Directors: Phil Lord and Christopher Miller
Starring: Ryan Gosling, Sandra Hüller, James Ortiz, Lionel Boyce, Ken Leung, Milana Vayntrub, Priya Kansara, Malachi Kirby, Liz Kingsman
Running Time: 156 min.
Rating: PG-13
★★★ (out of ★★★★)
Sometimes the most gripping stories involve a character waking up in an unfamiliar location with no idea of their identity or how they got there. Phil Lord and Chris Miller's exhilarating sci-fi space epic Project Hail Mary is one of those. A stirring adventure all audiences can embrace, it wouldn't have felt out of place among Spielberg's lineup of 80's hits, invoking a similar sense of wonder, excitement and awe. For a while though, we're kind of left wondering where it's headed, at least until it gets there and the pieces all eventually fall into place.
Cleverly mixing science with fantasy and comedy, it approaches The Martian author Andy Weir's 2021 novel with a respect for viewers' patience that stands out among Hollywood's dumbing down of popular bestsellers. And regardless of how much or little the science holds up under closer scrutiny, it's accessible enough to believe in, especially during quietly introspective stretches dealing with the challenges facing this lone survivor of this secretive space mission. But what he hasn't figured out yet is that his toughest battle still lies ahead.
It's 2032 and middle school science teacher and former molecular biologist Ryland Grace (Gosling) has awakened from an induced coma onboard a spacecraft light years from home. Suffering from amnesia, Grace eventually pieces together that he's a member of a three person crew, two of whom are dead, leaving him stranded alone on the ship. Flashbacks will reveal his recruitment by international task force head Eva Stratt (Sandra Hüller) to join her classified project studying a substance called "astrophage." Having already proliferating the Sun's surface, it's confirmed to cause a catastrophic cooling on Earth within thirty years.
Dubbed "Project Hail Mary" for its long shot odds, Stratt's plan to combat this centers around a manned space flight to Tau Ceti, the closest star unaffected by the outbreak. Unfortunately, with only enough fuel for a one-way trip, Grace now unwillingly finds himself on a suicide mision. After discovering another ship containing a five legged alien rock he nicknames Rocky (voiced by James Ortiz), they communicate and become friends, working together to find a solution. But as plans go awry and humanity's future hangs in the balance, Grace is faced with a devastating choice.
Glimpses into Grace's pre-flight life bring valuable context his current situation on the spacecraft since we haven't a clue how he wound up on it. Whether these flashbacks are intended for viewers or represent his memories gradually returning, a scraggly, confused Grace attempts to make sense of his surroundings. And in showing the energetic, enthusiastic science teacher who rides his bike to school out of necessity rather than choice, we see how the ex-biologist's world is turned upside down after he's approached by Stratt for help. As if he has any say in the matter. Grace is aided by Stratt's initially intimidating security specialist Carl (Lionel Boyce) as he attempts to breed astrophage fuel for the mission he'll be forced to partake in once complications arise.
With Grace alone on this ship trying to make sense of his perilous situation, we're blown away by Daniel Pemberton's cosmically eclectic, synth heavy score and cinematographer Greig Fraser's astounding visuals, both of which harmoniously co-exist in a film unafraid of wearing many influences on its sleeve. Once Rocky arrives, Drew Goddard's script really soars, with Grace realizing this alien life form (brought to life by mostly practical effects) is in a dire situation not so different from his own, having lost everything and everyone.
That the impending threat to Earth is gradual rather than immediate complicates matters, making it harder to blame an ordinary citizen for refusing to sacrifice themselves for a mass casualty event thirty years down the line. Stratt may have picked Grace for his expertise, but also on a judgmental assumption he has nothing to lose. The ethical implications of that are intriguing, especially considering how he ends up on this spacecraft and comes to terms with how important his role truly is. Hüller's turn is complex enough that Stratt could be read as a cold, heartless bureaucrat or rebellious rogue who leads Grace to discover his life's purpose, as duplicitous as her methods are. Or maybe she's a bit of both, as her memorable karaoke scene hints.
Despite some long lulls in the action, the film reaches its apex when Grace and Rocky join forces and form their bond, gradually morphing this into a moving tale of companionship and sacrifice that doubles as a great buddy comedy. It also successfully provokes tears in viewers over a rock that's so much more, with Rocky drawing justifiable comparisons to Cast Away's Wilson or even 2001: A Space Odyssey's HAL 9000. Inevitably, Grace will have to choose between getting home or saving a friend in danger.
Gosling's charismatic performance carries every minute, playing a different kind of reluctant hero who's brutally honest about his own faults, fears and deficiencies. How his character possesses so little interest in being a hero might qualify him as the best kind, whether he sees it or not. But after fully embracing what he's called on to do, it's a whole new ball game, culminating in a propulsive final hour more enthralling and immersive than we're used to seeing in most mainstream blockbusters.
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