“Project Hail Mary” was directed by Phil Lord & Chris Miller and based on the 2021 move log the same name by Andy Weir. The film stars Ryan Gosling, Sandra Huller & Lionel Bryce. This is the second film that was adapted from one of Andy Weir’s novels after 2015’s “The Martian”, which was directed by Ridley Scott. MGM Grand / Amazon were quickly trying to acquire the rights to novel before the novel was even published. Lord & Miller were originally asked to write and directed the film but due to their commitment to “Spider Man: Across the Spider Verse”, MGM turned to Drew Goddard to pin the script, who previously wrote “The Martian” as well as “World War Z” & “Bad Times at the El Royale”.
In this film, Ryland Grace (Gosling) awakens aboard a spacecraft that is light years away from Earth, having no memory of how he got there. As he tries assess his situation, he gets bits & pieces of his past, which sees him back on Earth as a middle school science teacher. The film’s overall storyline centers around a liquid fluid that seems to be absorbing the energy of the sun which is causing to lose its radiant energy which in the long run could lead to a burn out, leading to the end our planet. Grace is also a molecular biologist who asked for his help by a German government agent, Eva Stratt (Hulller) who represents the United Nations. The plan is for a crew to head out of our solar system to one star in particular that is not affected by the liquid fluid & discover why. However, the crew is aware that this is a suicide mission regardless of the outcome. When Grace realizes he’s only one left in space, he’s mental state slowly deteriorates but with one last glimmer of hope, another spacecraft finds Grace’s, with its sole occupant being a rock spider, speaking a very unusual language but can be interpreted. Now, Grace must figure how to complete the mission and not only save the world but also his new companion.
With Andy Weir’s novel & Drew Goddard’s adaptation, this film felt as if it had a chance to be successful given the success of 2015’s “The Martian”. I’m happy to say that this film was not only better than “The Martian” but a fantastic film all the way around. Ryan Gosling, alone, carries this film as his range of emotions is incredible from beginning to end. Being both charming & vulnerable, Gosling proves his strengths as an actor. The cinematography is outstanding from the interior shots in the spaceship to the moments Ryan Gosling is in space. A top tier look into a world beyond our own. 95% of the film was Gosling & the spider and honestly, in this film, that’s fine. The comparisons to The Martian were evident giving the novel & the script but I can also see comparisons to the Adam Sandler Netflix film, 2024’s “Spaceman”. A lone space traveler who is teamed with a spider creature. Granted, this film was WAY better than the Netflix film but there are certain similarities. The fact that MGM / Amazon were clamoring at the film rights of the novel before it was even published, says a lot now having seen the movie.
The film premiered in London on March 6th 2026 before hitting theaters in the U.S. on March 20th.
An enthralling sci-fi masterpiece! Ryan Gosling delivers a phenomenal performance, carrying the film with his emotional depth and vulnerability. The cinematography is breathtaking, and the story is both haunting and hopeful. With a gripping narrative and stunning visuals, ‘Project Hail Mary’ surpasses ‘The Martian’ and solidifies itself as a standout in the genre. A must-watch for space exploration and sci-fi enthusiast