Project Hail Mary

A tremendous amount of heart went into Project Hail Mary, and that sentimentality pours through every frame. Whether that works for you will depend on your tolerance for the film’s relentlessly earnest tone, but if anyone is going to make a pop-culture-savvy blockbuster full of humor, sincerity, and emotional swings, I’d trust Phil Lord and Christopher Miller to do it. The duo behind 21 Jump Street and Spider-Verse have always been gifted at balancing irreverence with genuine feeling, and they once again build to emotional highs that many of their contemporaries struggle to reach. Their commitment to practical effects and ability to draw strong performances from their casts only strengthens the package.

Ryan Gosling is terrific as Ryland Grace, a former molecular biologist and public school science teacher who finds himself humanity’s last hope when a mysterious substance known as astrophage begins dimming the sun. The story jumps between Grace’s memories on Earth, where he works alongside Project Hail Mary leader Eva Stratt (Sandra Hüller) to understand the crisis, and his present-day mission in deep space after waking up as the lone surviving crew member. The film really comes alive, though, when Grace encounters Rocky, an alien traveler on a similar mission to save his own world. Watching the two learn each other’s languages, cultures, and motivations creates the movie’s strongest and most charming moments.

The film frequently bounces between broad humor and surprisingly dense scientific concepts, occupying an unusual space somewhere between a family adventure and a more adult science-fiction drama. Adapted from Andy Weir’s novel by Drew Goddard, it shares plenty of DNA with The Martian, though Lord and Miller approach the material with a far lighter and more playful sensibility than Ridley Scott did. There are moments when the emotional beats feel a little overworked, but the movie’s sense of wonder and optimism carries it through most of those bumps.

I ended up liking Project Hail Mary quite a bit. Sandra Hüller is somewhat underutilized, and the film’s 156-minute runtime occasionally drags as it cycles through what feels like several possible endings. Still, it’s difficult not to be swept up by how heartfelt and sincere the whole thing is. If Hollywood is going to keep making giant, crowd-pleasing blockbusters loaded with references, needle drops, and audience-friendly humor, Lord and Miller are currently doing it better than almost anyone. The result is a sweet, affecting adventure that leaves you feeling genuinely grateful it exists.