Skyler Orton
Phil Lord and Chris Miller’s adaptation of Andy Weir’s 2021 science fiction novel Project Hail Mary has been an enormous critical and commercial success since its release on March 20th. The directing duo behind hits like 21 Jump Street and The Lego Movie haven’t helmed a feature since 2014 so I went into Project Hail Mary with almost no expectations. However, I ended up experiencing one of the most heartwarming sci-fi tales of the decade that makes me excited for the future of cinema.
The Story
Despite the ultimate optimism of Project Hail Mary (fans have dubbed it a member of the “hopecore” genre) the premise is extremely grim. A mysterious bacteria known as Astrophage is feeding off the sun’s energy and if the combined forces of Earth’s governments can’t stop them humanity will go extinct. To combat this, a team of scientists sends a last ditch mission to a mysteriously unaffected star to find a way to save humanity.
Ryan Gosling stars as Ryland Grace, a middle school teacher who is also an expert in microbiology. He is quickly added to the roster of scientists and eventually a member of the titular suicide mission. However, the story doesn’t start there as it is effortlessly told out of order jumping between Grace aboard the Hail Mary fighting amnesia and his memories of his time on Earth.
This narrative structure takes some getting used to but is a clever way to drip feed interesting information with the spectacle of the space story. It’s never boring to jump back and forth between the two timelines and is definitely the most impactful way to tell the story.
The plot from there on is a wild ride that I wouldn’t want to spoil a second of. It is a beautiful tale about humanity and connection across the cosmos that feels very resonant. While I have more to say, for the sake of spoilers I’ll just say, if the concept sounds intriguing to you, give the film a watch. Depending on what type of viewer you are, the story’s optimism may be more or less appealing to you but regardless of your ultimate opinion, I think it’s a story that’s worth anyone’s time. But that’s not all since Project Hail Mary is one of the most vividly realized Sci-Fi worlds I’ve ever seen.
The Visuals
The visual effects in Project Hail Mary simply need to be seen to be believed. In terms of raw spectacle few movies of the decade have matched it, especially in a format like IMAX. The film made big headlines for not using a single green or blue screen in the film. While this is slightly misleading since it does use the same LED screen technology popularized by shows like The Mandalorian, it still gives a very impressive and tactile feel. The titular Hail Mary space pod was fully built to size. Since this set is where most of the film takes place, it needs to do a lot of heavy lifting, and fortunately it does since it single handedly grounds the worldbuilding of the movie.
This isn’t to say that there are no computer generated effects because there certainly are many. Fortunately they are used responsibly and look magnificent. Scenes such as those showing the Hail Mary’s exterior are given a very unique look that still feels realistic while being heavily assisted by CGI. Without spoiling more, the film does occasionally use puppetry assisted by computer generated effects which is an incredibly effective hybrid technique.
While it’s easy to say that green screen is a cheaper and more effective alternative to practical sets, Project Hail Mary shows why this method of filmmaking should still exist. By using practical sets, the cinematographer is able to better design the lighting off of a physical environment. This helps add to the realism of every shot. Most importantly though, is that the actors are able to better live in this world since they can see and react to their environments. It clearly works too since the performances are incredible.
The Acting
I’ve always considered Ryan Gosling to be one of the most versatile actors of his generation. He’s played everything from brooding hero in thrillers like Drive and Blade Runner 2049 to comedic buffoons in Barbie and The Nice Guys proving his huge acting range. I’ve been a huge fan of his ever since Lars and the Real Girl, but Project Hail Mary’s Ryland Grace may be one of his best roles yet. His performance perfectly balances both the intense drama and comedy that is integral to the character and the film’s tone. He’s never unwilling to be goofy when the moment comes to it but he can also effortlessly manage emotional monologues without trouble.
While Gosling’s performance is the center of the movie leaving room for few side characters, there is one supporting performance which stands out. Sandra Hüller has been on my watchlist since her phenomenal performance in 2023’s Anatomy of a Fall and this is easily her highest profile film since. Hüller plays Dr. Eva Stratt, the head executive in charge of organizing the Hail Mary mission. She makes an enormous presence in her limited screentime showing an incredibly multifaceted character with ease. It’s really impressive work that I don’t want to spoil but it definitely reaffirms my belief that she’s one of the most underrated actresses in the world.
As An Adaptation
I do unfortunately have to admit that I have not finished Weir’s original novel. As of the time of writing I have read about half the book and am continuing to read. However, as far as I can tell Project Hail Mary is a very faithful adaptation of the book. It keeps the same well balanced tone that leaves plenty of room for comedy among the spectacle and tragedy. There are even lines that are copied over directly from the book in order to match it as close as possible. The only thing that seems lost is that the novel includes lengthier flashback scenes to add more texture to Dr. Grace’s character. While I love these scenes I think that the movie makes smart choices on what to keep and cut.
Final Conclusion
I think you should definitely go and see Project Hail Mary. It’s rare to see a movie not tied to an IP like Star Wars or Marvel do this well at the box office and I would love to see studios see that this type of blockbuster can do well. But most importantly Project Hail Mary is science fiction storytelling at its most potent. It’s a story that encapsulates the awe and wonder of the cosmos with the undeniable terror that inherently comes with space exploration.
Ultimately, we have no idea what’s out there in the stars and Project Hail Mary tackles that fear head on with boundless optimism and in today’s world that optimism is nice to see.
