Project Hail Mary

The film adaptation of Andy Weir’s The Martian was a huge hit in 2015, grossing over $600 million worldwide and earning seven Oscar nominations, including Best Actor and Best Picture. Drew Goddard, who worked on the screenplay for that film, now turns his hand to Weir’s most recent novel, 2021’s epic sci-fi Project Hail Mary. It is directed by Phil Lord and Christopher Miller and stars Ryan Gosling as Dr Ryland Grace, a schoolteacher drafted in to help on the titular mission to save Earth from a catastrophic event.

Remarkably, this is the first film Lord and Miller have directed since The Lego Movie and 22 Jump Street (both in 2014). This doesn’t show on screen; it is a visual feast that balances their trademark humour with the all-action sci-fi of the novel. It is a difficult tonal balance, but one that the pair pull off effortlessly.

As with the novel, the Earth’s sun and other stars are being devoured by a microorganism known as “astrophage”. Earth’s leading scientists, led by the formidable Eva Stratt (Sandra Hüller), devise a mission to head deep into space to trace the root of the astrophage to keep the sun alive. We intercut between Grace awakening from a coma and piecing together how he got aboard the Hail Mary with fragments of his life before and during his work on the programme. In space, he finds himself encountering an alien creature whom he names Rocky; the pair must find a way to work together to save their respective planets.

Considering Gosling does much of his work opposite a puppet, he does a phenomenal job capturing Grace’s vulnerability and determination, finding room for his signature blend of humour. His performance allows for subtle shifts in tone to feel natural. Hüller, fresh off her acclaimed work in Anatomy of a Fall and Zone of Interest, is a fine foil as the dry, obsessive Stratt. The duo bounce wonderfully off each other.

Technically speaking, Project Hail Mary is a marvel; it is one of the most visually impressive sci-fi films of the decade. Greig Fraser, who won an Oscar for his memorable work on Dune, once again shows he is one of the best cinematographers working today. This is a completely different canvas from the sandscapes of Arrakis. Daniel Pemberton previously worked in conjunction with Lord and Miller on the Spider-Verse films, and his score here is a triumph, incorporating the human voice throughout; it wonderfully accompanies the soaring spectacle.

Project Hail Mary is a true crowd-pleaser and another stellar adaptation of Andy Weir’s work. Gosling’s performance and the technical elements ensure it is a must-watch for fans of the novel and science fiction more widely.