You’re smart. You’ll figure it out.
Main Cast: Ryan Gosling, James Ortiz
Directors: Phil Lord, Christopher Miller
I went into Project Hail Mary knowing absolutely nothing about the story. I didn’t seek out trailers, hadn’t read the book, and studiously avoided mentions of the movie online. I’m so glad that I went in with no expectations that I want the same for you. So you will find no spoilers here, just a basic plot summary and why I loved this movie.
Project Hail Mary is about one man, alone in space, doing his best to save the world. Ryan Gosling is Ryland Grace, once a middle school science teacher, and now on the most important mission in history. He’s very smart, but a bit of a mess. He’s struggling with some memory loss and is flying, as they say, by the seat of his pants.
And that’s all the plot you’re getting. You don’t need more. What we get in Project Hail Mary is, in some underlying ways, similar to what we got in The Martian, author Andy Weir’s first book-to-film adaptation. It’s a story of solo struggle, a man adrift without other human beings to lighten his load or stand in his way.
What I love about Andy Weir’s voice is its inherent gentleness. Don’t get me wrong – there is a LOT of action in this movie. But Ryland Grace, like The Martian’s Mark Watney, is at heart an intellectual. He’s there to solve a problem, and he’ll do it using his brain. The tension in the film comes not from conflict but from circumstance. No one else is out there making space odysseys without villains or shoot-outs or showcasing man’s inherent cruelty. Grace is a good guy, doing a hard thing.
So that’s the tone, but we get so much more in Project Hail Mary. The cinematography and special effects are stunning. So much so that I had goosebumps more than once from the visual impact of a scene. If my companion did not suffer from motion sickness, we would have seen this in IMAX, and I do not doubt that it’s incredible.
The film is also filled to the brim with silly, charming, good-natured humor and genuine, heartfelt, poignant moments. Ryan Gosling is so good here; it’s hard to imagine anyone else in the role. His memories, motives, and actions all paint the picture of a man who has spent a lifetime underestimating himself. Grace is self-deprecating and open-minded, willing to walk into even the most unlikely of circumstances. Gosling gives him the perfect combination of weariness and awe, making this one of the most earnest, amiable characters in years.
Much has already been written about Project Hail Mary, and I’m sure there will be much more to come. It’s fun to analyze scenes and dive deep into the characters and story. But the beauty of the film is that you don’t have to do any of that to enjoy it. The visual spectacle and fantastic performances carry you along through the nearly three-hour runtime without a slow spot or a dull moment. It’s gorgeous both on the surface and if you dig deeper.
Five enthusiastic stars for Project Hail Mary. I can’t wait to see what Andy Weir brings us next.
Sue reads a lot, writes a lot, edits a lot, and loves a good craft. She was deemed “too picky” to proofread her children’s school papers and wears this as a badge of honor. She is also proud of her aggressively average knitting skills. TV and indie movies are her jam.
