24/04/2026
Took myself off to see PROJECT HAIL MARY and am so bloody glad I saw this in a cinema. I was in movie heaven, just sitting there in the dark that lends itself to outer space, eating some popcorn and loving every single bit of the ride.
I love me some sci-fi, from thinky pieces that question what makes us human aka BLADE RUNNER, EX MACHINA etc, to horror sci-fi like ALIENS & SUNSHINE to fun, space adventures like STAR WARS & THE EDGE OF TOMORROW. This film falls firmly in fun sci-fi while adding some space set-pieces to rival INTERSTELLAR’S grandiose vistas and packs a similar emotional punch but for very different reasons.
Ryan Gosling’s lead character, Ryland Grace, is a kind-of louche but enthusiastic science teacher with failed professional scientist ambitions. The idea that he becomes the last bastion of hope to Earth under threat seems a long shot, but the movie builds his development nicely so you go with it. And it’s Ryan Gosling…an excellent actor with such casual, inoffensive charm, you can’t help but be on his side. Sandra Huller playing the East German head of Project Hail Mary operation, Eva Stratt, is also just fab with an impeccable starkness never overplayed. A particular karaoke scene stands out as a lovely character moment. I will deliberately keep it light on detail on the character, Rocky, because honestly he is a treat too good to spoil.
I went in knowing very little about the plot of this film except that the Earth is in trouble and this Grace guy seems to be our only hope. And that is really all you need to know. It features some unserious science and inventions which makes it highly accessible as a viewer. Even as a longish film, (over 2 & 1/2 hours) the plot moves swiftly between past and present with some masterful editing (should be up for an award) and balances very tense action with heartwarming moments that may well drop a few tears (this was me). In short, this is a fun, unpretentious space-adventure for everyone and deserves to be seen in a cinema where you will get maximum impact from such a well-crafted and satisfying film. Thanks for having me on board ! :)
