It is not easy to make a movie that feels grand, epic, and existential while still feeling equally intimate and human. “Project Hail Mary” achieved all of that with the hysterical and heartfelt direction of Phil Lord and Christopher Miller and Ryan Gosling as the unbelievably compelling lead. It’s a simple story executed with so much spirit, mixing the scale and stakes of films like “Interstellar” and “2001: A Space Odyssey” with the adventure and innocent charm of “E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial” and “The Iron Giant.”
The film follows an unusual hero, Dr. Ryland Grace (Ryan Gosling), a middle-school science teacher chosen to go on a mission in space to help save the world by figuring out why the sun is dimming at an exponential rate. As he is trying to stop Earth’s ecosystem from collapsing, he meets Rocky (James Ortiz), an alien made out of rock who is also trying to save his home planet from extinction. Together, they learn to communicate with each other, determine a plan to eliminate the source of the entire universe’s collapse, and inevitably save mankind and “alienkind” alike.
Based off of this quick synopsis, it sounds like a grandiose epic with a larger-than-life scale. However, while the movie certainly has that scale, it shines in its most intimate moments, mainly in the heartfelt relationship between Grace and Rocky. Drew Goddard’s script is incredibly dynamic, balancing absurd comedy with emotional moments and still being able to explain complex scientific ideas efficiently. Plus, Gosling is the only human face on-screen for the majority of the film, and there is no other actor who could have brought more heart and humor to the role.
However, what makes this movie work on a technical level that nowadays many movies do not reach is the beautiful seamlessness of the practical effects in the film. First of all, not a single green screen or blue screen was used, but rather physical sets and props were created to represent as much of the world as possible during production. Additionally, Rocky was brought to life by an entire team of puppeteers, or what Ortiz called “Rocketeers,” who helped with Rocky’s legs while Ortiz controlled his main body.
The crew of “Project Hail Mary” put careful thought into how Rocky should move, sound, and even convey certain emotions through his body language, making the entirety of the character feel that much more grounded and perhaps human. Thus, the movie is at its best when Gosling and Ortiz are working off of each other and creating one of the most spirited and wholesome friendships between human and alien ever put on screen.
To round out the film, Daniel Pemberton’s score is absolutely breathtaking, bringing an atmospheric energy that transports you into space. Greig Frasier’s cinematography ties everything together, bringing creativity and style to every sequence, from the most jaw-dropping scene in space to the most grounded scenes on Earth.
While the overall film was incredibly successful, I did feel that some overly drastic shifts in tone made some scenes feel less emotional, especially when an emotional moment came right off of a goofier scene. Lastly, some of the flashbacks on Earth that cover Grace’s journey of getting to space came a little too late for me. By the time we flashed back, I was already fully invested in his story with Rocky, and saw no reason to go back to a story that could not possibly live up to the momentum of the story up in space.
Regardless, it is undeniable how alive, joyful, fun, and technically impressive “Project Hail Mary” is, resulting in a great time at the movies for all ages. The film celebrates all that is right with cinema: insanely lovable characters, a flawless mixture of visual and practical effects, and a simple yet powerful story about resilience, friendship, bravery, and humanity.
