**This article contains spoilers for Project Hail Mary**
Project Hail Mary isn’t just your average space movie, believe me. The movie is an adaptation based on the book written by Andy Weir, and was released on March 20, by director Phil Lord and Christopher Miller.
It tells the story of a science teacher named Ryland Grace who wakes up on a spaceship with no recollection of who he is or how he even got there (talk about terrifying!).
As his memory slowly comes back, he remembers that he’s a middle-school science teacher and a former molecular biologist. He also discovers that he’s in space to solve the mystery of Astrophage, a mysterious substance that’s causing the sun to die out like an interstellar parasite. Simply put, he’s there to save the world, and he’s all alone in it, or so he thought.
In the movie, Grace comes across an alien spacecraft, which immediately causes him to panic, rightfully so. Eventually, Ryan Gosling’s character musters up enough courage to traverse to the other ship, where he meets a rock-like alien, whom he names Rocky.
Grace creates a machine translation system to interpret Rocky’s music-like speech so that they can communicate, and they come to discover they have the same goal: to save their planet.
Each of them started their journey with other people, or in Rocky’s case, other aliens, but the others died, and they were each left alone on their journey. So, they decide to work together to save their universe.
Underlying Meanings Within Sci-Fi
I wouldn’t say I’m a huge fan of sci-fi movies, but that’s the thing about Project Hail Mary: it isn’t really just straight science fiction. The movie starts that way, but soon develops into a deep journey of discovery.
As his memory comes back and he figures out that he’s a middle-school science teacher, Grace can’t help but question why he’s there. Why is he, of all people, in space? Why is he the one in charge of saving the universe?
There’s an underlying admiration of bravery that Grace has, both for the other people who were once on the mission with him and for his new friend Rocky. Though despite all of this, he doesn’t consider himself to be brave.
Without spoiling too much, Grace soon finds this bravery within himself. He discovers that he’s really capable of saving the world, but not without the help of Rocky, who’s the first to deem Grace brave.
A Message of Connection
This brings in the importance of connection. These two beings, completely different in language, biology, culture, and almost everything, come to understand one another. It shows that genuine understanding between people doesn’t require any similarities, just a willingness to understand and to connect.
This theme of connection is prevalent throughout the movie, from world leaders and scientists at the beginning, setting aside anything that divides them, to Grace and Rocky, who were once alone but are now connected and better together. This shared purpose overrides division, and in a world that feels increasingly fractured, this connection is what we truly need.
Hope is also a big theme in this movie. Hope that they can save the universe, hope that they can return home, and hope that nothing goes wrong. This story is about what hope can drive you to do and what you’re capable of accomplishing with hope by your side.
It’s a story of trying, a story of effort. Grace has endured things that no human has ever experienced, and his character is tested time and time again, but the hope that fuels him and the bravery that’s born is something quite beautiful to watch on the big screen.
It’s Truly a “Sign of the Times”
I shed a few tears multiple times throughout the movie, one of them being the karaoke scene where Sandra Hüller’s character, Eva Stratt, sings “Sign of the Times” by Harry Styles. This song was absolutely perfect for the context of the scene and what was to come; it made me a little emotional.
On the drive home, I was contemplating the movie when all of a sudden, “Yes I’m Changing” by Tame Impala came on. This is one of my favorite songs ever, and the lyrics seemed to really resonate with the movie, but also with me.
A few lines that really resonated were “Yes, I’m changing, can’t stop it now. And even if I wanted to, I wouldn’t know how. Another version of myself, I think I’ve found at last.”
Similarly, “there is a world out there, and it’s calling my name. And it’s calling yours, girl, it’s calling yours too.”
Yes, Grace did change, and yes, I’ve changed. Grace discovered a new version of himself, a brave, courageous version, and I’ve discovered a new version of myself, too, in these last few years at college. And yes, there really is a world out there, and it’s calling out for you, for me, for Grace, and for all of us.
Project Hail Mary was one of the best new movies I’ve seen in quite a long time, and I’d absolutely recommend it to everyone! It’s not just a sci-fi story, but a journey of hope, connection, bravery, change, and self-discovery, one that stays with you long after the credits roll.
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