We don’t often get high quality popcorn flicks these days — movies that are not just pure entertainment, but that are also extremely well-made, particularly in the post-COVID era. Only a handful of movies come to mind: “Top Gun: Maverick, the “Dune” films, the first “Wicked,” “F1.”
Thankfully, we can add another to the list: “Project Hail Mary.”
Adapted from the 2021 book by “The Martian” novelist Andy Weir, “Project Hail Mary” follows Dr. Ryland Grace (Ryan Gosling), a former biologist-turned-middle school science teacher who is sought after by European Space Agency administrator Eva Stratt (Sandra Hüller). She believes there’s a chance that Grace can save the planet based on a contrarian dissertation he wrote that ostracized him from his peers.
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Set in the not too distant future, scientists observe that the sun is dimming by an infectious organism called “astrophage,” which slowly consumes the sun’s energy. Stratt warns Grace that large swaths of the world’s population could begin dying in 30 years if they don’t find a solution. Virtually every star in the galaxy has been infected but one: Tau Ceti, located roughly 12 light years from our solar system.
The mission, dubbed Hail Mary, is to send a three-man crew to Tau Ceti to hopefully discover what is preserving Tau Ceti and replicate it for Earth. Except there won’t be enough energy for the crew to make it back.
Stratt wants Grace to go on a suicide mission.
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Despite his strong trepidation and resistance, Grace wakes up several years later from an induced coma utterly confused, not taking long before realizing he is no longer on Earth and is the only crew member still alive. Never having been in space before, Grace adapts to starship life fairly well.
Upon his arrival at Tau Ceti, Grace discovers he’s not there alone. Next to his rather puny starship is a giant alien spaceship. After a bit of reluctance, Grace accepts an invitation of sorts to meet his counterpart on a makeshift bridge. Standing behind an atmospheric divide is a faceless, spider-like rock creature who Grace names Rocky. The two of them quickly bond — at first with physical gestures that Rocky is able to mimic until Grace develops a communication system based on Rocky’s sound frequencies, eventually giving Rocky an artificial voice (played by James Ortiz).
Rocky has the same predicament as Grace. His home planet is also in danger and, like Grace, he’s the last remaining crew member on his ship. Grace and Rocky find themselves in an unlikely partnership.
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Ryan Gosling is easily one of the most charismatic actors working today. He can do comedy, he can do drama, and he’s always so likable. And you need someone like that for a film that’s set on a solo space mission. Gosling showcases all of his talents here, essentially starring as a hero to root for in a sci-fi action adventure as well as a buddy comedy as he develops an adorable dynamic with Rocky that resembles E.T and Elliott. It’s among his best performances.
“Project Hail Mary” is a bold departure from directors Phil Lord and Christopher Miller’s past films (“21 Jump Street,” “The LEGO Movie,” the “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse” saga as producers). According to my pal Evan, who read the Weir novel and saw the film with me, adaptation stays true to the source material, which he said is similarly comical. So hats off to screenwriter Drew Goddard (“The Martian,” “The Cabin in the Woods”).
From the stunning cinematography of Oscar-winner Greig Frasier (“Dune,” “The Batman”) the strong score of composer Daniel Pemberton, the fantastic editing of Joel Negron, to production design and visual effects — Lord and Miller assembled a stellar team across the board. Do not be surprised if “Project Hail Mary” becomes an Oscar contender a year from now.
Amazon MGM Studios’ “Project Hail Mary” is a crowd-pleasing, out-of-this-world adventure that’s truly meant for the big screen. Gosling gives a winning performance in an enjoyable movie seemingly from a far gone era. And if you can see it in IMAX, definitely do so.
“Project Hail Mary” is rated PG-13 for some thematic material and suggestive references. Running time: 2 hours, 36 minutes. In theaters now.
