Those who grew up in the 1980s will remember a certain sub-genre of sci-fi movies in which the protagonist teamed up with a non-human entity in a feel-good, family friendly adventure, such as Steven Spielberg’s 1982 movie E.T. The Extraterrestrial (with the glowing-fingered alien ‘ET’) and the 1986 film Short Circuit (with the robot ‘Number 5’).
If that type of movie was/is your jam, then the new hit movie Project Hail Mary will definitely be up your alley. Firstly, here’s the trailer (which, like this review, contains some spoilers as to the plot):
Project Hail Mary tells the story of a mission to another star, in order to try and save Earth: After our Sun begins to dim, it is discovered that microrganisms known as ‘astrophages’ are infecting stars and feeding on them, including our own. With only three decades before Earth cools enough to wipe humanity from existence, a long-shot mission (the ‘hail Mary’ of the title) is launched to the only star in our galactic neighbourhood that has not been infected, to find out why it is immune.
Part of that mission is former scientist and school teacher Ryland Grace (Ryan Gosling doing Ryan Gosling things), who awakens from an induced coma aboard the spaceship, alone, trying to remember why he is there. As the first act unfolds, he remembers more and more, providing the exposition necessary for understanding the science in a suspenseful way. At the same time, Gosling – as he does in many other films – provides plenty of fun, humorous moments with wisecracks and slapstick as he tries to come to terms with being an astronaut.
It is in the second act where the ‘buddy movie’ aspect comes to the fore, as Grace makes contact with an alien on the same mission as him, whom Grace names ‘Rocky’ (on account of him looking somewhat like a 5-legged spider made out of stone). Communication is established, although not perfectly, providing many of the laughs of the film, as each of them make faux pas doing their best to transmit their thoughts and cultural idiosyncracies.
Based on the book of the same name by Andy Weir, Project Hail Mary shares some similarities with another of his books that has made its way to the big screen, The Martian: A stranded male protagonist trying to come to terms with his situation, often talking into a ‘video log’, whose conversation is laced with plenty of comedic one-liners. But this film adds the ‘buddy’ element to that brew, and it benefits from it – like the aforementioned E.T. The Extraterrestrial and Short Circuit, the care for another individual, even if not human, adds a strong emotional element. Perhaps even moreso, as it shows us humans as a creature that will care beyond its own species. Ultimately, this provides that Spielbergian touch of heart to a technical, science fiction scenario.
And that technical side is itself a strong point of the film, with much of the science being realistic and rigorously thought out. The extraterrestrial buddy ‘Rocky’ is both very alien (made of Xenon, and ‘seeing’ via echolocation) but at the same time really not that different to us in motivation. (That’s not to say there weren’t parts that pushed the bounds of believability, such as the speed with which understanding between two different species was established, and Grace’s ability to pilot a spaceship with no training.)
At times, the amount of humour was perhaps a little over the top (your mileage may vary), such as a moment where the alien spaceship shadows Grace’s own ship in a comedic manner. But that’s a small quibble – I’m probably being a bit too much of a sci-fi purist – as the humour is definitely one of the major vibes of the film and what gives it such a feel-good atmosphere as these two very different individuals try to team up to save their respective planets.
In a moment in time where things seem very dark, and the only sci-fi scenarios we seem to get are apocalyptic or horror-themed (both in fiction, and even in real life, such as those predicted by tech billionaires), Project Hail Mary provides an old-fashioned, Spielbergian dose of science fiction filled with heart and humour. Highly recommended!
