The Movie Man: ‘Project Hail Mary’ Takes a Shot – And Misses

Despite its exceptional special effects and charismatic performances, Project Hail Mary’s narrative reminds us of countless science-fiction movies that have graced the silver screen over the years. 

With the sun dying, an international crew of scientists turn to Ryland Grace (Ryan Gosling), a molecular biologist who has been reduced to a middle school science for audaciously pushing a seemingly ridiculous hypothesis that has turned out to be true. Believing his research to be essential for their mission, Grace is conscripted against his will.

It is a thoroughly scientific movie. Waking up alone light years from earth, Grace must figure out where he is and how to accomplish his mission. Along the way, he encounters an alien spacecraft piloted by a sole surviving mechanic on a similar planet-saving mission and must learn to communicate. This relationship gives us perspective about our own standards as Rocky, the alien Grace has named for his stone-like appearance, is repulsed by the fact that Grace eats through his mouth.

While I was emotionally invested in the characters from the get-go, I began to pick up patterns as the narrative played out. Accompanied by a nearly three-hour runtime, I found myself asking the question: how much longer? For all the phenomenal performances and dazzling special effects a movie may have (practical and digital), what good is it if your suspension of disbelief isn’t satisfied? It feels like a cookie-cutter movie no different than Interstellar or 2001: A Space Odyssey.

The only reason I can think of recommending this movie to someone is if they are fans of Ryan Gosling and just want an opportunity to see him act. The viewer will be entertained, as evidenced by the joint-director team of Phil Lord and Christopher Miller previously captivating audiences with The Lego Movie and Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse. However, Project Hail Mary will likely not be listed among the legacies of Gosling, Lord and Miller. It is safe to say that this is not worth the trip to the movies and could probably be screened on a rainy day via streaming.

About the Author: Having lived in Old Lyme and Lyme since the age of three, Kevin Ganey has a lifelong passion for cinema that goes beyond simply watching films. He is the creator of CityOfCinema.com, a site devoted to movie analysis, and co-hosts the Moviehouse Mystics podcast with Koda Uhl, available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube.