Project Hail Mary review: "Large scale sci-fi with tons of heart"

Project Hail Mary spares no expense. Combining a $200 million dollar price tag with Ryan Gosling's supernova star power, bestselling source material from The Martian author Andy Weir, and Spider-Verse duo Phil Lord and Christopher Miller at the helm, all the components are there for a bonafide blockbuster. Happily, the result is a genuinely moving, visually striking, and all-round exciting space adventure that combines some lofty science with good-old-fashioned problem-solving.

Project Hail Mary follows Gosling's Ryland Grace, a scientist-turned-schoolteacher who is drafted into a mission to save the sun. A mysterious alien microbe is feasting on and dimming the star, which, in a few decades, would have catastrophic effects for humanity. There is one star in the universe resisting the microbe, however, so Grace and two other scientists embark on a one-way trip to the distant reaches of space to investigate. When they arrive, Grace awakens from his induced coma to discover his fellow astronauts have perished, and the future of humanity rests on his shoulders alone.

Or, not quite. Also investigating the star is an alien Grace dubs Rocky, whose own home planet is under threat from the microbe. Together, the unlikely duo work to save their respective home worlds from disaster.

Odd couple

Gosling plays Grace with his trademark dry wit, pitch-perfect comedic timing, and self-deprecating humor, which makes him an eminently likable protagonist. The bond between Grace and Rocky is the joyous heart of the film: what starts as two aliens struggling to understand each other develops into a deeply touching friendship in the stars. Rocky is introduced as a creature with no visible facial features who cannot speak English (naturally, considering Grace is very far from home), but who possesses a formidable intelligence and creativity, constructing models to communicate with Grace. In turn, Grace is able to synthesize a voice for Rocky that allows them to speak to each other, leading to many endearing – and unexpectedly heartwarming – moments where Rocky struggles to express himself, and Grace provides the words he's looking for.

There is great humor in the odd couple's extended stay in space, like when Grace attempts to record a private diary of gripes about Rocky, which the alien's super-sensitive hearing allows him to obliviously eavesdrop on. What's most special about Grace and Rocky, though, is the poignant depth of friendship they establish in their comparatively short time together – and the sacrifices they are willing to make for each other, even with their own planets' futures on the line. There are truly tear-jerking moments that are near-guaranteed to leave theatergoers sniffling, as well as moments of pure joy, all channeled through this delightful friendship.

Running alongside this emotional core, though, is the pure logic of problem-solving. The story's science is drip-fed via two overlapping narratives: the past timeline chronicles how Grace came to leave his classroom behind in order to save the world, while the present tracks his and Rocky's attempts to understand the microbe and why this distant star might be immune to its appetite. While the science underpins almost every scene, it never overwhelms. It helps that what's at stake is so clear: if Grace's mission fails, half of humanity faces extinction as the temperature of the world plummets and crops fail. As a teacher, Grace is face-to-face with the generation that will suffer the most if this miserable future comes to pass.

Plenty of time is spent examining samples through a microscope or attempting different experiments, but an extended sequence involving collecting a sample from the star's surface is a real nail-biter. The space visuals are stunning, from the alien spiky surface of Rocky's ship to the murky swirling gas of the star and the bright lights of deep space. It's well worth seeking out a big screen: this is large-scale sci-fi.

Blast off

The dual timelines work to great effect as the film goes on, helping to sharpen the mystery of why Grace ended up on the mission in the first place. But it does mean the film takes too long to pick up the pace from the beginning, as Grace takes a ponderously long time to understand that he's in space, his crew mates are dead, and he's charged with saving the sun. At a mammoth 2 hours and 36 minutes, the film would benefit from tightening, particularly as it takes a long time to reach Rocky. Though, the freedom of the run time does help to establish Rocky and Grace's relationship, since time is afforded to their initial clumsy attempts to communicate with each other. The film has the patience to allow this bond to grow and flourish organically, which only strengthens the relationship.

Alongside the pace, the film's only other misstep is, at times, the humor can undercut the otherwise beautifully emotional storytelling. An unsettling twist to the flashback narrative is quickly undermined by an almost Looney Tunes-style comedic moment that completely hobbles the impact of the revelation, while one of the most affecting moments between Grace and Rocky is similarly rapidly tarnished by a joke that just doesn't fit the emotional intensity of the scene. Fortunately, directors Lord and Miller and writer Drew Goddard otherwise exercise enough restraint to allow for sincerity when it really counts.

Stumbles aside, the film adeptly captures the sense of wonder and thrill of progress that goes hand in hand with space exploration, with Grace and Rocky as our heart-stealing guides. Project Hail Mary is ultimately the kind of big-budget, inventive, and just plain fun filmmaking that makes heading out to the theater worthwhile – and proves worth the expense.

Project Hail Mary hits UK cinemas this March 19 and US theaters this March 20. In the meantime, fill out your watchlist with our guide to the most exciting upcoming movies or our roundup of the biggest movie release dates.