Project Hail Mary Is a Superb Sci-fi Adaptation and Ryan Gosling Needs an Oscar Nomination (Review)

by

Phil Lord and Christopher Miller have become well-known directors in Hollywood for taking risks on projects others dismiss. They have a knack for finding potential where others see none. Many of their films have seemed like long shots, but they’ve consistently delivered success. For example, they turned a short children’s book, Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs, into a popular and well-received movie that even got a sequel. They also successfully rebooted the 21 Jump Street TV show, surpassing the original, and transformed The LEGO Movie from a potential advertisement into a surprisingly thoughtful film about creativity and communication.

Turning Andy Weir’s Project Hail Mary into a live-action movie doesn’t quite seem like the right move. Weir’s already received critical acclaim, and The Martian even earned a Best Picture nomination. While this project might not immediately seem like something Lord and Miller usually do, the film actually fits perfectly with their previous work. They’ve mastered comedy, proven their ability to direct action sequences, and worked with groundbreaking visual effects – and Project Hail Mary brings all of that together. It’s a high point in their careers and confirms their status as some of today’s most important filmmakers.

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

PROS CONS
Ryan Gosling is amazing Condenses almost too much from the book
Hilarious and heartfelt script
Amazing visual effects

Project Hail Mary Has Incredible Pacing (And a Great Script)

Inspired by Andy Weir’s novel, Project Hail Mary tells a large-scale story that takes place both on Earth and across the vastness of space. The movie follows Dr. Ryland Grace (played by Ryan Gosling) as he attempts to save humanity from an extinction-level event. A mysterious life form, nicknamed the “astrophage,” is draining energy from the sun, causing it to dim and threatening life on Earth. Aboard the spaceship Hail Mary, Grace wakes up with no memory of his mission and must team up with an alien from another planet to uncover the mystery and find a solution before it’s too late.

A remarkable achievement of the Project Hail Mary movie is its ability to adapt a lengthy novel into an exciting blockbuster without simplifying the scientific concepts. Written by Drew Goddard, who was Oscar-nominated for The Martian, the screenplay maintains a quick and engaging pace. Despite running over two and a half hours, the film never feels slow or boring.

The film skillfully introduces key information early on, particularly in a scene where Gosling’s character is teaching science to middle school students. This scene effectively explains important plot points and subtly prepares the audience for what’s to come. It also highlights Gosling’s acting ability, showing his character’s ability to both explain complex topics and reveal his underlying fear about the devastating astrophage crisis.

As a fan, what really struck me about Project Hail Mary is how perfectly timed the humor is. It’s not just that the jokes are funny – like that little scene with the guards enjoying Sour Skittles – it’s that every single moment, even the funny ones, moves the story forward. It’s so tightly paced! There’s absolutely nothing unnecessary in the whole film; it’s lean, clear, and keeps you hooked from beginning to end.

While Andy Weir’s novel Project Hail Mary is packed with detail, the movie adaptation understandably had to cut some content to fit the story into a reasonable runtime. The book is nearly 500 pages long, meaning some subplots and characters were trimmed. Though the core story remains strong, these cuts leave the film feeling slightly less complete. This is particularly noticeable with the character of Eva Stratt, played by Sandra Hüller, who, despite a fantastic performance, doesn’t have quite the same impact on screen as she does in the book.

Ryan Gosling Deserves an Oscar Nomination for Project Hail Mary

Ultimately, the success of Project Hail Mary rests on Ryan Gosling’s performance. Right from the start, he proves how engaging he is as an actor and how committed he is to comedic timing. The character of Ryland Grace is complex, and Gosling skillfully portrays all of his nuances throughout the film, showing him as both a modest, thoughtful scientist and someone with a wide range of emotions.

Ryan Gosling is in nearly every scene of Project Hail Mary, and the story largely depends on him carrying it while isolated in space. The film’s success hinges on his performance; if he isn’t engaging, the movie won’t work. Fortunately, Gosling makes the complex science feel real and convincingly portrays a man alone in space, all while being funny, touching, and genuinely inspiring throughout the entire film.

Ryan Gosling’s performance is made even stronger by Rocky, the alien from Erid who plays a key role in the film. Brought to life through puppetry and voice acting by James Ortiz, Rocky is incredibly funny and is quickly becoming a standout character of 2026. This dynamic particularly highlights Gosling’s talent, making his performance worthy of awards consideration. For most of the movie, Gosling acts alone or alongside a puppet that can’t show emotion, proving he’s a captivating and versatile actor with remarkable depth.

Project Hail Mary is being hailed as the first sci-fi hit of 2026. It’s a hugely enjoyable and original blockbuster, brilliantly acted by a performer at the peak of their powers. And it’s genuinely hilarious! The film is full of unexpected jokes and features one of the most memorable aliens in recent cinema. While comparisons to The Martian are inevitable, I was immediately eager to rewatch Project Hail Mary from the beginning after its nearly three-hour runtime.

Read More

2026-03-10 16:13