Project Hail Mary - Connection Over Difference

Project Hail Mary was an emotional rollercoaster which didn't fall short of the hype. The stunning visuals, acting, and story made it the most talked about movie this year.

Summary (No Spoilers)

The story follows a science teacher Ryland Grace in space waking up on a space ship with no memory of who he is, or how he got there. He slowly gets his memory back throughout the movie, and finds out that he was tasked to understand and report back why the sun is dying. It's a long journey, and along the way meets a new friend who helps him.

What Worked

The story initially made me think this was going to be a stereotypical "save the world" arc, as many space movies do, but it quickly proved to be much more than that. The main theme of the movie was solidarity and companionship, and how people (and aliens) are stronger together. Grace's bond with the Eridian species 'Rocky' was the highlight. There was a strong contrast between the two at first. Grace was very closed off, while Rocky was incredibly clingy. It's a humourous bond but it evolves into something meaningful, and the emotional backbone of the film. It reinforces the film's core message about connection and trust prevailing differences.

The acting in the film was incredible too. Ryan Gosling acts out Grace's character arc with poise and versatility. He's able to convincingly shift from a reluctant school teacher to someone who becomes capable of sacrifice and heroism. While Grace doesn't start off 'selfish', it's clear at the start of the film that he does tend to avoid responsibility, and choose the safe path. In his initial meeting with Stratt, there's significant hesitation when he is asked to critique his own research, which suggests he is worried for his own career. Ryan Gosling gives the impression of high intelligence but a weakness in mindset and conviction. This hesitation contrasts his later actions where he is forced to make high-stake decisions, which is driven through his bond with Rocky, who in a way is the catalyst for this transformation. By the end of the film, Grace is defiend by his willignness to put others before himself.

The visuals in the film were incredible. There was a lack of CGI which made the film much more admirable and appealing. As a space movie, we definitely came in with high expectations and it delivered. The colour palette was strong, and they didn't shy away from vibrant colours. Scenes with Rocky started off with mute colours, and as their bond grew, we began to see more vivid and bright colours being used. The design of Rocky was one of the more creative elements of the film. Though he's essentially a rock, he's incredibly expressive and we can undestand him. It adds to their initial contrast.

The story was quite original too. Whilst it wasn't on the same level of complexity of Interstellar, it hits harder emotionally. The 'save the world' trope isn't the main theme of the movie, but rather the focus on companionship. Within this story, there is more of ablend with science and humour, as opposed to other space movies with a similar theme. I think this adds to the originality of the story, and surprises the audience.

What Didn’t Work

One of the only critiques I have from this film was the ending felt a bit rushed. Towards the final act, we discover that Rocky's ship is destroyed due to the Xenonite. Grace embarks on a long journey save him, and then settles in Erid. This part of his story was done in the last 15 minutes of the film. Spending more time exploring this part of hte story would have made the conclusion feel more complete.

Final Verdict

I definitely recommend watching this film. If you can watch it in IMAX, even better. The visuals and story will make this your next hyperfixation.

8.5/10