Review: Project Hail Mary

Adapting Andy Weir’s novel, our JP gives his take on the sci-fi thriller, “Project Hail Mary,” starring Ryan Gosling.

Project Hail Mary
Amazon MGM Studios

• Directed by Phil Lord, Christopher Miller
• Screenplay by Drew Goddard
• Based on Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir
• Produced by Amy Pascal, Ryan Gosling, Phil Lord, Christopher Miller, Aditya Sood, Rachel O’Connor, Andy Weir
• Starring Ryan Gosling, Sandra Hüller, James Ortiz, Lionel Boyce

Studio Synopsis:

Science teacher Ryland Grace (Ryan Gosling) wakes up on a spaceship light years from home with no recollection of who he is or how he got there. As his memory returns, he begins to uncover his mission: solve the riddle of the mysterious substance causing the sun to die out. He must call on his scientific knowledge and unorthodox ideas to save everything on Earth from extinction… but an unexpected friendship means he may not have to do it alone.

J.P,’s Take:

“Project Hail Mary” is a one-of-a-kind sci-fi film that defies easy classification. Is it a buddy comedy set in space, or a fantasy drama with a touch of humor? One thing is certain: it delivers a family-friendly celestial adventure.

In many ways, it brings to mind “Cast Away,” starring Tom Hanks, but this time, the isolation and survival play out among the stars. The truth is, it encompasses all of these elements, as it explores the perils and emotional toll of interstellar space travel.

The film opens in a rather poignant fashion, where we’re placed in a interstellar spacecraft floating adrift, and an elementary school science teacher who finds himself the lone astronaut, who was coaxed into a mission for the greater good of humanity.

The story revolves around a solitary astronaut, Dr. Ryland Grace (Ryan Gosling), who wakes up from cryosleep to discover that his entire crew has perished in their sleep pods. Grappling with the loss of his crew, he uncovers his own destiny, all against a backdrop of existential stakes for the sake of humanity. The trippy part is that as he forges onward into the unknown, he is contacted by life from another world.

In a manner reminiscent of “2001: A Space Odyssey,” there are moments of quiet introspection where Dr. Grace reflects on his life back on Earth, and he comes to grips with the fact that this is a one-way ticket to a new world. When he is pursued by this strange and seemingly friendly life form, he finds ways to form a bond with it, even giving it a name, Rocky (voiced and puppeteered by James Ortiz, additional voicings provided by Ray Porter and Meryl Streep).

You might recognize some elements of this plot, as it shares a similar cleverness and inventive spirit with “The Martian”, another film adapted from an Andy Weir novel. “Project Hail Mary” is Weir’s 2021 award-winning novel, which the film is adapted from and shares the same title. What I encountered was a whimsical and intriguingly offbeat space escapade that didn’t take itself too seriously, even with its somber beginning. However, beneath the surface, it carries a hint of earnestness and a subtly philosophical message woven into its narrative. As Dr. Ryland Grace spent time with his extraterrestrial companion, they developed a friendship rooted in their shared experiences, as they both were stranded due to similar circumstances. Their time figuring out how to communicate was filled with wonder and comedy, and they often leaned in close, brainstorming solutions to the challenges they faced with their spacecraft. Their relationship even felt endearing at times.

The scenery had a surreal quality that was oddly soothing. While Grace reflected on how he arrived at this moment, the scenes back on earth offered a sense of grounding and reality. We started to grasp the larger context as he began to assemble the pieces of the puzzle surrounding Earth’s impending doom.

Along with Gosling, the “Project Hail Mary” cast features a strong ensemble led by Sandra Hüller as Eva Stratt, the iron-willed head of the international project. Joining her in the mission’s hierarchy are Ken Leung as Commander Yáo Li-Jie and Milana Vayntrub as the ship’s pilot, Olesya Ilyukhina. The crew and supporting team are further fleshed out by Lionel Boyce portraying Officer Carl, while Liz Kingsman takes on the role of backup scientist Annie Shapiro. Rounding out the scientific and technical cast are Mia Soteriou as Dr. Browne, Orion Lee as Dr. Li, and Priya Kansara, who provides the pivotal voice of the ship’s AI, Mary.

In the end, what I didn’t expect was something that felt like it came from a children’s bedtime story. Not that it was disappointing, but that it was giddy, childlike, and quirky. In other words, amidst the doom and gloom premise, the ending took such an unusual left turn that I would have never known the outcome. Then again, I didn’t read the novel, which I’ve heard adhered very closely to the original ending.

Honestly, I did enjoy this little off-kilter tale.

Official Site: Project Hail Mary