Project Hail Mary Review: A Sci-Fi Dazzler with Nostalgic Charm
This Ryan Gosling vehicle is immensely likeable and technically impressive, even if it carries the distinct whiff of top-shelf nostalgia. Directed by Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, the film dazzles with its blend of past sci-fi greats, yet subtly questions the direction of modern cinema.
Nostalgia and Modern Filmmaking
Project Hail Mary is some top-shelf nostalgia. It does not signal especially happy days ahead for film culture that immense skill and effort are funnelled into giving a contemporary movie the illusion it was released in 1979. This covertly reinforces the idea that analogue filmmaking is an artefact of the past, rather than something integrated into a more modern style. However, that is a concern for another time, as this film shines with effervescent charm.
Plot and Characters
In the story, Ryan Gosling becomes best friends with an alien, overcoming cultural and linguistic barriers to save their respective planets from a sun-consuming threat. It is an alchemically perfected mix of classic sci-fi elements, with nods to Spielberg and Kubrick, feeling familiar yet not exhausted. Gosling's character, Ryland Grace, wakes up on a spaceship light-years from home with no memory, and the film primarily focuses on his journey alongside an extraterrestrial buddy, who mirrors Gosling's cool demeanor.
Technical Excellence
The film is immaculate to look at, available in 12 formats including 70mm and IMAX. Cinematographer Greig Fraser, known for Dune and The Batman, showcases beautiful, dynamic lighting on a blockbuster scale. Design elements, such as a yellow raincoat costume by David Crossman and Glyn Dillon, evoke nostalgia akin to Marty McFly's orange puffer vest. The science is pitched at a digestible level, making viewers feel smart, reminiscent of explanations in films like Event Horizon.
Broader Themes and Impact
Based on Andy Weir's 2021 novel and adapted by Drew Goddard, Project Hail Mary promotes a comforting, idealistic outlook: scientific collaboration across nations and galaxies can save humanity. It serves as escapist entertainment into a hopeful world. Supporting performances, like Sandra Hüller's phlegmatic role, add depth to the intellectual establishment on Earth. While Gosling's role in Barbie may define his career, his portrayal here reflects the same ethos of a cool actor playing a goofball.
Cinema's Precarious Position
With cinema in a precarious state, Project Hail Mary might remind audiences why they fell in love with the medium. It fetishises late Sixties and Seventies sound and production design, similar to recent Alien franchise entries, and includes homages like a red spacesuit echoing 2001: A Space Odyssey. Sometimes, to move forward, it helps to look back, making this film a potential beacon for film culture's revival.
