'Project Hail Mary' Review
- Tyler Strandberg
- 2 hours ago
- 4 min read
Release Date: 03/20/26 [Cinemas]
Genre: Drama. SciFi. Thriller.
MPAA: Rated PG13.
Distributor: Amazon MGM Studios.
The Verdict: A Must-See
In 2017, directing duo Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, known for the sharp comedy of 21 Jump Street and the animated hit The Lego Movie, were tapped to helm a film adaptation of Andy Weir’s novel Artemis. After the runaway success of both Weir’s novel The Martian and its acclaimed film adaptation, anticipation for his next story was already running high. But when Weir shared an early manuscript of a new project he was developing, Lord and Miller quickly shifted their attention to what would soon become Project Hail Mary. The novel rocketed onto the New York Times bestseller list, and plans for a film adaptation soon followed. With a star studded cast already assembled, Project Hail Mary dazzles as a thrilling translation of the novel to the screen, pairing impressive technical craft with a surprisingly heartfelt story that lingers long after the credits roll.
When a strange algae-like organism is discovered drifting in space, former molecular biologist turned junior high science teacher Dr. Ryland Grace (Ryan Gosling) is unexpectedly pulled back into the world of high stakes research. He is recruited by European Space Administrator Eva Stratt (Sandra Hüller), who tasks him with studying the mysterious species. The discovery quickly escalates into a global emergency when scientists realize the organism is slowly dimming the sun, threatening to plunge Earth into a devastating new ice age. As panic spreads and time runs short, Grace is thrust into the role of lead scientist for Project Hail Mary, a daring mission designed to uncover how the planet, and humanity itself, might still be saved.
As the film’s central figure, Gosling delivers a grounded, heartfelt, and frequently hilarious performance as the lone astronaut aboard the Hail Mary. Already a three time Oscar nominee, he blends the emotional vulnerability of performances like La La Land with the sharp comedic timing he showed in Barbie. Carrying an entire film on one character’s shoulders is no small task, yet Gosling makes it look remarkably natural. He brings warmth, curiosity, and genuine humanity to every moment, turning what could have been a purely technical sci-fi role into something deeply personal. It is the kind of performance that could easily earn him a fourth Oscar nomination, and if the year breaks the right way, perhaps even his first win.
Appearing in a smaller but crucial supporting role, Sandra Hüller arrives fresh off her remarkable Oscar double header with Anatomy of a Fall and The Zone of Interest. Here, she takes on the role of government administrator Eva Stratt with a commanding presence. Stratt is direct, calculating, and unwaveringly focused on the mission at hand, yet Hüller brings an intelligence and subtle depth that keeps the character from feeling one note. Through small shifts in tone and expression, she reveals a person carrying the immense weight of impossible decisions. What could have been a purely rigid authority figure becomes something far more layered, leaving the audience to grapple with the difficult moral ground Stratt is forced to stand on.
Much of Project Hail Mary unfolds aboard the spacecraft itself, with Gosling carrying long stretches of the film largely on his own. The setting could easily have felt claustrophobic or repetitive, but the film finds ways to keep the environment visually interesting throughout. Without relying on traditional green screen VFX, the ship feels like a real, lived in space, which helps ground the story even as the science fiction elements grow larger in scale. Cinematographer Greig Fraser, who won the Oscar for Dune, brings a sharp visual eye to the film, finding creative ways to shoot within the tight confines of the ship while still giving the story a sense of movement and scale. Matching Fraser’s work is composer Daniel Pemberton, whose score becomes one of the film’s strongest technical elements. Following his acclaimed work on the Spider-Verse films, Pemberton crafts a sound that moves between tension, wonder, and quiet emotion, giving the film an energy that carries through even its most introspective moments.
Lord and Miller prove to be a strong creative match for the material, capturing the novel’s spirit and translating its sense of wonder and humor to the screen. Still, much of the film’s success rests with screenwriter Drew Goddard, who adapts Andy Weir’s story with remarkable precision. Goddard, who also wrote the screenplay for The Martian, clearly understands how to preserve Weir’s voice while reshaping it for a cinematic audience. Scene by scene, the film follows the novel’s emotional and narrative rhythms with impressive care. A few elements naturally land a bit differently on screen than they do on the page, but for the most part the film manages to recreate the same excitement, curiosity, and warmth that made the book such a joy to read.
Unfortunately, one of the few moments that does not translate quite as smoothly to the screen is the film’s opening. When Dr. Ryland Grace awakens aboard the Hail Mary with no memory of where he is or how he got there, the sequence leans heavily into frantic confusion. The story clearly intends to place the audience in the same disoriented position as Grace, slowly piecing together what is happening alongside him. In practice, though, the tone lands a bit differently. Instead of inviting curiosity and discovery, the scene carries an uneasy, almost unsettling energy. Moments that seem meant to be humorous land somewhat awkwardly, leaving the opening feeling more uncomfortable than playfully mysterious.
Aside from a slightly uneven opening, Project Hail Mary proves to be a thrilling and remarkably successful leap from page to screen. Lord and Miller bring confident direction, Drew Goddard’s script captures the spirit of Andy Weir’s story, and the film is carried by strong performances and impressive technical work across the board. What ultimately makes the film stand out, though, is how much heart it brings to a story built on big scientific ideas. Beneath the spectacle and high stakes is a deeply human story about curiosity, cooperation, and the willingness to do something extraordinary for the sake of others. By its conclusion, Project Hail Mary leaves behind not just the excitement of a great science fiction adventure, but the satisfying feeling of having experienced something genuinely uplifting.