I hold no secrets when I state that no other subject in school was more frustrating to me than science.
Whether it was my plant being the only one in class that didn’t grow, having two friends who were no help at all in dissecting a frog in middle school (looking at you, Scott and Steve), or just having too many bits of information going over my head without any chance to catch up, it was the subject that eluded me. This is all the more reason why it is rare for a film like Project Hail Mary to come along, as it is rare for a film to make me wish I were truly adept at science.
Obviously, that is not to say I understood all the jargon on screen, so hopefully you will bear with me as I explain. Based on a novel by Andy Weir (the same author of The Martian), the film opens with former biologist/current middle school teacher Ryland Grace (Ryan Gosling, also a producer on the film) waking up like a caveman materializing from a cocoon, on a spaceship. Having lost prior memories as to how he got to where he is, the film flashes back in time to show how he was recruited by Eva Stratt (a very effective Sandra Hüller). Again, I won’t try to dissect all the jargon, but basically, the sun is losing its power, and the Earth will be gone in thirty years. Ryland is the only one able to find out the cure, but he knows nothing about being an astronaut (“I put the not in Astronaut!”).
Fortunately, I only saw the first trailer once and was not entirely aware of what to expect about an hour in. Since the trailers do reveal it, I will discuss it (and also since it is one of the key gold nuggets of the film). Ryland soon discovers an alien being, looking entirely like a rock spider (so he names it Rocky, of course). Rocky and his species have the same problems as humans, and Rocky is the sole survivor from his ship as well. This basically means they must work together to devise a way to save both of their suns.
The film is the first in over a decade for the directors Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, very adept at cinematic comedy (whether they are the directors or just the producers: look at their resume and see for yourself). The same applies to Project Hail Mary. There are visual moments (all practical effects, thankfully) that are truly unique (mainly the moment when ships in space are moving around. Then there are moments with Grace and Rocky that are truly comedically heartfelt, drawing off of obvious inspirations like Close Encounters and ET.
Then there is Ryan Gosling. One of the more interesting things of the film is how his Ryland Grace does not have a whole lot of back story: all we really know is that his ideas were virtually shut down (which lead him to being a teacher), and he once had a girlfriend who left him (“Rocky hate Mark” is a line that I can forgive). This isn’t to say that the character isn’t fleshed out and nuanced, but that it makes him more of an avatar (for lack of a better word) for us to be in his shoes. Gosling is able to say things we ourselves might say in these situations.
Parents, this is one rather mild PG-13 film. There are definitely some thematic elements and minor blood, but I am fairly confident there is no swearing in the film that I could find. There is also no sexual content, minus Rocky mistaking (hilariously) a fist bump as “fist my bump.” You know how some kids’ movies can be enjoyed by adults? I would argue this is a film for adults that kids could enjoy as well.
Granted, I have not mentioned the obvious flaw of the film: it is too long. At just over two and a half hours, the film does suffer from having a few places where you think it could end, but it doesn’t. I also felt that, while I did appreciate the flashback scenes (especially one where Sandra Hüller has a moment to relax in a bar with some karaoke), it is not entirely clear that the formatting of the film is supposedly Grace having his memories return to him*.
Even so, in a world where cinema has far too much CGI greenscreen gobbly gook and even more franchise material driven by fan service, here is a film that is in and of itself a Hail Mary.
*Looking back, maybe I should have thought of the following line from the film: “You’re smart. You’ll figure it out.”
Overall:
Nothing else to say 