Hail Mary– a last ditch effort to complete a difficult goal or task, usually ending up in failure. That is what the movie “Project Hail Mary” perfectly presents. A seemingly impossible task, set upon a molecular biologist turned science teacher named Ryland Grace, who is stuck out in space. In the hopes of saving his world, he meets an alien life form he names Rocky. He slowly regains his memories, realizing his goal and purpose as time goes by. Throughout this movie, Together Grace and Rocky must push the limits of bravery and courage in order to save their planet’s stars from a mysterious organism which threatens to black out their stars.
A great movie needs a few things: a good plot, with strong characters and subjects, a moment or two that make you feel like the movie is real, and lastly, someone with the name Ryan. This movie exceeds these “few things”, and I believe that reason doesn’t just come from Ryan Gosling or the plot, but from the heart of the movie– the realism behind making it and the soul put into it. Gosling wanted to make this a movie before it was even a book. Back in 2020, he had already purchased the rights before the book was even released. This movie was his passion project, and he used nontraditional methods of film making to give it personality.
Gosling is now officially one of, if not my favorite, actors of all time. This movie sold it for me. I want to see more from him, I want to re-watch “Barbie,” I want to watch “La La Land,” I want more. The ability for him to make almost a whole theater cry with one look, one scene, astonishes me. All I could hear was the sniffling and shaky inhale of others, including myself.
Rocky was real. Not in the literal sense of course, but he felt real. This most likely stems from the fact that he was a puppet– not CGI or any other trick, but a real puppet, controlled and voice acted by James Ortiz. I think that’s another reason this movie felt real, because the connection between Grace and Rocky was real. It wasn’t like “The Hobbit” franchise where Ian McKellen was talking to a green screen for much of the films. Gosling and Rocky actually spoke to each other, creating a sense of realism and connection many movies seem to lose.
The movie isn’t just a space sci-fi movie, it is a work of art. Seeing the colors and the beauty of the movie with my very eyes was shocking. The work put in to make these scenes was nothing short of genius. What surprised me the most was the exemption of green or blue screens during the entire filming of the movie. All visual effects were created with either CGI or special camera tricks. This was to make a more grounded and real environment for the actors to work with, helping to emphasize the connection between the actors and the film.
Sound and music help to dig a movie deep into the viewer’s heart. Using a variety of sound tracks that are just perfect for a movie can give it that last little “umph” to the viewer. “Project Hail Mary” uses a variety of songs, from songs like, “Two of Us” by the Beatles, fitting perfectly to symbolize Grace and Rocky’s friendship, to “Sign of the Times” by Harry Styles, giving the movie its anthem and heart throughout not only the film but its social media influence.
A wave of emotions travel through the viewer when they watch this movie. One second you’re laughing at the funny banter between Rocky and Grace, the next you are on the verge of tears. In many cases you felt both. Not being able to hold back your laughter even when tears build in your eyes. That’s how it felt for me at least while I watched the film. It is one of the funniest movies I’ve watched in years, yet the saddest at the same time. The humor was perfect, at the perfect moment, with the right delivery. Sad moments felt well timed, fitting in with the subtle humor.
“Interstellar” is one of, if not the greatest sci-fi space movie in the world. IMDB rates it an 8.7 which is not bad for IMDB’s harsh rankings. “Project Hail Mary” is rated 9.6, almost an entire digit higher than “Interstellar.” “Project Hail Mary” reminds me a lot of “Interstellar,” not because it’s a space movie, but because it centers around characters who sacrifice their life for the future of their planet and people, showing bravery and courage in an otherwise nerve racking situation.
“Project Hail Mary” is a movie to last, to be talked about and laughed about for years to come. The movie shows bravery and courage in a man who thought himself to have none of these traits. I would rate this movie a 9.8 out of ten. It was a thrilling movie that had me wanting to jump out of my seat. Made me want to tear up hours after watching it. I told my sister after walking out of the theater if we could go in and watch it again. I am sad that I have not found time to go and watch this movie ten times over. You would be a fool to not watch this movie, and a greater fool to not watch it again.
