The sun is being threatened by a mysterious species known as Astrophage, and the world’s last hope for survival is a science teacher. This is the premise tackled by Phil Lord and Chris Miller’s 2026 film, “Project Hail Mary.”
Based on Andy Weir’s 2021 science fiction novel of the same name, Lord and Miller’s “Project Hail Mary” follows Ryland Grace, an average science teacher played by Ryan Gosling. Grace wakes up on a mysterious spaceship with no memory of who he is or why he’s there. Once he discovers his mission, he befriends a rocklike alien whose home planet faces a similar problem, and they work together to save their worlds and people.
“Project Hail Mary” uses a non-linear storytelling technique, shifting between Grace and the alien Rocky’s story of working together in space and Grace’s experiences on Earth leading up to his journey. While this approach can cause pacing issues at times, it allows the film to maintain a consistent tone throughout. The two plots reach their conclusions simultaneously, making the ending feel more climactic. Although it feels slightly rushed, the dual conclusions are both grand in scale and deeply emotional, creating an intimate and personal finish.
The story relies more on emotional plot points than on the numerous twists in the third act. While the twists are not bad, they are only as impactful as they are because of the emotional connections with Ryland Grace, Rocky and the other characters the film follows.
Ryland Grace narrates a large portion of the story set in space as he records video diaries to piece things together after he wakes up on the ship with amnesia. These recordings offer insight into Grace’s perspective on the events, provide a logical reason for exposition dumps, and add dialogue to scenes that would otherwise be silent.
The highlight of “Project Hail Mary” is the blossoming relationship between Rocky and Ryland Grace. Despite the language barrier, the duo manages to develop a deeply personal bond. Most of the emotional plot points throughout the film hinge on the audience being emotionally invested in the two characters, which would not have been possible without Ryan Gosling’s outstanding performance.
Gosling faces the challenge of acting opposite a non-human co-star but perseveres, delivering a performance that keeps the audience’s face shifting between a huge smile and tears for himself and the faceless rock creature, who does not speak English.
The difference in species between the two makes for lots of interesting aspects of the film, such as a few interesting visuals when it comes to the way Rocky sees things. The most interesting aspect of the film stemming from the species difference within the duo is the language barrier. The differences between how Rocky and Ryland Grace communicate through Eridian and English offer some fun bonding moments in the middle of the film. The film has the two create a way to translate Eridian to English and even gives Rocky a more humanoid voice, which helps endear him to the audience and build his connection with both Grace and the viewer.
The visuals are another aspect that makes the film so compelling. The continuous use of practical effects for Rocky and the elaborate, physically built set of Grace’s ship, combined with stunning space shots outside the vessel, immerses the audience in the story. The visuals are packed with detail and vibrant colors, underscoring that “Project Hail Mary” is a film meant to be seen on the biggest, best screen possible.
“Project Hail Mary” is a welcome, new, and unique addition to the filmography of the directorial duo Phil Lord and Chris Miller, who have primarily worked on animated films aimed at children, such as “The Lego Movie” and comedies like “21 Jump Street” and “22 Jump Street.” While the film retains some comedic elements, it is different from anything the duo has made before and showcases more of their directorial abilities. Although the original novel fits well within Andy Weir’s catalog after his success with “The Martian,” the film is a breath of fresh air for fans of Lord and Miller’s work.
“Project Hail Mary” is an emotional rollercoaster that highlights the beautiful bond between a science teacher who feels he has failed in his life and an alien he develops a connection with after being betrayed by the last people he allowed himself to be vulnerable with. The film is visually stunning, keeping viewers’ eyes glued to the screen even as tears drip down their faces. “Project Hail Mary” evokes themes seen in films like “E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial” as well as “Interstellar,” while also offering a unique experience that both fans of the book and newcomers to the story are sure to enjoy.
