Project Hail Mary
Science teacher Ryland Grace (Ryan Gosling) wakes up on a spaceship light-years from home with no recollection of who he is or how he got there.
As his memory returns, he begins to uncover his mission: solve the riddle of the mysterious substance causing the sun to die out.
He must call on his scientific knowledge and unorthodox ideas to save everything on Earth from extinction… but an unexpected friendship means he may not have to do it alone.
Directed by: Phil Lord & Christopher Miller
Screenplay by: Drew Goddard
Based on the novel by: Andy Weir
Produced by: Amy Pascal, p.g.a., Ryan Gosling, Phil Lord, p.g.a., Christopher Miller, p.g.a., Aditya Sood, p.g.a., Rachel O’Connor, p.g.a., Andy Weir
Executive Producers: Patricia Whitcher, Drew Goddard, Lucy Kitada, Nikki Baida, Sarah Esberg, Ken Kao
Starring: Ryan Gosling, Sandra Hüller, Lionel Boyce, Ken Leung, Milana Vayntrub
Visual Effects by: Industrial Light & Magic, Framestore
Released: March 20th 2026
I was a Project Hail Mary virgin (this Catholic boy just could not resist). I had not read the book, seen the trailer, watched any YouTube features, or read any reviews or articles about it. Aside from the occasional spoiler you cannot avoid on social media, all I really knew was this: it is a space movie, there is some kind of threat to Earth’s existence (yet again), a long-shot solution is involved (made obvious by the title), there seems to be a rock-crab in it, and it stars Ryan Gosling.
Knowing that Ryan Gosling will be in next year’s Star Wars: Starfighter, I figured this was as good a time as any to acclimate to him a bit more.
PROJECT HAIL MARY: CLIFF NOTES (NO HEAVY SPOILERS)
The world is facing an extinction-level threat. The sun is slowly dimming, and no one knows why.
Enter Ryland Grace, former scientist now teaching elementary school, who is suddenly pulled back into the world of high-stakes science. He finds himself at the center of a desperate, last-ditch mission, one that will take him far beyond Earth, with the fate of humanity hanging in the balance.
Along the way, he encounters Rocky, a rock-like, crab-like alien he meets in space (in truth, each one the alien to the other). What follows becomes a story of discovery, survival, and an unexpected partnership, set against a race to save not just one world, but possibly more.
PACE AND TIME
I consciously did not clock the movie as it went along. I wanted to simply experience the passage of time.
At two and a half hours, was the movie too long? I’d say it sits right within the Goldilocks zone, just about right, in more ways than one. It never felt like it overstayed its welcome (yes, I’m looking at you, Avatar: Fire and Ash!).
The non-linear structure, jumping between space and Earth, comes at just the right moments, giving room for exposition to breathe and unfold without the audience ever feeling lost or confused, while guiding them toward those “a-ha” plot moments.
A RICHNESS IN VISUAL MOMENTS
The disorientation of space: no up, no down, no left or right, hits immediately from the start. The camera reflects this often, tilting and rotating so you lose your sense of orientation along with Grace. The directors even carry this visual language into some Earth scenes, a subtle but effective choice that evokes the disorientation of all mankind in the face of impending doom.
For a film that spends long stretches with a single character, dialogue becomes almost non-essential. The storytelling leans heavily on visuals, making moments feel more immediate and immersive.
One amusing segment shows Grace leaning in to study a series of metal slabs etched with images of human evolution. The way he squats and bends forward mirrors the posture of primitive man, a subtle visual gag that feels both intentional and quietly clever.
A pivotal scene for me is the space walk, where a special spectrum of light is used to reveal the visual spectacle of the Petrova line (the mysterious phenomenon at the center of the film), and whatever exists within it. The image is so powerful, you feel like you are enveloped by the strange, shimmering field surrounding our main character.
At that moment, we are in space with Grace.
The music that accompanies that scene makes it all the more otherworldly.
MUSIC AND SOUND OR LACK THEREOF
Talking about music, the film score evokes moments reminiscent of Interstellar, used effectively and only when needed.
What was more arresting, though, was the restraint. There are key moments where the absence of sound, or the stripping down of it, pulls you deeper into the experience, making the vastness of space feel even more isolating and real.
The film also makes clever use of a curated playlist of licensed tracks woven into various scenes. Watch out for a tango piece that is powerfully used in a key moment of the story. If 2001: A Space Odyssey had its waltz, Hail Mary has its tango.
The film also offers a not-so-subtle nod to Close Encounters of the Third Kind, suggesting music (along with math) as a kind of universal language. That familiar idea of communication through tones, including the iconic five-note pattern, finds its way here in a manner that feels both referential and fitting.
Another standout in sound design is a sequence where Grace experiments to find the right way to communicate with Rocky. It is both amusing and fascinating. Part of me could not help but imagine how much more fun, and very Lord and Miller-esque, it might have been if one of those voice options had gone full Sylvester Stallone.
Oh, and I never expected a karaoke scene would make me genuinely cry. That completely caught me off guard. “Ok, that’s enough of that.” Mic drop.
GRACE UNDER PRESSURE
Ryan Gosling works in this movie as Ryland Grace. He oozes charm (sometimes to a fault?), and he does shed authentic tears. In the more playful, “nutty professor” moments (trapped in the phantom zone!), Gosling is nothing short of perfect.
But something feels slightly off in some of the more powerful emotional moments, especially the ones where you expect to be sunk three feet deep in your seat, but it does not quite get you there. Gosling brings warmth and sincerity, but the role calls for a level of presence that never quite comes through.
Was it the direction? Editing choices? I could not help but wonder.
It also made me think about who else could have portrayed Grace. Mark Ruffalo, Edward Norton, even Benedict Cumberbatch, actors who bring a certain weight to roles like this, might have made the character more believable. That said, those same actors may not have delivered the lighter, more playful moments of the film quite as effectively as Gosling did.
It might be too obvious, maybe even typecasting, but Tom Hanks would have been the perfect fit. The age. The gravitas. The comedic background.
One can only imagine.
BRINGING IT HOME
Project Hail Mary is a beautiful movie.
It made me realize I may have learned enough science over the years (or the movie just dumbed it down so well for dummies like me) that I was able to keep up with, and even get ahead of, the concepts as they were revealed.
Another thing I remember, from college, is the idea of catharsis. The purgation of emotion brought about by great art. Project Hail Mary is not a glowing masterpiece in its entirety, but it has moments of powerful imagery and music that genuinely move you, sometimes inexplicably.
Is it a perfect movie? Not even close. But I am not one to be overly critical of something like Project Hail Mary. I liked it enough to give it a glowing two thumbs up (or down, wink wink).
Definitely a worthy trip to the big screen to experience something beautiful. Statement.