**This article contains spoilers for Project Hail Mary**
If you’ve been on the internet lately, you’ve heard of Project Hail Mary (PHM), the sci-fi movie that’s been breaking records since its release day.
From the surface, it reads like a typical movie adaptation of a beloved book that happens to star Ryan Gosling. However, after seeing the movie, it’s clear that it deserves praise.
Besides breaking the $300 million box office mark just a few days ago, Project Hail Mary has been trending online for months. The film is adapting Andy Weir’s 2021 science fiction novel of the same name and has been highly anticipated since its first trailer. What’s so special about this sci-fi movie?
In a time when the science fiction genre is dying, Project Hail Mary is a breath of fresh air. It’s a hopeful movie that transports you to another world and makes you experience everything with its characters. What’s more surprising is how much respect it pays to the source material while putting its own spin on it.
The film’s production, characterization, and emotional core are what make this movie worth watching. In a world of shallow blockbusters, Project Hail Mary wraps you up in its highs and lows, taking you on an emotional journey through space.
The Film’s Production
Without a doubt, PHM’s production is one of a kind among modern movies. Directed by Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, the movie features practical sets for the spaceship and any scenes in outer space. Of course, there are still scenes composed of CGI and visual effects, but it’s worth mentioning that everything else was practical.
One of the main characters, Rocky (the alien character currently taking the world by storm), isn’t a CGI character. Rocky is a puppet voiced by its puppeteer, James Ortiz. Rocky’s scenes with Ryland Grace, played by Ryan Gosling, are a mix of puppetry and CGI.
The most impressive element of the movie’s production is its cinematography and visuals. Every frame of this film is vibrant, colorful, and full of life. Some sequences stop for a moment for you to take it all in.
The lighting was so carefully crafted to highlight the scenes inside the ship and outside of it. It’s one of the most visually pleasing films released in the last decade.
The Story and Characters
I’m sure by now you must be wondering: what’s the film about? PHM stars Ryland Grace, a middle school teacher who’s recruited by Eva Stratt, director of the Petrova Taskforce, to inspect and study astrophage.
We also find out that due to an infrared line between the Sun and Venus, the Sun’s light has begun to dim. Grace is unexpectedly recruited on a mission to find out why another nearby star is unaffected.
The movie alternates between past and present scenes. Later, we’re introduced to Rocky, an alien that Grace befriends, and who may help Grace discover how to help save Earth and the surrounding planets. The two develop an unlikely friendship that steals the show and highlights both characters.
Following other sci-fi movies like Interstellar (2014) and The Martian (2015), PHM delivers a story that’s both engaging, funny, and heartwarming. Its characters, Grace and Rocky specifically, are incredibly charming and feel so realized. The narrative makes you believe that these characters care deeply about each other and grow throughout the movie.
Science fiction films can fall into the trap of surface-level characters and relationships, but PHM certainly doesn’t. It makes its characters and their interactions the focus, keeping the viewers emotionally invested.
The Emotional Core (Amaze Amaze Amaze)
It’s no secret that Grace and Rocky’s friendship is the emotional core of this film. Without this friendship, the space mission wouldn’t be nearly as fun and wholesome.
It’s established early on that Grace doesn’t have many loved ones in his life, and Rocky’s loved ones are miles away from his ship. The moment these two come together, you instantly know their bond will grow into something special.
I was pleasantly surprised to see how important their friendship became, especially in the latter half of the film. They learn from one another, they clash, and they share intimate moments that wrecked me while watching.
You wouldn’t expect the friendship between a human and a spider-looking alien to affect you in such a way, but PHM pulls at your heartstrings until the very end.
In an era where original films are struggling and sequels are announced every other day, I’m glad that a story like this is garnering so much love.
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