From the very beginning of cinema, we have imagined the possibilities of what lays up there in the stars – and beyond.
From Georges Méliès hitting the moon in the eye, to Hal 5000 thinking Dave is expendable, or Sam Neil succumbing to the Event Horizon, and the desperate attempts to reignite the sun in Sunshine – cinematically, we see space as a wonder and a horror at the same time. 2026’s unexpected sleeper hit Project Hail Mary has a lot of the same things on its mind, but instead of pushing the terror button, Phil Lord and Christopher Miller’s first film in a decade is more of a high concept, expertly-made film about friendship overcoming impossible odds.
Ryan Gosling stars (see what I did there?) as Ryland Grace, a science teacher who was laughed out of the scientific community thanks to a crazy theory that has left him devoid of confidence and resigned to his fate as a middle school educator. Enter Sandra Hüller as Eva, who recruits him to a team that is trying to save the sun from fatal micro-organisms that are devouring it. Grace ends up on a spaceship lightyears from Earth, and discovers that the pilot and engineer accompanying died during the transport. Grace is now left to complete the mission or wallow in self-pity – and he does both. Not that I’m judging, as a major fan of a good old wallow.
Things take a turn when Grace finds an alien ship that is also investigating the organisms. The pilot of the ship, who he soon nicknames Rocky, is really at the heart of this feature – Project Hail Mary lives and dies on whether you can get on board with this puppet that looks like a Christmas turkey who wandered into Medusa’s path and turned to stone. Luckily, I was totally charmed by Rocky and Grace’s burgeoning friendship as they help each other try and save their respected planets. Gosling’s natural charm and the brilliant work the production team did on imbuing Rocky with character, tone, and even wit puts this relationship at the heart of the movie, endearing without leaning over too hard into schmaltz, and I think it’s that universal appeal that has made this such a hit with audiences.
Because Project Hail Mary is a odd duck when it comes to modern science fiction – for most films and TV shows, space is a place of infinite loneliness, where no one can hear you scream. Project Hail Mary isn’t afraid to dig into how dire Grace and Rocky’s situation is, but neither of them gives up for long thanks to the support of the other and the genuine curiosity they share for each other’s lives and species. Their connection, on a micro scale, is one of personal connection against impossible odds, but on a macro scale, has a remarkably and refreshingly positive view of how curiosity and a willingness to engage with cultures foreign to us can serve us.
Lord and Miller have come back swinging with Project Hail Mary. Somehow, they have made a buddy movie in space that still take the time to be in awe of space and the universe. Pair that with another excellent everyman performance from Ryan Gosling, and the commitment to making Rocky seem real means that Project Hail Mary is the rare “we are all gonna die unless someone goes to space!” story that is also a surprisingly good time – and one that shares a very sincere view of how communication holds the power to salve even the direst of circumstances.
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By Kevin Boyle
Header Image: CN Traveler
No But Listen 