In the never-ending cycle of movie premieres, few films resonate so deeply like the masterpiece that Andy Weir, Phil Lord, and Chris Miller created. Project Hail Mary is a touching film that highlights the parallels between raw human curiosity and what it truly means to have meaningful connections. Whether you’ve read the novel by Andy Weir adapted for the big screen, or you’re simply going in blind, you’ll find that this film delivered.
The story starts with the main character, Ryland Grace, played by Ryan Gosling, who finds himself aboard a spaceship orbiting in space. He has no memory of who he is, why he’s there, or why he seems to be the only survivor on board. As he regains his memory, the film flashes back to explain that Dr. Grace was previously a middle school science teacher who was contacted by the Project Hail Mary team because of his background in molecular biology. The Sun is dying due to a strip of infrared light called the “Petrrova Line”, composed of millions of particles -“Astrophage”- eating away at the Sun’s energy, thus, leaving Earth to freeze little by little.
As Dr. Grace continues to work on Project Hail Mary, it becomes evident that there is very little hope for humans on Earth, nor those selected to participate in the mission. For those selected, they would need to consent to voyage to a planet that seems to be immune to Astrophage’s virus, take samples, and then be content with the fact that they would not have enough fuel to get back to Earth. Essentially, this was a suicide mission to help all of humanity. Unexpectedly, when a mechanical malfunction kills off the potential selectees, Dr. Grace is forced to agree to serve as the ship’s resident scientist and is put into an early-induced coma against his will to get him safely on board.
To survive alone, Dr. Grace tries everything to contact the world back on Earth. However, his ship mysteriously docks with an unidentified spacecraft. Upon this ship, he meets “Rocky,” the alien life form from the planet Erid. “Rocky” and Dr. Grace slowly learn to communicate with each other and learn the importance of bonds as they both seek to reduce their shared loneliness and save their respective planets.
Many critics at the box office have been overly critical of the film, saying that the humor detracts from the seriousness of the plotline. However, the comparison between this film and others with a more serious contemplative nature, like Interstellar, is unfair. Both films fulfill their duty as true sci-fi thrillers, whereas Project Hail Mary left the audience feeling satisfied and appreciative of the world we live in. The special effects were astounding, with the movie shot in two different aspect ratios that add to the composure and smoothness of the film. In her words, Angie Jaramillo puts it simply that the movie “made [her] hopeful for the survival of the Earth and hopeful for human alien collaborations in the future.” Project Hail Mary is a feel-good, sci-fi thriller that will make you cry, laugh, and be hopeful. Go grab some popcorn and get to the theatre!
