Project Hail Mary Review: Ryan Gosling's Charm Saves Unserious Space Mission
Ryan Gosling brings his signature charm to Project Hail Mary, a sci-fi comedy film adapted from Andy Weir's bestselling novel. The movie follows a desperate astronaut mission launched to save Earth from alien microbes threatening the sun, but it leans heavily into silliness and lighthearted humour.
A Charming Lead in a Peculiar Plot
Gosling plays Dr Ryland Grace, a high school science teacher who wakes up on a spacecraft with amnesia, tasked with figuring out how to rescue humanity after his crew dies. His performance is seductive and unruffled, keeping the film watchable despite moments of dullness and puppyish silliness. The directors, Phil Lord and Chris Miller, known for their comedy track record, infuse the story with a breezy, unserious tone that echoes Weir's previous work, The Martian.
Human-Alien Bromance and Flashback Sequences
The heart of the film lies in Dr Grace's relationship with Rocky, a friendly spider-shaped alien who helps save the day. Their communication, rendered in simple phrases like "Rocky fix," adds a quirky touch. Flashbacks show Grace's recruitment by Eva Stratt, played by Sandra Hüller, but these sequences feel more like plot devices than crucial memory elements, simply varying the setting without deep narrative weight.
Sci-Fi Tropes and Final Verdict
Project Hail Mary avoids the awe of films like Interstellar, instead embracing classic spacecraft tropes with vertiginous tunnels and pop music. While the final moment before credits feels like a kids' TV show, Gosling's charisma ensures the Hail Mary pass is caught. The film releases on 19 March in Australia and the UK, and 20 March in the US.
