Project Hail Mary - Review: Shoot for the Stars

 

Way back in 2011, Andy Weir self-published his first novel and quickly “The Martian” became a smash hit. After a 2015 film adaptation proved to be a critical and box-office success, Weir’s future as a successful science fiction author seemed unlimited. So much so that when his latest novel was announced in 2020, the film rights were snatched up before it was even released. Now, after years of work and development, directors Phil Lord (“The LEGO Movie,” “21 Jump Street (2012)”) and Christopher Miller (“The LEGO Movie,” “21 Jump Street (2012)”) have returned with their first directed film in over a decade, taking Weir’s specific blend of science fiction back to the big screen.

“Project Hail Mary” stars Ryan Gosling (“Barbie,” “La La Land”) as Ryland Grace, a microbiologist and middle school science teacher recruited by Eva Stratt, played by Sandra Hüller (“Anatomy of a Fall,” “The Zone of Interest”), for Project Hail Mary, a secret government project to help scientists around the world figure out why the sun has begun to dim and how to stop it. This task sends Grace into deep space to study Tau Ceti, the only sun that has not begun to dim, and leads him to meet Rocky, voiced by James Ortiz in his film debut, an alien lifeform who’s been sent to Tau Ceti for the same purpose as Grace.

With a premise steeped in hardcore science fiction tropes and techniques, you need a lead who is capable of not only diving into the density but also keeping the human element intact. Gosling is absolutely fantastic here, completely carrying the entire film with his innate charisma. However, there’s something more going on with his performance. While Lord and Miller make great use of his everyman charms, there’s an almost Chaplin-esque humility to both Grace and Gosling’s performance. Instead of simply making Grace a slowly evolving hero, there’s a depth to his misunderstandings that helps humanize him and makes his triumphs even more satisfying. It’s a pure weaponization of Gosling’s disarming emotional talents and his physical comedy skills and it makes for his most compelling lead performance since 2016’s “The Nice Guys.”

Hüller plays her role much more straight-faced than Gosling, and this disarming of his more lackadaisical nature allows the two to play off each other’s perspectives in their scenes. It builds not only their chemistry, but allows the later, more dire scenes to punch a bit harder while also working as a pseudo-metaphor for the varying different ways one could approach such harrowing circumstances. Lord and Miller meanwhile make particularly great usage of the other supporting characters, such as Lionel Boyce (“The Bear,” “Loiter Squad”) as Carl, a security guard Grace befriends while working on Project Hail Mary. Boyce instantly becomes a standout despite his brief appearance, with Carl and Grace’s friendship further establishes the deeply human core of the film’s identity.

While the supporting cast is full of standouts and scene stealers, it’s incredible to say the one who’s burgled the most moments is Ortiz as Rocky, the rocky-like alien puppet that becomes Gosling’s scene partner for a large majority of the film. This is where things become a buddy movie, and despite their stark physical differences, Gosling and Ortiz keep the banter high. The friendship they form becomes the big beating heart of the film, which further deepens the stakes beyond just the fate of their two worlds. It’s a double act that strengthens every other aspect of the film by relation. Rocky himself is an incredible design that manages to maintain his alien aspects without sacrificing an inherent adorable quality to him, working as a feat of puppetry and seamless digital effects.

Drew Goddard’s (“Cloverfield,” “The Cabin in the Woods”) script manages to blend the intense scientific aspects of Weir’s novel with its most deeply human aspects to great effect. It’s clear that his previous experience adapting Weir’s writing as screenwriter of “The Martian” has paid off here, and his work is fantastic. It works because, given the unknown nature of the scientific mystery, Grace and Rocky are learning along with the audience. Because of this, it doesn’t dumb down the discoveries, instead plainly explaining its science as the film progresses without relying on exposition or narration. But those deeply human and personal moments spread throughout the film, like Carl and Grace’s scenes and a brief moment of Eva singing karaoke days before takeoff, are what make this a truly special kind of film. It’s the kind of film where the events would still be harrowing and exciting without character work this deep, but because it excels in that aspect, you’re on the edge of your seat not because of the exciting events, but because of what they mean to those characters.

Surrounding all of the charisma and relationships and big beating heart is a production of true beauty and technical mastery. Lord and Miller have crafted this tale of deep space as a remarkably physical one, with Grace’s and Rocky’s ships each being fully built practical sets. Like Rocky himself, it allows for a tangible sense of reality and stakes for the film, as well as working as a feat of production craft. Rocky’s ship in particular is nothing short of breathtaking as it blends the digital effects with the craft of production designer Charles Wood (“Doctor Strange,” “Guardians of the Galaxy”). It’s a perfect example of big budgets being spent to make films that truly feel like grand scale production as opposed to green screen heavy digital works.

But all of that technical craft would mean nothing without a cinematographer like Greg Frasier (“The Batman,” “Dune: Part Two”) behind the camera. His skill is evident here as he shoots with a particular eye for the majesty of this kind of tale, manipulating camera placements and movements, even changing aspect ratios whether we’re deep in space on grounded on Earth. Daniel Pemberton’s (“Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse,” “The Trial of the Chicago 7”) score combines with Frasier’s images to create a beautiful sense of style and space, with numerous moments standing out for pure visual and auditory beauty. Color pops from every frame and numerous moments make for all encompassing shots, as the images and sound simply wash over you. It’s the kind of film built for the cinema experience but does so with a deft and calm hand. As opposed to more action-heavy works that justify such and experience, like “One Battle After Another” or “Dune: Part Two,” “Project Hail Mary” does so in an achingly human and almost calmingly emotional way.

Comparisons have been made to “Interstellar” leading up to the release of “Project Hail Mary,” and while they are both about space, the films couldn’t be more different. What Lord, Miller, Goddard, Gosling, and the rest of the team have accomplished here is a film that understands the science, the spectacle, and the awe of what a film like this needs and they’ve delivered every aspect of that with flying colors. But what makes this feel like a truly special work is the care in the heart of it. It’s a story about kindness and helpfulness and friendship, and how each person can excel. Calling it a human film doesn’t feel accurate. Rather, it’s a deeply felt work of cosmic hope, one of the best films in recent memory, and one that will move you to the stars. 5/5