Project Hail Mary: An Earnest Sci-Fi Adventure (Early Review)

When looking at the directorial credits of Phil Lord and Chris Miller, it doesn’t necessarily reflect their full range of talents or the enormous influence they have had on mainstream cinema over the past 15 years. Technically, they’ve only directed four films: ‘Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs’, ‘The LEGO Movie‘, and ’21 Jump Street’ and ’22 Jump Street.’ However, they have also served as producers and key creative forces behind ‘Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse,’ ‘Across the Spider-Verse,’ and ‘The Mitchells vs. the Machines,’ all of which were widely acclaimed. Through those projects in particular, the duo helped usher in a new visual style for mainstream animation. Films like ‘The Wild Robot‘ and ‘Puss in Boots: The Last Wish‘ clearly draw from the stylistic innovations popularized by Lord and Miller, with the team that they assembled.

While the duo are now most closely associated with animation, the ’21 Jump Street’ films remain hugely beloved by a certain generation and are widely regarded as two of the best studio comedies of the past decade. While many fans have been wondering if Lord and Miller would return to live-action filmmaking, twelve years later, Project Hail Mary marks their first directorial effort since 2014. Based on the acclaimed novel of the same name by revered science-fiction writer Andy Weir, whose work has already proven adaptable to the big screen with Ridley Scott’s ‘The Martian,’ Project Hail Mary is arguably an even more beloved book. Delivering the kind of story that feels inherently cinematic, its material naturally lends itself to a large-scale blockbuster.

The film stars Ryan Gosling as Dr. Ryland Grace, an astronaut who wakes up aboard a spacecraft with no memory of his mission or how he got there. As his memories slowly return, he recalls that he was once a junior high school science teacher and former molecular biologist who had been blacklisted by the scientific community after publishing a controversial thesis. Grace found  himself pulled back into the world of science by European Space Agency administrator Eva Stratt (Hüller), in her search for unconventional thinkers to help solve an existential crisis: a sun appearing to be rapidly fading.

Now, stranded in spas the sole survivor of his crew, Grace must find a way to save Earth on his own. But, as he searches for answers, he discovers he may not be alone. Another spacecraft, carrying a single intelligent life form, has arrived with the same mission: to save its own world from the same fate. Though the two initially struggle to understand one another, the alien, appearing as a rock-like creature that communicates in its own language, the pair form an unlikely bond. Giving his new companion the fitting name of Rocky, Grace facilitated their relationship by constructing a translation device so the two can work together in their race to save the universe. Given that the subject matter is from the author of The Martian, the film offers up yet another fun, earnest, and quippy sci-fi adventure. What may come as a surprise to some audiences is how it comes in such a  wholesome and family-friendly package. Despite the very real threat of Earth’s demise, and a not so subtle commentary on climate change, Project Hail Mary is an uplifting story about connection and embracing one another despite our differences, while also celebrating the wonders and mysteries of the universe.

Similar to Matt Damon’s role in The Martian, a large portion of Project Hail Mary functions as a one-man show for Gosling. While he does have an adorable and endearing alien companion to share the screen with, he still carries most of its emotional weight, convincing audiences that he is genuinely building a connection with a faceless being. It’s the kind of performance that might not seem especially demanding or substantial on the surface, but Gosling’s classic movie-star magnetism allows him to command the screen and hold the attention of audiences with ease. There was a time when Gosling primarily played stoic, brooding characters, but in recent years his on-screen persona has evolved. Over time, he has revealed himself to be a naturally funny and playful performer who isn’t afraid to make fun of himself or take on roles without vanity. Meanwhile, Drew Goddard’s screenplay closely follows Weir’s novel, filling it with sharp, quippy dialogue that plays perfectly to Gosling’s strengths as a comedic actor. That being said, some lines occasionally may drift into tired Hollywood humor, but, for the most part, the script is strong, and Gosling delivers the dialogue with the right balance of charm and sincerity.

Not entirely a solo showcase for Gosling, there are several stretches where he shares the screen with Hüller, as the blunt, no-nonsense administrator. She brings a grounded earnestness to the role, gradually revealing layers of the character’s deep concern for humanity without relying on exposition or backstory. One particularly memorable scene features her performing a certain song at karaoke. The choice of the song is almost obnoxiously on the nose, but the moment avoids feeling corny and carries surprising emotional weight, capturing both the looming fear of humanity’s possible end and the beauty of life. While there are some strong scenes between Gosling and Hüller on Earth, that portion of the film is not nearly as captivating as the scenes that take place in outer space. Additionally, the non-linear structure, which frequently cuts back to Earth, occasionally slows the film’s momentum. That’s largely because the sequences in space are so strong, otherworldly, and captivating that one can’t help but want to stay aboard the spacecraft.

In the end, the true heart of the movie is Grace’s friendship with Rocky, one that is incredibly heartwarming and carries a very E.T.-like spirit that could easily make this a future classic for younger audiences. There’s a real sweetness in the way Goddard, Lord, and Miller portray their relationship. At no point are Grace and Rocky antagonistic toward one another, nor are they even particularly afraid of each other at first. Instead, alien life is treated not as something strange or threatening, but as something beautiful, approached the subject with a genuine sense of wonder and wide-eyed curiosity. Despite Rocky’s unconventional design, the character is adorable and will likely become an iconic cinematic figure for years to come. From a craft standpoint, Project Hail Mary is an impressive achievement, as most big-budget space exploration films tend to be. It’s not quite as technically groundbreaking or gargantuan in scale as films like ‘2001: A Space Odyssey,’ ‘Interstellar,’ or ‘Gravity,’ largely because much of the story takes place inside the spacecraft rather than out in the vastness of space. That choice makes the film feel a bit smaller and more contained by comparison.

Still, the design of Rocky’s spacecraft is truly unique and stands out as a real feat of production design. It’s constructed unlike any spacecraft on film, and that distinctiveness helps Lord and Miller further differentiate Rocky from other cinematic portrayals of aliens, making both the character and his world feel original. On the other hand, the visual effects are also very strong, particularly in the design of Rocky himself, and in several of the larger space exploration sequences toward the latter part of the film. There’s an impressive use of color and light throughout that makes the case for seeing the film in IMAX, even if much of the action unfolds within a confined setting. Lord and Miller bring the visual sensibilities they honed in animation into live action here, crafting a film that feels vibrant, immersive, and visually distinctive.

Overall, Project Hail Mary is a delightful space adventure that might seem a bit slight on the surface, but its sincerity and warmth make it difficult not to fall for. There isn’t an ounce of cynicism to be seen here, and while that kind of unfiltered earnestness might not have landed as well a few years ago, it feels especially refreshing today. In a moment when the world often feels defined by constant bad news, Project Hail Mary plays like a warm hug of a movie. A humanist piece of blockbuster filmmaking that audiences of all kinds can connect with and appreciate.

still courtesy of Amazon MGM Studios

If you liked this, please read our other reviews here and don’t forget to follow us on Twitter or Instagram or like us on Facebook.

Tristan French