Project Hail Mary Review: Visually and Emotionally Stunning

Project Hail Mary has quickly broken records after its release on March 20th.

The film is the second novel adaptation from science fiction author Andy Weir, who also penned The Martian and Artemis. Starring Ryan Gosling, it centers around an astronaut who must travel to a star to prevent the Sun from dying, and who meets a friend along the way.

Check out our Project Hail Mary review below, and remember spoilers ahead!

Project Hail Mary Review – Breaking Down Plot, Setting, Characters

Plot

As mentioned above, Ryan Gosling’s character, Ryland Grace, must travel to Tau Ceti to understand why the star is not dying, and then use that information to prevent the Sun from dying in our solar system.

However, he doesn’t remember any of this when waking up from a medically-induced coma, and the pieces come back in snatches throughout the film. Along the way, he meets Rocky, an alien life-form who is also trying to learn from Tau Ceti to save his planet, Erid.

As a reader of the novel before the film, I already knew what was going to happen, going into the movie. However, it did not prepare me for how visceral the plot would feel on the big screen.

I absolutely adored the comedic moments famous from Weir’s novel, which made the whole theater laugh. This was a direct 180 from the sadder parts of the film, which drew many, including myself, to tears.

My favorite piece was the parts of the film doused in silence, increasing the tension and urgency to complete the mission. I absolutely love the plot of this film, even before watching it, and I think they nailed the themes of friendship, exploration, wonder, and becoming a hero, even if you don’t really feel like one.

Setting

Let me start by saying that I love space-themed anything.

Movies, books, TV shows, even LEGO sets, space has always had a special place in my heart. That being said, this film portrays space in incredible ways, from the beauty of Tau Ceti E, the immense practical set of the Hail Mary ship, and even the “Petrova Line” scene filled with glittering red infrared light.

The main settings in the book are Earth (a naval ship, a classroom, and testing facilities), space, the Hail Mary ship, and Rocky’s ship. While there are not many locations, each one serves its purpose to drive the film forward and create wonder in the viewer.

I don’t think I would change anything about the setting, as it was pretty much how I imagined it when I read the book.

My favorite setting would have to be Tau Ceti E and the space around it, or Rocky’s ship. Both were visual masterpieces.

Characters

While the setting and the plot are essential pieces of this film, Project Hail Mary is what it is because of the characters, namely Ryland Grace and Rocky.

The two are the main characters of the film, both setting out into the unknown to save their worlds, while finding friendship, too.

I do want to point out two other characters I really enjoyed on the big screen: Sandra Hüller as Eva Stratt, and Lionel Boyce as Officer Carl.

While Stratt picked Grace to research the Astrophage and forced him into space, Carl was a buddy Grace could rely on during his research on Earth, which led to many laughs. They provided a great balance to the cast.

However, back to Grace and Rocky.

I love their friendship and interactions, from the first meeting all the way to the end of the film, where they walk on a beach in Erid together. It shows that even two completely different creatures can become friends and even risk their lives for each other.

I think Ryan Gosling did an incredible job embodying Grace’s persona, while James Ortiz’s voicing and puppeteering of Rocky was exactly what I imagined while flipping through each page of the novel.

Was Project Hail Mary Based on a Book?

Yes, Project Hail Mary is based on the 2021 science fiction novel of the same name by author Andy Weir. He is also the author of The Martian, Artemis, and a new upcoming book, though the title or the plot have been disclosed.

If you enjoyed Project Hail Mary, check out Weir’s other film adaptation, The Martian.

Project Hail Mary Review: Final Thoughts

All in all, I thoroughly enjoyed this movie and plan on watching it several more times in the future. It’s what a book adaptation film should be, and it plays upon the emotional themes of the book to create a visual masterpiece.

While some of the details from the book were omitted, I don’t think it negatively impacted the film. Even the changes to the ending were great, and I’m especially glad they kept the ending scene with the Eridian students.

As I listen to the soundtrack of this movie while writing this review, I urge anyone who loves science fiction, or just needs something awe-inspiring to watch, to go watch Project Hail Mary. It’s worth it.