Project Hail Mary

Project Hail Mary is a solid cross between Interstellar and The Martian. Which makes sense, given how the latter is another Andy Weir adaptation written by Drew Goddard.

In this film, science teacher Ryland Grace is tasked with studying a mysterious substance that is causing the sun to die out. As he ventures off into space, his unorthodox ideas are the only things that can keep everything on Earth from going extinct.

Now, as someone who thought the trailers gave away too much of the actual plot, I'll refrain from saying too much in this review. All you really need to know is that this is a damn good movie. And, as far as I can tell, it's also a faithful adaptation of Andy Weir's novel.

So this is a movie that should satisfy book fans, sci-fi fans, and general moviegoers in general. Personally, I think the film is a little long, and that it tries too hard to be funny, but none of that stops it from being thoroughly entertaining.

Of course, that humor comes from directors Phil Lord and Chris Miller - though I heard Weir's novel is a bit comical as well. If that is the case, then I can see why Lord and Miller would be attracted to a project like this. These are the guys who previously helmed 21 Jump Street and The Lego Movie, after all. Two movies that I personally love.

So I was looking forward to seeing Lord and Miller's work here, especially since I thought they were going to dial down their comedy for once. But I was definitely wrong about that. For better or worse, Project Hail Mary borders on being a comedy. Which isn't a problem, in and of itself, but the amount of comedy that is featured here did catch me by surprise.

Now I have a better sense of what Solo: A Star Wars Story could have looked like under their direction. And I have mixed feelings about that thought. Because, while I happen to love Solo exactly the way it is, it would've been nice for that movie to have some more personality. And Project Hail Mary definitely has a loud, fun, and comedic personality.

But I can't talk about personality without mentioning Ryan Gosling's lead performance here. Because, while I personally like Gosling's more grounded and serious performances, it's nice to see that he's been having some fun with his recent roles.

Plus, I really like how Grace is depicted as a character. Yes, he's an incredibly smart goofball, but he's also a bit of a coward. And that flaw makes his character feel endearing / relatable. Which is great! Especially since it's hard to relate to someone who can seemingly solve their way out of anything.

The amount of problem solving that Grace has to do is both impressive and unbelievable. Especially considering that he's on a time crunch, after all. But, while I did have trouble suspending some of my disbelief, I absolutely adored his scientific ingenuity.

This story celebrates science, progress, and human innovation. Something that feels rather refreshing in today's world. Not to get political or anything, but it's really nice to see people putting their differences aside in order to achieve a common goal for the greater good. That's the kind of message that the world needs to hear right now. And it came from this silly little space movie! 

Project Hail Mary is a socially relevant film with a refreshingly hopeful and optimistic tone. And it's also a surprisingly heartfelt movie! I got genuinely emotional a handful of times. But the unexpected friendship that Grace makes is what gives this movie it's warmth and it's unique charm.

Part of the charm comes from voice actor James Ortiz, though I won't say much about his role here. I'll just say he has excellent chemistry with Ryan Gosling, as does Sandra Hüller. So the performances in this movie are all great.

The film's visual aesthetic is also great! This is a beautiful looking movie. Cinematographer Craig Fraser continues to impress with his work here. And, while he didn't actually shoot the film on IMAX cameras, Project Hail Mary is visually spectacular. I definitely recommend seeing it in IMAX if possible.

So this is a really damn good movie. And, while it may actively try to be silly, it also features an incredible amount of depth. I still think Interstellar and The Martian are both better films, but I'm glad that a movie like this can exist alongside them.

Which means that, my issues with the humor and suspension of disbelief aside, Project Hail Mary would definitely get a recommendation from me.