she faces because of that power. The film teases that she is incredibly important, but never gets into those nuances. Huller gives a great performance in the film and makes you like her understated charm and wit which works to lull the audience and Grace into trusting her right up to the moment she betrays him.
After rediscovering his purpose on the mission, Grace also discovers that he is not alone. After finding the dead bodies of the two other astronauts he was sent with, Grace discovers another ship with an alien life form on board. The life form is a creature that is dubbed Rocky and the two share a good part of the film trying to communicate with each other. Those moments I absolutely enjoyed because there was a process that required Grace to think and reason rather than create some innocuous piece of technology that did the work for him. I love seeing smart characters in film actually be smart and Gosling does a fantastic job of being smart, socially awkward and ultimately, human. The introduction of and moments with Rocky are fun, funny and sweet without being saccharine. These are two beings who have a job to do and they know they can do it together.
Besides the great acting, Project Hail Mary is a beautiful looking film. The special effects team created some beautifully detailed and visually exciting moments throughout the movie. One of my favorite moments is when the two discover that there is a planet where the creatures destroying their respective suns are dying themselves and when they move in to collect samples, not only is the planet itself visually stunning, but when they need to change the light spectrum to attract the creatures, the scene takes on an awe inspiring visual brilliance.
Project Hail Mary is exactly what you want from a movie experience and more. It has spectacle, stakes, great characters and heart. I loved every moment of the movie and was incredibly happy with the things added to the story that could only be experienced visually. Gosling does a great job as Ryland Grace and the rest of the cast is awesome as well in roles that helped shape the decisions Grace makes as well as the reason for him to continue his mission. Lord and Miller create a wonderful balance between human drama and humor while also giving the audience amazing things to look at as well as things to ponder about what a hero really is.
I cannot recommend Project Hail Mary enough. It is definitely a must see for movie lovers.
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