For a film about the end of the world, “Project Hail Mary” will leave audiences walking out of the theater with a sense of hope. Directed by Phil Lord and Chris Miller, “Project Hail Mary” is a science fiction adventure, adapted from the book of the same title by Andy Weir, about bravery, personal sacrifice and the lengths people will go for others.
Ryan Gosling stars as Ryland Grace, a middle school science teacher who wakes up alone in space with no memory of how he got there or what his mission is. As his memory comes back, he learns he must stop the Sun from dying. While in space he meets Rocky, an alien life form made of rock and five legs. The two form an unlikely friendship and work together to save their worlds.
Visually, this movie is phenomenal. I don’t remember the last time I experienced such a spectacle in a movie theater. I saw the film in IMAX and would have to endorse that way of viewing. The directors brilliantly switch between aspect ratios, with everything in space being in IMAX while everything on Earth is in traditional full screen. Not only does this help differentiate what is happening in the present to what is happening in a memory but also makes everything space feel grander. The movie is also just amazing to look at. The use of color in many space sequences is beautiful.
If you aren’t a sci-fi person, you will still find something enjoyable in this movie. Gosling is great as ever in this movie, nailing the comedy and dramatic bits of the movie. But Rocky, puppeteered and voiced by James Ortiz, is the best character. He is funny, charming and his chemistry with Grace is what makes this movie special.
Daniel Pemberton’s score is incredible. One scene in particular had me sitting on the edge of my seat out of suspense that only works because of the score.
The movie isn’t perfect, however. Many emotional or dramatic moments get tainted by a joke that takes viewers out of the scene. I also read the book before I saw the movie. And while every scene I did see was almost exactly how I pictured it in the book, many crucial chapters are glossed over or skipped altogether in order to fit an already long 2 hour, 37-minute run time.
That’s not to say book readers will be disappointed. The first thing I said walking out of the theater was, “I can’t decide if I’m glad, I read the book or wish I hadn’t.” I say this because I wish I had the naivety to watch and judge this movie on its own, but I am also grateful that I get to watch every scene from a deeper context than non-book readers.
“Project Hail Mary” gets five stars from me, and I will be seeing it on the big screen again.
Sports Editor
