How are the pair who got fired from directing “Solo: A Star Wars Story” (2018) getting trusted with not only one Andy Weir book adaptation with “Project Hail Mary” (2026), but also “Artemis,” which is still in development? With mostly a television laden background and franchise rich directing background, Phil lord and Christopher Miller tend to be more successful producers and writers and cater to younger audiences. Will their fourth time in the director’s chair get them back on track? The film’s runtime may be too daunting for children, but the high stakes, low consequences, playful dynamic of this old fashioned “save the world” plot may be too cute for adults. With Ryan Gosling at the helm, nothing is a guarantee after “The Fall Guy” (2024) was a miss, not a hit, despite critical acclaim. You will be disappointed that Prince’s “I Will Die For You” does not appear in the movie.
Ryland Grace (Gosling), a humble teacher from Grover Cleveland Middle School, wakes up on the spaceship, Hail Mary, with no memory how he got onboard but figures out that he must stop the sun from dying and all life with it. Throughout “Project Hail Mary,” there are chronological flashbacks to indicate that he is recovering his memory. During his voyage, another living being with the same mission pulls up alongside him and initiates communication. Grace calls him Rocky (James Ortiz), an Eridian engineer who is not anthropomorphic in appearance, but has a relatable, endearing personality. Together they may be able to save their worlds.
“Project Hail Mary” is the kind of movie that I would never pay to see, but I did not mind watching it though I wish that it had been shorter. It is an emotionally manipulative masterpiece that may already be dated before it is even released. The idea of the entire world working together to save the planet is a nice fantasy that was a strong premise in the Seventies but has waned over the years because *waves hands around generally* climate change. Even “Arrival” (2016) had a storyline with people who were anti-alien and anti-collaboration.
When Rocky joins the party, it surpasses Gene Roddenberry’s ambitions because the idea of human beings becoming friends with a different species instead of trying to kill them seems almost impossible since human beings are actively trying to kill all familiar living beings, including their own species. Secretly I kept hoping that Rocky never visits Earth because he would end up a science experiment and dead. To be fair, the pair make up for it and kill another species, the astrophage, who are responsible for the death of stars, without considering any alternatives so genocide becomes warm and fuzzy. Not judging, just observing. Rocky brings the whole mission to life with his cute noises, energetic movements, genius work and immediate devotion to his friend.
If people can look at “Project Hail Mary” with a cynical eye, technically the whole movie risks life in the solar system just so Grace can get out of a career and personal slump, have confidence and have someone to live for. The story is supposed to be inspirational because Grace is supposed to be a relatable everyman so moviegoers can leave the theater feeling as if they can achieve great things despite their reservations and limitations. It is not exactly revolutionary when that everyman has Gosling’s face. He is the least everyman in the universe with his charm, innate timing and showmanship. Also, Grace has a doctorate in molecular biology, so he is not exactly unqualified. It is normal for the average guy to actually have the audacity to believe that he could save the world if he put his mind to it and would do a better job than people with more experience and expertise from the global majority, so the story is not exactly a heavy lift. If anyone other than Gosling played the protagonist, the whole premise may be insufferable and eyeroll inducing. (Unrelated side note: still have not seen “The Martian” yet.)
“Project Hail Mary” is countercultural for eschewing any romantic plotline and prioritizing friendships with aliens who do not adhere to “Star Trek” beauty standards. It was one of the few drawbacks of “Hoppers” (2026) that it gave in to our cuteness scale. On the other hand, Rocky is cute. I was more invested in Rocky living than Grace. It does not mean that Rocky is a perfect looking creation. Many of the special effects looks dated now and probably will not age well though it is awfully cute now. While all the colors are beautiful, an unkind soul could accurately say that it is like looking at a lava lamp or imagined the fabric of the universe as sequins. It is challenging to come up with something truly alien and not frightening so once again, no judgment The exception is the visual theme of the gold-plated carved drawings on the ship, an aesthetic reflected in the office décor on Earth and Rocky’s spaceship that makes solid xenon look like gold filaments. The actual alien ship and technology is inventive: all jagged, rough yet elegant.
The flashbacks become gradually less interesting as “Project Hail Mary” approaches the revelation regarding how Grace got on the ship because it gets predictable as more is revealed. The past is only interesting until Rocky appears. Sandra Hüller plays Eva Stratt, the mastermind behind the titular global project to save the world and reads as autistic (compliment) in the way that she responds to euphemisms and figure of speech. On the other hand, she is a German character so no neurodivergence may be required. The next most important human being is Carl (Lionel Boyce), the man in black who handles Grace and develops an insouciant camaraderie with the oddball scientist. Honestly it seems to be Grace’s default relationship setting. His crewmates, Yáo Li-Jie (Ken Leung) and Olesya Ilyukhina (Milana Vayntrub), say a couple of clever lines, but if your life depended on remembering their names, you would be as dead as their characters who are literally fridged from the outset. It is interesting that most of the human characters feel more like affable, but forgettable cardboard cutouts. It is the Benetton vibe without the substance, a beautiful world with no division based on gender, race or nationality…in theory.
As an odd couple movie, “Project Hail Mary” is a heartwarming hit, and its Roddenberry-esque sensibility will make sci-fi optimists’ hearts grow three sizes or more! Still it is long, and there is a better, shorter, unmarketable version that prioritizes Rocky’s story because Grace felt more like the supporting character in his story given how rich Rocky’s life was. Grace is the goofy single guy that Rocky and his family adopt. It feels more suitable for children than adults, and that audience is not interested in this movie. Adults who are children at heart should definitely see it on the big screen but bring a coffee.
