Throughout the years, we have seen our fair share of space movies. Some of the most popular sci-fi films include Star Wars, Alien, and Interstellar, all of which explored the idea of distant planets and alien life forms. Then, in 2015, we got a sci-fi movie based on Andy Weir’s 2011 novel, The Martian. This film stood out from the crowd because it didn't feature fictional planets or alien lifeforms; instead, it focused on an astronaut stranded on Mars after a mission went wrong and his team was forced to leave him behind. Weir was able to effectively craft a story that was grounded in science while still exploring ideas that hadn't been done in real life. This created a compelling story without feeling overly science fictional. Essentially, a book/movie that a broad audience could enjoy. Ten years later, in 2021, Andy Weir released another sci-fi novel called Project Hail Mary. Again, Weir was able to craft a story that was grounded in science but was still able to tell a compelling sci-fi story. Now that Project Hail Mary has been adapted into a film, I am going to talk about my thoughts on this movie.
Project Hail Mary follows Ryland Grace (Ryan Gosling), a scientist turned middle school teacher. The movie utilizes two alternating story arcs. The primary arc follows Grace as he wakes up on a spaceship with amnesia, struggling to remember who he is and why he was sent into space. The secondary arc consists of flashbacks that trigger as Grace slowly regains his memory. These scenes start with Grace as a teacher whose students are eager to discuss the "Petrova Line", a mysterious arc of infrared light spanning from the Sun to Venus. This discovery is a looming extinction event, as the line contains organisms called Astrophage that are gradually draining energy from the Sun. After class, Grace is approached by a representative of "Project Hail Mary," a global initiative tasked with uncovering the cause of the phenomenon and averting the impending catastrophe.
Project Hail Mary received overwhelmingly positive reviews from critics, so I had high expectations going into the movie. The first thing I noticed and really liked was the two alternating story arcs. I liked being thrown into the middle of the story where the main character has to regain his memories to figure out his purpose. I liked how the secondary arc served as those memories so the viewer could slowly figure out the mission with him. When it was first announced that Ryan Gosling would play the lead, I was imagining an MCU like move where popular actors are chosen mainly for their name recognition. I ended up being pleasantly surprised with his portrayal. He did a great job of being smart and charismatic while maintaining a strong sense of curiosity.
The highlight of the film for me was the relationship between Ryland Grace and his unexpected companion, Rocky. Grace encounters a fascinating, rock-like alien with crab-like features while in space. The two quickly become friends, with Grace developing a way to communicate and affectionately nicknaming his new buddy "Rocky." Instead of instinctively treating each other as foreign enemies, Grace and Rocky unite because of a shared need to help save their species from the Astrophage. This dynamic created for a hopeful and genuine friendship and adventure. Overall, Project Hail Mary was grounded in science, but between Ryan Gosling's portrayal as Ryland Grace and his adventure with Rocky, this movie turned out to be a film that everybody could enjoy.
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