Today, I’m launching into my review of Project Hail Mary, an adaptation of The Martian author Andy Weir’s science fiction novel from 2021 directed by Phil Lord and Christopher Miller and starring Ryan Gosling. Gosling plays Dr. Ryland Grace, a biology teacher who wakes up as the amnesiac lone survivor of the Hail Mary spacecraft orbiting the star Tau Ceti. As Grace pieces together his memories leading up to the voyage, he soon forms an unlikely alliance with an alien named Rocky and must cooperate with him to stop both of their world’s suns from dying. Over 10 years ago, Ridley Scott’s adaptation of The Martian became not only one of his best films in decades but also a humungously successful crowdpleaser, one which managed to blend big idea sci-fi and a compelling survival story with a surprising amount of heart and humour courtesy of writer Drew Goddard. Thankfully, Project Hail Mary is a stellar return to form for them, and rockets its way into being the best film of 2026 thus far.
New Adaptation
What separates Project Hail Mary from the previous Andy Weir adaptation and other space-set dramas such as Interstellar or Ad Astra is its approach to structure, with Goddard twinning Grace’s current predicament alongside his recruitment into the Project almost akin to a detective narrative both as he tries to remember why he’s on the ship in the first place and as the government tries to discern what’s causing the sun to dim. It’s an engaging hook that makes the journey that much more immersive as Grace pieces the information together, but the screenplay also manages to keep intact the strongest elements of Weir’s writing style from its grounded approach to its science to the surprising amount of humour peppered throughout. The film is a blockbuster that knows exactly how to please each sector of its audience, especially in how the tone strikes a perfect balance between overwhelming grandiosity with its massive scale and dire scenario while also being deeply human and touching, which is exemplified in the relationship between Grace and Rocky. Considering the latter has no visible face, it’s a testament to the strength of Goddard’s writing that watching them learn to communicate and cooperate for the sake of both their species is so emotionally captivating, even with the marketing having relied a bit too much on what was a key twist in the novel.
Teriffic Performance
Much like Matt Damon in The Martian, Ryan Gosling gives an absolutely terrific performance as Grace, one which the entire film hinges on given that he spends large stretches of time talking to himself or making video logs. Not only is he as effortlessly charismatic and entertaining as ever and delivers Goddard’s dialogue with much enthusiasm, but he also excels in carrying the film’s dramatic weight as it gradually becomes clear how little Grace thinks of himself in the wider world in spite of his vital biological knowhow. Though Gosling is the main attraction the efforts of the supporting cast shouldn’t be overlooked, especially Sandra Hüller as Grace’s superior whose unwavering belief in him is put to the test even before he gets on the ship, and James Ortiz as the puppeteer and voice of Rocky, who brings the craggy, spider-like Eridian to life with so much personality and energy, and the performance goes a long way in making Rocky a character worth being invested in the safety of.
Overall
Overall, Project Hail Mary is an astronomical and sensational cinematic achievement in every sense of the phrase, which pairs old-fashioned filmmaking and storytelling sensibilities with one of the most accomplished acting talents of today and the best of modern technical fuel for an experience that’s amaze amaze amaze and will make you feel grateful to be alive to have witnessed it.
5/5 stars
The Project Hail Mary movie review was created by Joe Warne, a member of the Sedgemoor fm team since 2017.
Joe specialises in providing weekly reviews of the latest film releases at 6.30pm each Monday evening as part of the Sedgemoor Life Show. Tune in each Monday for more movie reviews