‘Project Hail Mary’ is interstellar escape grounded by soul-stirring story
Adapted from Andy Weir’s novel, “Project Hail Mary” is more than a science fiction movie; it's a story about bigger themes, like companionship. Despite some flaws, like sudden tonal shifts, the film is an interstellar escape, our columnist says. Emma Soto | Contributing Illustrator
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In Nicole Kidman’s AMC Theatres monologue, she says we go to the theater “to love, to cry and to care” — we’re not just entertained but filled with an “indescribable feeling.” Not every movie checks these boxes, but “Project Hail Mary” does.
Although “Project Hail Mary” is an epic celestial journey, saving planets is just the backdrop; the true heart of the film is the protagonists’ camaraderie.
Directing duo Phil Lord and Christopher Miller’s fifth film, “Project Hail Mary,” is a heartwarming space adventure that’ll leave you wondering who’s cutting onions. Though the film’s whimsical tone feels overplayed at times, a top-notch Ryan Gosling performance, incredible cinematography and a breathtaking score make “Project Hail Mary” a magnificent reminder of movie magic.
Adapted from Andy Weir’s novel of the same name, scientists discover the fictional Petrova line, an infrared line in outer space that’s cooling the sun and threatening to kill off humanity. Eva Stratt (Sandra Hüller) oversees Project Hail Mary — a mission to save Earth — and recruits middle school science teacher Ryland Grace (Gosling) to study a Petrova line sample.
A one-way trip (due to minimal fuel) to the area around star Tau Ceti is organized to study its resistance to the Petrova line’s effects. But, after an accidental explosion on Earth kills members of the mission, Stratt makes Grace travel aboard the spacecraft (called Hail Mary).
Thirteen Earth-years later (only three for Grace), Grace wakes from a coma on the Hail Mary with no recollection of who he is or why he’s in space. After regaining his memory, Grace discovers a nearby alien spaceship, from a planet that’s also threatened by the Petrova line. When the two ships dock, Grace meets a five-limbed alien composed of rock-like material. Fittingly, Grace calls him Rocky. The rest of the film follows their relationship and attempts to save their planets.
Gosling shines bright in arguably his greatest performance. It’s no small feat keeping an audience engaged while acting alongside an animatronic or puppet for most of the film. But, Gosling succeeds by leaning on his effortless wit, which never feels over the top. Gosling is gifted with delivery and comedic timing, making otherwise silly lines acceptable — like “I put the naut in astronaut.”
While the comedy of his performance is a highlight, Gosling also brings great sincerity. Grace’s reluctance to be the hero (he’s forced against his will to be an astronaut) and overall uncertainty is well demonstrated. The moments with Rocky are soul moving.
In “Project Hail Mary,” Grace doesn’t have any family, and Rocky is the only surviving member of his crew. Rocky also left his mate on his home planet. Grace calls his mate Adrian, a nod to the “Rocky” series. Rocky and Grace’s companionship is truly one of the best I’ve ever seen put to screen.
Grace and Rocky don’t speak the same language, but still learn to connect. The two species develop a system of communication, filling each other’s void of loneliness with friendship. It’s a timeless, powerful lesson that anyone can learn from.
The film is packed with tear-jerking moments, but my favorite is after the Hail Mary spaceship flies into a nearby planet’s atmosphere. Grace exits the ship to collect a substance to study its resistance to the Petrova line. He barely makes it back inside as the ship’s being ripped apart from extreme heat.
A battered Grace passes out while trying to eject a damaged fuel tank, but Rocky exits his protective sphere, risking his life. Instead of breathing ammonia, Rocky is exposed to oxygen — which is toxic to him — but he flips the correct switch, saving the mission. This sacrifice made tears run down my face.
Although this scene displays some of the best aspects of “Project Hail Mary,” it’s a prime example of the picture’s major flaw: abrupt tonal shifts. When flying through planet Adrian, the film’s tone suddenly ramps up and becomes ultra-serious. Until this point, “Project Hail Mary” feels light-hearted — even downplaying Earth’s dire situation — so I didn’t buy into the danger.
“Project Hail Mary” does a solid job balancing solemnity and whimsy but sometimes leans into its playful tone too much, diluting its crucial moments.
After Rocky’s selfless act, he’s unresponsive. But later in the film, he randomly gains consciousness. This progression has minimal explanation and reflects the crowd-pleasing nature of “Project Hail Mary.” It’s an exceptional film, but its lack of risk-taking hinders it from being a top-tier science fiction movie — although it’s close.
Even with some pitfalls, the picture’s technical aspects are redeeming.
Cinematographer Greig Fraser — who’s worked on “Dune” and “The Batman” — continues cementing himself as one of the best cinematographers of this century. Planet Adrian’s green and orange appearance is stunning. For the film’s most beautiful shot, Fraser used a camera without an infrared filter to capture infrared speckles for the Petrova line. Fraser also used many vertical shots to fill the height of an IMAX image, which made for wonderful 90-degree camera rotations.
Miller told comicbook.com that despite heavy VFX use, “Project Hail Mary” uses zero green or blue screens. He said the inside of the ship and part of the outside was built as a set, which adds to the film’s immersion.
While the heart of the film is Grace and Rocky, the heartbeat is Daniel Pemberton’s score. With gorgeous choral work, synthesizers and more, Pemberton compliments the vast, wondrous aspects of space, while also accompanying tender moments between Grace and Rocky.
Reminiscent of Ludwig Göransson’s “Oppenheimer” score, the music is so integral to the story that it feels like the film’s narrator — present with the audience throughout. Fitting songs like The Beatles’ “Two of Us” and Neil Diamond’s “Stargazer” compliment the score and story.
I don’t think “Project Hail Mary” is as amazing as Rotten Tomatoes’ critics do, but its strong box office opening is no surprise. “Project Hail Mary” is why audiences go to the theater. It’s a visual spectacle that can’t be replicated on a TV screen, and although it’s an interstellar escape, the film’s soul-stirring nature can tug on anyone’s heart strings.
