I’ve never been a full-fledged science fiction fan. I can appreciate it sometimes; for example, I liked “Interstellar,” but you couldn’t pay me to sit through “Star Trek.” I find it incredibly rare to find what I like in a movie in the sci-fi genre.
I love when a movie provides emotional connection, humor, and action all at the same time and keeps me excited to watch it again and again.
“Project Hail Mary” was one of those rare sci-fi gems that hooked me from the start and kept me until the end — I even cried twice.
I’m unable to say whether it was an accurate adaptation of the book, as I haven’t read it, but I can say from what I know, it was spectacular.
Going in, I expected great visuals and a space survival story, maybe something akin to “The Martian,” which is also a movie adaptation of a book written by Andy Weir. This is an important place to note that I liked “The Martian,” but I can’t say it’s in my top 5.
“Project Hail Mary” and Ryan Gosling as its star absolutely delivered on the tension and problem-solving side, but what surprised me the most was just how emotionally invested I became. It wasn’t just a classic story about saving the world, it also had incredibly strong friendship and resilience themes.
The movie follows Ryland Grace, a scientist and middle school teacher, who wakes up alone on a spaceship with absolutely no memory of who he is or why he’s there. His memories slowly return throughout the movie, framed into flashbacks, and as he remembers, the mission strengthens and the viewing experience intensifies.
This structure kept me constantly engaged and revealed just enough at a time to build the suspense and tension without confusing the audience. It kept me leaning forward, on the edge of my seat, trying to piece it all together at the same time as Grace.
One of “Project Hail Mary”’s biggest strengths is how it actually handles the science. I’m not a huge science or sci-fi person, so sometimes it’s easy to feel talked down to when these types of movies get caught up in complexity and scientific details.
Something else that really made this movie stand out to me is just how much heart it has. The audience gets to feel so much warmth and humanity watching the characters interact. I can’t say I went in expecting this, but it added so much to what could’ve just been a survival narrative.
And then, there’s the twist. Without spoiling anything, this is one of those moments in a movie where everything clicks into place in the last 40 minutes in a way that completely surprises the viewer. It caught me so off guard — in the best way possible.
I found myself debriefing in the car, rethinking the entire movie and wanting to watch it again with the new perspective I’d gained from the twist at the end.
If I had any criticism to offer, and I searched hard to find any, it’s that some sections can feel a little explanation-heavy, which could slow the experience. This is a small trade off, in my opinion, but could take some viewers out of the story.
At the end of the day, “Project Hail Mary” is an absolute 10/10 from me. It’s easily one of the most memorable sci-fi movies I’ve ever seen.
