What would it be like to be trapped somewhere far away in space? Andy Weir, author of “The Martian,” frequently explores this question with his novels. “Project Hail Mary,” directed by Phil Lord and Chris Miller, follows science teacher Ryland Grace (Ryan Gosling), who wakes up in a space station with little memory, except knowing Earth’s sun is dying and he must find out why.
As Grace begins to recollect his memories, he makes an unexpected friend, an alien from another planet. This alien is dubbed “Rocky” for its rock-like appearance; many references to the film with the same name also follow. Not to give anything further away, the two become fast friends as they try to figure out the mystery behind the sun dying. Beyond a few extended flashbacks to Earth, the majority of the screen time is dedicated to these two being together.
Despite the gloomy premise for “Project Hail Mary,” the film feels hopeful at its core, with heartstring moments scattered between. One such scene closer to the start is when Grace and Rocky humorously learn how to communicate with each other. The film is, by design, also non-sequential, as you learn along with Grace the answers to why and how a science teacher ended up in space. “Project Hail Mary” uses these flashbacks to feed the viewer moments of humanity and human connection. I understand the importance of these flashbacks, but some overstay their welcome. Oftentimes in cinema, some things that are often left unsaid speak louder than words. It’s my opinion that this film, while great in its storytelling, could have benefited a little more from contemplative silence.
Visually speaking, this film is also great, as it has Greig Frasier, who is no stranger to science fiction films. Frasier won an Oscar for Best Cinematography for his work on “Dune: Part One” and has an impressive portfolio behind him. For “Project Hail Mary”, he digitally shot the film on Arri 65 Alexa Cameras. Paired with some practical special effects, the film is stunning to look at, especially one colorful space sequence that has been circulating online. Speaking of practical effects, Rocky is mostly, if not all, a puppet. This serves the film well, as Rocky is very believable when looking at him. Which isn’t easy to do for a multi-legged rock alien.
If you’re a fan of science fiction films, then this film is definitely for you.
