Director: Phil Lord, Christopher Miller
Cast: Ryan Gosling, Sandra Hüller, Lionel Boyce, Ken Leung, Milana Vayntrub
Screenplay: Drew Goddard
156 mins. Rated PG-13 for some thematic material and suggestive references.

Following the success of Ridley Scott’s The Martian, screenwriter Drew Goddard is tackling another of Andy Weir’s novels for the big screen treatment, this time helmed by directing duo Phil Lord & Christopher Miller (The LEGO Movie) and starring Ryan Gosling (Barbie), this time trading in a bit of the science for big spectacle moments and the strangest buddy pairing of the year so far. The result is a film that feels big and exciting, though with perhaps less staying power than Goddard’s previous adaptation.

Science teacher Ryland Grace (Gosling) awakes aboard the spaceship known as the Hail Mary with no memory of recent events. He’s the sole life aboard the ship, and his memories come back in waves, recalling a mission planned to a distant star called Tau Ceti. Earth’s Sun is dimming, as are many others, which may cause a catastrophic global event within a few decades, and he’s been sent to find out why Tau Ceti is unaffected. As he works toward his goal, he makes several surprising discoveries that will aid in his understanding of the larger universe.

Project Hail Mary is a better experience going in blind, but knowing what I knew from the marketing didn’t change my experience. Suffice to say, if you enjoyed The Martian, I believe you will enjoy Project Hail Mary. From Andy Weir’s novels to Goddard’s strong storytelling techniques in the screenplay, this is a rollicking sci-fi adventure that carries more heart than expected.

Ryan Gosling has proven his leading man status in the past, but most of this film relies on him. Outside of the flashbacks, he’s the sole human being onscreen for the bulk of the film, and he’s magnetic, funny, and more than a few emotional beats are hidden beneath the surface. He’s able to carry the narrative for large stretches without help, and he makes it look relatively easy. His character journey is all about “finding something to be brave for” as he moves forward with this dangerous, unlikely mission in which he is not expected to return.

Lord and Miller are able to embrace, in their direction, the stranger elements of this tale, as it does have more than a few difficult narrative swings to tackle, ones that make for a more unusual journey than that of Weir’s The Martian. Using the flashbacks to set up the character arc and give thematic weight to Ryland’s journey, they are able to leap over some of the narrative struggles of translating the book. The movie is gorgeous looking and feels reminiscent of several recent and classic space operas. This is a big looking movie, and one made for the biggest of screens.

I’d also argue that the science feels a bit more spoon fed in the film. In The Martian, I felt like I was an active participant in the problem solving for Matt Damon’s character, whereas in Project Hail Mary, some of the plot movement felt a little easy, as though I was putting it all together faster than Ryland, and that makes for less investment. I can’t speak on behalf of the team behind Project Hail Mary, but much of the science felt a bit dumbed down, as though they didn’t have faith that their audience could work it out. Some of the best sequences in the film come from Ryland and his small team problem solving their dimming sun, and once he’s in space, things just click a little too easily.

Project Hail Mary is being discussed in some circles as a major awards contender for the end of the year, and I think that conversation sets it up for failure. It won’t be in the Best Picture circles next year, and that’s okay too. Thrills and excitement and a great lead performance uplift this sci-fi space opera to a great theatrical experience. Gosling commands the screen and does a lot of heavy-duty performing as the lone human character for much of Project Hail Mary, and while the finished product is a little too bloated and a little too heavy-handed, it’s an entertaining thrill ride from start to finish with an unlikely pairing that you must see to believe. Avoid the trailers if you can, but see it regardless.

3.5/5
-Kyle A. Goethe