We all knew that a sci-fi adaptation from the minds behind The Lego Movie, the Spider-Verse and Jump Street was going to be good, but this incredibly good?! We knew that too. They’ve treated us to a rare science fiction extravaganza that manages to be brainy but not pretentious, emotional without ever being manipulative, funny while still being grounded in reality, and with a visual spectacle that doesn’t drown in spectacle. Under Messrs Phil Lord & Christopher Miller – a duo known for the aforementioned films that inject wit and clarity into even the most chaotic of narratives – Project Hail Mary is both refreshingly playful and meticulously engineered. It, quite simply, is the first masterpiece of 2026.
If you don’t know the book from Andy Weir – he of The Martian fame – the film has a relatively simple but supremely intriguing hook: a man (the irrepressible Ryan Gosling) wakes up in a spaceship – as you do – with absolutely no memory of how or why he got there. Unshaven and with long hair, he soon regains his memory, and the truth unfolds like the end of a solar eclipse. He has been sent across the galaxy to save Earth from a mysterious threat that is killing the Sun. And he’s the only man who can do the job.
If you were expecting a space film that was going to dump excruciating amounts of techie mumbo jumbo and exposition on you, leaving you wondering what the hell anyone was talking about, don’t fret: similar to Ridley Scott’s adaptation of The Martian, step forward screenwriter Drew Goddard to keep everything on an understandable and hugely enjoyable projection. Curiosity runs through every scene, and the film treats the science as something exciting and playful rather than intimidating.
Much of that enduring quality, surprise surprise, is from Gosling, whose performance is simply mesmerising. Much is demanded of the central role, carrying a story that largely unfolds in the solitude of space, but he keeps the film lively, relatable and spellbinding, bringing his mix of sardonic humour, quiet desperation, and genuine intellectual curiosity. It’s a fascinating combination: he sells the character’s scientific competence without resorting to the cliché of the emotionally detached genius with his usual wit, warmth and awkward enthusiasm. His reactions to the increasingly strange surroundings raise smiles, too, but his ability to be sincere as well as funny is what the film needed, and it’s another effortlessly likeable turn that’s easily one of his finest hours.
Then, of course, he is coupled with the visual majesty of Lord & Miller behind the camera and, as with much of their previous work, marries opulent, magnificent visuals with their knack for spectacle and storytelling, making them perfect foils for the Project Hail Mary’s hefty concepts and oozing with confidence as they tell their story with clarity and oozing with confidence. The movie never loses sight of its sense of fun, and coupled with the filmmakers’ choice to make as much of the film in camera as they could, it harks back to a bygone era of Hollywood where the visuals amplify rather than overpower.
The effects, mind you, are dazzling. With no green or blue screen, the film relies on real sets and ILM’s digital wizards to magnify the wonderful production design by Charles Wood, Greig Fraser’s spectacular cinematography and Daniel Pemberton’s wondrous score, coalescing into the visual wonder that looks immersive, exciting and supremely engaging. There are some genuine awe-inspiring visuals here that need to be seen on the IMAX screen to be fully immersed in its splendour, not to mention the film’s MVP, Rocky, a digital alien-being that becomes Gosling’s partner in crime in the film. Prepare for emotional devastation, though.
A celebration of curiosity, co-operation, friendship, ingenuity and heroism, as well as weaving themes of self-preservation and moral obligation, Project Hail Mary is an utterly spellbinding triumph. Smart, heartfelt, supremely entertaining and visually engrossing, it’s a one-of-a-kind experience. Anchored by Gosling’s charismatic central turn and Lord & Miller’s inspired direction, it earns every one of its cosmic five stars.
★★★★★
In cinemas March 19th (previews on March 14th and 15th) / Ryan Gosling, Sandra Hüller, Lional Boyce, Ken Leung, Milana Vayntrub, James Ortiz, Priya Kansara / Dirs: Phil Lord & Christopher Miller / Sony Pictures UK, Amazon MGM Studios / 12A
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