Writer’s note: The second paragraph of this article (just below the first image) contains a basic outline of the film’s premise. There are no spoilers that weren’t already inferred in the film’s own trailer. However, if you want to completely avoid potential spoilers, skip over the second paragraph.
When audiences have ‘high expectations’ for an upcoming film, it’s always interesting to examine the reasons why. The first thing to note is that everyone has different reasons for anticipating it, but everyone’s level of excitement is equal. This is the case with Project Hail Mary (2026), a massive science fiction adventure which garnered intense interest from a myriad of target audiences. Firstly, it’s based on a best selling novel by Andy Weir, so literature fans are lining up to see it. Secondly, even if you haven’t read the book, it’s the same author as The Martian, which was already adapted into a popular film in 2015. Thus, fans of that earlier work are excited. Thirdly, Project Hail Mary is being directed by Phil Lord and Chris Miller, the creators of the award-winning and groundbreaking Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018). This has cinephiles buying out tickets for the space adventure. Finally, Project Hail Mary stars Ryan Gosling, one of the most well regarded and well liked leading men in Hollywood. Given all of these factors, Project Hail Mary is an event we don’t see often in cinema anymore: it’s a film with something for everyone.
The story opens when former molecular biologist (and current high school teacher) Ryland Grace (Ryan Gosling) wakes up from a coma aboard a spacecraft. Due to experiencing retrograde amnesia, Grace has no idea how he ended up on the ship, but quickly discovers that he’s the only survivor of a crew of three. Adding to his situation, the craft is lightyears away from Earth, heading towards a distant star. Grace slowly remembers details of the past, learning that our Sun is dying due to it being dimmed by the formation of an infrared line from Venus, called the Petrova line. The dimming is caused by a microorganism known as Astrophage, which exponentially increases its population on the Sun’s surface. This will result in a catastrophic global cooling of Earth within 30 years. Government agent Eva Stratt (Sandra Hüller) approached the ordinarily reclusive Grace to study the Astrophage, and help devise a plan to save Earth. It is determined that the answer lies in this distant sun, which is the current heading of Grace’s spacecraft.
Regardless of Project Hail Mary‘s objective quality, it’s the kind of science fiction story which easily satisfies science fiction fans. With stunning visual effects, mind-blowing science, and high stakes adventure, it’s easy to see how genre enthusiasts would enjoy Project Hail Mary. The real test is whether or not viewers hesitant about science fiction will connect with the story. Project Hail Mary succeeds in this goal, as its true strengths lie in its believable, soulful and fully realised characters, not in its commitment to scientific accuracy. For example, Christopher Nolan’s Interstellar (2014) was a staggering achievement in using cinematic spectacle to explain theoretical science, but its attempt at emotional resonance didn’t quite work. Project Hail Mary also delivers spectacular sequences of scientific concepts, but the script places more emphasis on the characters, their motivations, their emotions and their relationships. This is a human story designed to connect with all viewers, regardless of whether or not they’re a fan of the genre.
Project Hail Mary’s ability to take wild concepts and make them feel real is completely due to Phil Lord and Chris Miller’s talent as storytellers. Whether they are producing, writing, or in this case directing, Lord and Miller’s creative instincts have proven to be consistently strong, especially in their animated projects. From Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs (2009) to Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse (2023), Lord and Miller’s work delivers energy, vibrancy and imagination unmatched by other filmmakers. The directing duo’s ability to effortlessly balance complex plots, surreal visuals, bizarre concepts, side splitting humour, and genuinely heartfelt moments is on full display in Project Hail Mary. This isn’t an example of animation directors elevating themselves to live action, but rather an example of directors elevating live action cinema to the heights of animation.
With that in mind, it’s exciting that this creative team has opted for a traditional approach to practical visual effects, evident by the use of models, animatronics, set builds and rear screen projection. Films like this are usually realised through an overabundance of Green Screen and computer generated effects, but Lord and Miller have grown for a far more old fashioned, tactile approach. Unlike most special effects heavy blockbusters, Project Hail Mary doesn’t feel like a video game, and none of the objects in the frame feel weightless. This is a believable, tangible world, as every item on screen looks and feels real. If we didn’t know any better, we’d assume that the crew actually shot the film on a craft in outer space.
The fantastical elements actually being there on set was probably a joy for star Ryan Gosling, who spends majority of the film without interaction with other human beings. Famously, Ian McKellen had a breakdown during production of The Hobbit series (2012 – 2014), as he spent majority of his time on green screen sets, performing with nothing and no one. Gosling also has to act alone, but the fact that he’s in a dynamic, imaginative and detailed environment helps him deliver an absolutely stellar performance. This is arguably Gosling’s best work to date, as his performance is not only highly emotive and endearing, but highlights the film’s core narrative themes. Namely, Gosling’s performance perfectly represents the importance of heroism, bravery and friendship.
Given all of Project Hail Mary’s considerable merits, one has to ask, does it rank as one of the best science fiction films ever made? With enough time to ruminate, it’s very possible that it will be considered as such. Unfortunately, it’s not easy to anoint it right out of the gate, as nearly all of Project Hail Mary’s achievements are borrowed from earlier works in the science fiction genre. These narrative themes were done to perfection in Wall-E (2008), its innovative visual effects were previously innovated by Interstellar and Gravity (2013), and the blending of human emotion amidst bizarre concepts was already concocted by Arrival (2016). From almost every angle, Project Hail Mary is standing on the shoulders of giants. That being said, this doesn’t diminish Project Hail Mary’s excellence. After all, The Godfather (1972) wasn’t the first gangster film, Raiders of Lost Ark (1981) wasn’t the first adventure yarn, and The Lord of the Rings (2001 – 2003) wasn’t the first fantasy epic. Like Project Hail Mary, they may not have been the first, but they did improve on their predecessors revolutionary achievements.
Project Hail Mary had to meet some very high expectations, and it has reached those expectations with flying colours. Across it’s two hours and 36 minutes, Project Hail Mary is a joy to behold, meaning you’ll never once be looking at your watch. 2026 has barely begun, and there are plenty of films yet to grace our screens, but Project Hail Mary has set the bar very high.
9/10
Best way to watch it: If you haven’t read the book, avoid all trailers before watching.
