Project Hail Mary Review: Ryan Gosling Helms Smart Sci

It isn’t so long ago that the science fiction film genre felt incredibly short of ideas. Remakes and graphic novel adaptations were everywhere. So, a film full of new ideas (though it borrows from sci-fi forefathers), is welcome. Project Hail Mary feels like a throwback to the classic era of sci-fi storytelling. Science itself is the hero. Based on the novel by Andy Weir, the same author behind The Martian (and it shows), the film follows Ryland Grace, a scientist who wakes up alone on a spaceship with no memory of how he got there. Slowly, the truth becomes clear. The sun is dying, Earth faces extinction. Grace finds himself as humanity’s last hope. It is a solid premise. From the opening moments, the film has a sense of scale and urgency, but it never forgets that the real story is about a person trying to figure things out one step at a time. That approach gives the film a human heart and a feeling of a family movie. Spoilers incoming… Weir’s Core Premise One of the biggest strengths of Project Hail Mary is its central idea, true to Weir’s source material. The discovery of Astrophage (microscopic organisms that feed on solar energy) is one of those concepts that feels both wildly imaginative and believable enough to go with it. The film leans heavily into the science, verging on hard sci-fi, but it never becomes overwhelming. It treats problem-solving like an adventure. This is also true of the book. Watching Grace experiment and adapt becomes the driving force of the story. There are moments that feel like puzzles, where the audience is invited to think along with him. That sense of discovery is what keeps the film engaging for such a long runtime. Even when the story slows down, there is always another mystery to solve or another obstacle to overcome. Gosling’s Charm and Humanity At the centre of everything is Ryan Gosling, and it is hard to imagine the film working nearly as well without him. His performance is easily one of the film’s strengths. Grace is not a typical action hero. He is awkward and often unsure of himself. He feels like a real person. He’s shown as the kind of teacher who might crack a joke to hide his fear. Gosling leans into that personality, playing the character as a lovable, geeky scientist rather than a fearless space adventurer. There is a warmth to the performance that makes the audience root for him. He improvises. He celebrates small victories. He makes being alone in space feel somehow relatable. That humanity is what keeps the film grounded. It turns a high-concept story into something personal. And that’s where we meet our unignorable buddy. One of the film’s biggest surprises is the relationship between Grace and the alien he meets during the mission. Rocky, as Grace names him, could easily have been a gimmick. Some will see him as such. But I am always a sucker for cute alien companions. Their friendship develops slowly. First Contact becomes just one part of this sci-fi epic. The scenes where they learn to understand each other are some of the most enjoyable in the movie. There is humour and genuine warmth in their interactions. By the time the story reaches its final act, their bond carries emotional weight. Grace’s decision to sacrifice his return to Earth in order to save Rocky and his species is one of the film’s most powerful moments. It turns a story about survival into a story about friendship and compassion. The Martian Comparison The similarities between Project Hail Mary and The Martian are obvious. Both are based on novels by Andy Weir. Both feature scientists stranded in space. Both rely heavily on problem-solving rather than action. In many ways, Project Hail Mary feels like a natural successor. But there are differences. The Martian was tighter and more focused. It was built around a single survival challenge and getting an astronaut home. Project Hail Mary is broader and more emotional. It also requires more of a leap in terms of imagination due to our alien company. That is not necessarily a bad thing. It gives the film a different identity. Still, it is hard not to feel that the earlier film set a slightly higher bar in terms of pacing and structure. On the surface, Project Hail Mary plays like a big, accessible science fiction adventure. It has humour, spectacle, and a sense of wonder that makes it easy to enjoy with a wide audience. I’ve already mentioned that this feels like the kind of film families can watch together. But underneath that friendly exterior are some genuinely dark themes. The idea of Earth slowly freezing to death is unsettling and again, a relatable element in a movie that does go to adventurous places (metaphorically and literally). There are moments when the film confronts the reality of sacrifice and the possibility of failure. There is even a dark twist regarding exactly how Grace ended up on the ship in the first place. Those darker elements can feel like a sudden shift in tone at times. One scene might be light and humorous, while the next deals with extinction or isolation. That contrast can be jarring. The Score One aspect of the film that deserves more attention is the music. Daniel Pemberton’s score plays a crucial role in shaping the mood, guiding the audience through the film’s emotional shifts. It builds tension during moments of danger and adds warmth during scenes of friendship. It also creates a sense of otherworldly awe when the story explores the vastness of space. Even subtle musical cues help maintain momentum during slower sections. What stands out most is how well the music adapts to the film’s changing tone. It never feels out of place. Instead, it supports the story in a way that feels natural and effective. It Runs Too Long For all its strengths, Project Hail Mary has a major flaw. It is simply too long. At over two and a half hours, the film occasionally feels stretched. Certain sequences linger longer than necessary. I think some explanations could have been trimmed without losing clarity. There are moments when the pacing slows just enough to break the momentum. It is one of those movies that you think is going to end before it adds another twist. Even cutting twenty minutes would likely have made a noticeable difference. This is not a fatal problem. The film remains entertaining throughout, and there are very few scenes that feel completely unnecessary. But the length does hold it back slightly. There is a scene where Gosling takes his teaching role to a new planet to teach the alien youth about science. Farfetched, and unnecessary in a film that is already running long. These kinds of bizarre scenes seem to destroy any realism or grounding in reality that the film has worked to build. There is a lot to admire about Project Hail Mary. It is heartfelt and genuinely fun to watch. I laughed a lot at the comedic moments in the relationship. It embraces science instead of spectacle and cooperation instead of conflict. The powers of Earth even work together for good (perhaps this is more difficult to imagine than a talking rock-like alien). The performances are strong, the premise is compelling, and the emotional core is surprisingly powerful. But the film never quite reaches the level of greatness that its best moments suggest. That does not mean it falls short as a movie. Far from it. Project Hail Mary is a smart, engaging science fiction adventure that captures the spirit of classic sci-fi storytelling. Ryan Gosling’s performance gives the film warmth and personality. The concept of Astrophage is solid. But with a slightly shorter runtime and tighter pacing, it might have been something even greater. As it stands, Project Hail Mary gets very close to classic status. For me, it just slightly misses the mark. That said, I’d consider this a must-watch for any sci-fi fan (as long as you don’t mind a bit of light relief). Required fields are marked *