Every once and a while, I walk out of a movie theater and feel like a brand-new person. It’s as though the story I just witnessed told me something about myself that I never realized before. These are the kinds of films that make you stop in your tracks and force you to look up at your life and the lives of everyone around you. When this happens, it becomes near impossible to think about anything else for a while (at least in my personal experience). My most recent encounter of this was Phil Lord and Chris Miller’s Project Hail Mary. Although it was un-disputably a fascinating science fiction film, I would argue that it was, above all else, a story about the human spirit. What resonated with me most was that, although the overarching goal was saving the world, the protagonists couldn’t help but display small acts of humanity. It truly felt like a message the world needed right now, that even in the darkest of times we are united in love, compassion, and the gift that is being alive. Unfortunately, the rest of this review will contain spoilers, so if you have not yet had the pleasure of seeing this movie, book your tickets and come back later!
film summary
Now, in case you need a refresher (or you ignored my spoiler warning), here is a brief summary of the film. The story follows Dr. Ryland Grace, a disgraced molecular biologist and current middle school science teacher, who finds himself alone on a spaceship 11.9 lightyears from Earth with no memory of who he is or why he is there. The film is told in dual storylines, beginning with Grace waking up on the Hail Mary and flashing back to the prior events as he regains his memories. In this universe, every sun is being dimmed by an alien substance known as Astrophage. When scientists discover a star that is seemingly immune to it, they create Project Hail Mary, a mission to discover why that specific star is unaffected. On this mission, Grace encounters an alien from the planet Erid, whom he later names Rocky after his rock-like appearance. The two form an unlikely friendship when they join forces to accomplish their common goal of saving their respective species.
my review
As previously mentioned, Project Hail Mary was truly an incredible feat of science fiction. The main conflict is otherworldly, yet digestible, and while much of the plot is centered around the scientific process, it is not uninteresting to the ordinary viewer. However, as enjoyable as the actual mission aspect was, as I said before, it was not what I found most captivating about this particular film. What made the story so impactful was the rawness and transparency of Ryland Grace’s character. I would be remiss if I didn’t mention Ryan Gosling’s incredibly moving performance. He purposefully did not intensify the role and focused heavily on remaining faithful to the original novel’s characterization. When faced with a life-or-death situation, not just for him but for all of humanity, he reacts in a way that feels realistic. Often in Hollywood, protagonists display traits of bravery and resilience that seem superhuman. How many people do you know that when tasked with saving all of humanity and knowingly dying in the process, would remain stoic and reserved? Personally, I can’t think of anyone. Rather, when faced with the most difficult parts of life, I have found that most people attempt, even subconsciously, to find the humor and joy in the situation.
Ryland Grace is not a superhero, at least not by the general definition. Not long before the beginning of the film, he wasn’t even a practicing scientist. Instead, what makes his character resonate with audiences so much is his imperfection. I was reminded of the speech at the end of James Gunn’s Superman from last year. The titular character famously stated, “I am as human as anyone. I love, I-I get scared. I wake up every morning, and despite not knowing what to do, I put one foot in front of the other, and I try to make the best choices that I can. I screw up all the time, but that is being human, and that’s my greatest strength.” It was this statement that inspired the cultural movement, “kindness is the new punk rock.” With the success of both of these films, it is becoming more and more evident that these are the themes audiences yearn for. In a world full of war, hunger, and inequality, kindness has become a form of rebellion. Anyone can tell a story of tragedy and hardship, but it takes real talent to move people emotionally, not with fear or despair, but with hope.
In the spirit of kindness, one of Grace’s most impactful qualities was his compassion. It is revealed near the conclusion of the film that it was not even his choice to board the Hail Mary. Desperate for a solution, the director of the project, Eva Stratt (Sandra Hüller), forces Grace into the mission. Despite what some say, I felt this decision was a fascinating inclusion to the story. At first glance, Stratt’s actions seem extreme and inhumane, but given the burden, would you not also sacrifice one person to save the rest of the world? Does this decision make her villainous? Or does is solidify her humanity as well? Further, it adds immensely to Grace’s character to realize that he did not choose to take part in this mission in the first place. Early on, he tells one of the astronauts that he doesn’t have the “bravery gene.” This prompted one of my favorite lines from the movie: “It is not a gene. You just have to find someone to be brave for.” Later in the film, this concept is beautifully recalled. Grace has the ability to return to Earth, thanks to Rocky’s help, but chooses instead to venture further into the unknown in an attempt to save his new friend. This action displays that bravery is not something one performs on instinct. True bravery comes from love overpowering the fear that is holding you back.
While I could rant all day about the powerful overarching themes of this movie, I feel it’s necessary to mention some of the smaller moments that contributed to the impact of the film. While getting supplies to analyze a life-threatening alien species, Grace and Officer Carl bowl with merchandise in a hardware store. At the base of operations for the mission, the world’s greatest minds come together to have a karaoke party. Throughout the entire film, Grace wears T-shirts displaying science puns, humorous images, and pop culture references. The four probes sent back to Earth with the sun’s cure are named after the four members of The Beatles (whom the original novel is also dedicated to). When Grace learns about Rocky’s mate, he decides to make her English name Adrian, after the love interest of the titular character from Rocky. These were not random details added in to break up the scientific talk. All are examples of how even in tragedy, we as humans can’t help but find joy in the little things.
In terms of production, the very same theme can be found. Famous songs from many different cultures are featured on the soundtrack, displaying Grace’s mission to save all of Earth. The rapport between Grace and Rocky, one of the most important aspects of the film, comes from an extremely natural place as well. Rocky’s voice actor, James Ortiz, was originally just the head puppeteer, but was offered the role when he and Ryan Gosling had such great chemistry during screen testing. The characters’s back-and-forth felt so natural due to the fact that it genuinely was. Although the creators knew that they were making a film with incredible depth, they also understood that they would lose that key human aspect if they took themselves too seriously.
Movies are an extremely powerful medium. They have the power to portray stories and feelings that we can’t always verbalize. In the case of Project Hail Mary, the lovability and sincerity of its characters, as well as the stunning visuals, are what resonated with so many audiences all over the world. It probably goes without saying after reading this review, but I would confidently give this film a 10/10. It is one that will not leave my mind, or that of many others, any time soon. It is the kind of film that makes everything seem just a little bit lighter, and in a time when everything feels so incredibly heavy, that’s all any of us can really ask for.