It’s another great space adventure that doesn’t disappoint! Project Hail Mary is the best movie of the year so far…that’s not an exaggeration! Yes, it’s a little too early to see if it’s going to be the best movie of 2026, but I have no doubt that it will be one of the best movies of the year and one you should definitely see it in theaters. Adapted from the book by Andy Weir who wrote The Martian, it’s another great story where science can literally save the life of the main character. I enjoy his stories because we get these entertaining science lessons about how to survive. That was one of the reasons I love The Martian so much and think it’s one of the best space movies over the last 50 years. Andy’s storytelling has a way of making science fun especially in a survival setting and Project Hail Mary is no different. While I am not familiar with the book, I can say without a doubt that the movie is a big fun science lesson. I’ll say right off the bat, I thoroughly enjoyed the movie even though I have some minor critiques.
Ryan Gosling makes this movie worth watching. He’s always been a talented actor, and he makes good movies. In fact, he’s made one of my all-time favorite science fiction films, Blade Runner 2049. He has the ability to do really good dark and serious roles, but also funny and light-hearted. His comedic timing makes this movie entertaining and also helps make all the science stuff within the story a lot of fun. Make no mistake though, this is very much his movie as he has the most screen time. The best part of his performance is interacting with the rock alien and trying to figure out a way to communicate as they learn from one another. There’s a lot of great references and jokes that work and make their relationship fun in the movie. While I enjoyed his performance in his other NASA movie, First Man where he played Neil Armstrong, I believe this movie is a better showcase of his talents. If you’re not really a fan of Ryan Gosling, you may not enjoy this movie as much because y the audience spends a lot of time with his character.
For me, I’ve always been a fan especially with indie movies that showcase his talent like Drive or Half Nelson, or a little indie gem called The United States of Leland…If you’re a fan of his, check those movies out, it’s worth your time. Besides Ryan Gosling, the rest of the cast is great and the other standout performance is from Sandra Hüller who plays the project leader that recruits Ryan gosling’s character. Her dry wit and sense of humor is a great counterbalance to Ryan gosling’s quirkiness in the film. She is a wonderful actress and if you have not seen Anatomy of a Fall, please check it out. She gives an Oscar Worthy performance in that movie. While we do not get to spend too much time with both of them on screen together, they make every scene count and add to what makes this movie great. For me the best part of the movie is having to test everything and problem solve especially in the beginning of the movie Ryan’s character has to create a box with no light and get all the parts from a big chain hardware store. However, the best scenes are with Ryan and the rock monster working together on their spaceships. The scenes are funny, heartwarming, and gives the audience the right amount of intense drama that keeps you glued to the screen.
My biggest criticism is in some ways this movie is a little too long. Clocking in at 156 minutes, it can kind of feel long when telling the story. That may be more of an editing problem than anything else. Since this story is done by the same author who did The Martian it’s easy to compare this movie to the Ridley Scott film which was right about 2 hours and did not feel long at all. But despite the fact this movie might be a little too long, every scene counts when it comes to the characters how to save earth. I won’t venture into what’s causing the problem or how they do it to avoid spoilers. Each scene is important, I’m not taking away from that, but when it comes to telling a concise story, sometimes less is more. I enjoy this movie, but I also think that Andy Weir’s story of The Martian is a lot better because while there is a main character, it doesn’t just solely focus on that character…the film isn’t a one-man show and in some ways Project Hail Mary very much feels like a one-man show. The best disaster space movies are the ones where you have a really good cast who has to work together to survive…Apollo 13 being a great example. However, Ryan Gosling’s heartfelt comedic performance with the rock alien that he officially calls “Rocky” makes the journey of watching a nearly 3-hour movie worth it. This may be more of a minor criticism, but at the same time I can’t wait to watch the movie again from the comfort of my home. The other minor critique that takes away from Andy Weir’s storytelling is his ability to over-explain, but make the science fun, engaging, and important the story. He’s clearly a science geek who not only wants to entertain with his stories, but educate. That’s what made The Martian so great. We don’t see that as much in this movie and I think that’s a bit of a downer, But at the same time, doesn’t take away from the “awesomeness” of this movie.
Project Hail Mary is certainly a movie you should experience in theaters. This is the kind of movie that’s perfect for IMAX and worth the price of movie tickets. My criticisms do not outweigh all the positives when it comes to watching the film. Phil Lord and Chris Miller who directed the movie do a fantastic job. With great performances, funny and heartwarming moments that can make you laugh and cry, this film is a must-watch. I also believe this is one of Ryan Gosling’s best movies. As a Star Wars fan I hope that his new Starfighter movie will be good, but I have a sneaking suspicion that his performance in Project Hail Mary will be better. The purpose of NASA was always to explore, it inspired generations to want to go and explore the stars. This film has that same spirit. As corny as it may sound, it is inspirational. It is a tale of heroes. More importantly it’s a feel-good movie that is worth seeing. My final verdict…yes, it’s a good movie and you should get your IMAX tickets today! If you do miss it in theaters, definitely watch it on digital. If you’re a fan of The Martian with Matt Damon, then you won’t be disappointed in Project Hail Mary…I guarantee it!
