IBM Rating: 8.2/10
Rotten Tomatoes: 95%
Available on: Prime Video, Fandango, Apple TV
(spoilers for the book and movie!)
In my life, I don’t think I have ever regretted skipping out on a movie release in theaters more than Project Hail Mary. After the movie made its debut in theaters on March 20th of this year, I must have either been too busy or living under too much of a rock to have remembered or even known of its existence and/or release. I was reminded of its presence about a month or two ago on a Sunday while my family was going through Prime Video for a movie to watch. We ended up clicking play on PHM, intrigued by its promise of a heartwarming, unlikely friendship between Ryan Gosling’s frazzled scientist and his unusual rocky companion. Upon seeing the movie’s cover, I knew that I had seen the poster before, though I had once brushed it off as a Temu version of Interstellar (something that I think many fans can relate to). I could not have been more wrong about this film. It dazzled me not only with its spectacular and immersive visuals (the shots of planet Adrian are to die for, along with the Petrove line/astrophage under infrared) but also with its mesmerizing soundtrack, which highlights Harry Style’s Sign of the Times.
Even though I hadn’t read the book that inspired the movie, I immediately found the main character Ryland Grace both charming and relatable. Ryan Gosling, the actor for Grace, has earned critical acclaim for his masterful portrayal of the character’s clumsy mannerisms and the way that he managed to bring him to life. The sheer detail included in this movie is amazing too; in a behind-the-scenes interview, Ryan Gosling revealed that Andy Weir (author of the original book) gave him instructions through an earpiece on the mathematical equations that he writes on whiteboards throughout the movie because Weir wanted the film to be as authentic as possible even if Gosling couldn’t crack astrophysics for his role. Rocky, the alien compatriot who accompanies Ryland on his spaceship, was an actual puppet commanded by 5 professionals instead of CGI. I believe that it’s these details that really help with Rocky and Grace’s chemistry so much, not to mention the fact that James Ortiz, who designed the Rocky puppet, was also his voice in the movie.
Two of the aspects of this movie that I found most interesting were the storyline and the ending. Having it be so hopeful makes Project Hail Mary stand out from other films of its kind with its undeterred optimism in relation to the dire circumstances of Earth and the fate of the Sun, and it seems like the perfect dose of what the world needs at this moment. Even the darker themes, such as the Grace/Stratt balance between sacrificial lamb and sacrificer, or the relationship that Yao, Ilyukhina, Shapiro and Dubois had with coming to terms with their untimely deaths are presented with the profound maturity that a story like this balances gracefully with the lighter moments. Even Rocky’s deep emotional connection to Grace and the reason for its depth being that he spent 46 years alone after his crew died from radiation is expressed and displayed in a manner that makes him all the more endearing and us more hopeful for his journey/mission with Grace. The action/danger scenes like Time Go Fishing or Grace’s run for his life were filled with undeniably strong tension as the emotional buildup for the characters makes you truly worry for them and their safety. The gripping moments also convey the panic and desperation in ways that transcend beyond words and go straight to the heartstrings, like Rocky’s pained squeals as he attempts to save Grace and almost dies in the process, which dances around with themes of universal kindness and bravery. Overall, I honestly consider this film to be one of the best of 2026 so far.
Be First to Comment