Project Hail Mary (2026) Amazon MGM/Sci-Fi-Adventure RT: 156 minutes Rated PG-13 (some thematic material, suggestive references) Director: Phil Lord and Christopher Miller Screenplay: Drew Goddard Music: Daniel Pemberton Cinematography: Greig Fraser Release date: March 20, 2026 (US) Cast: Ryan Gosling, Sandra Huller, James Ortiz, Lionel Boyce, Ken Leung, Milana Vayntrub, Priya Kansara, Liz Kingsman, Orion Lee, Aaron Neil.
Rating: ***
They don’t make sci-fi movies like Project Hail Mary all that much anymore. It’s either a hybrid (Predator: Badlands), a dystopian piece (The Running Man) or a franchise flick (Avatar: Fire and Ash). When is the last time we got a truly original sci-fi movie? I want to say The Martian, but that was more than 10 years ago. There must be others, I just can’t think of any at the moment.
I wouldn’t exactly call Project Hail Mary original. Based on the novel by Martian author Andy Weir, it consists of parts repurposed from 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968), Apollo 13 (1995), Sunshine (2007), Interstellar (2014) and Arrival (2016). Directors Phil Lord and Christopher Miller (The Lego Movie) put them together to create a mostly cool cinematic experience. It struggles with pacing and tonal issues, but at least it’s never boring.
Like the book, the film utilizes non-linear narrative to tell the story of a man sent to space to save a dying world. Dr. Ryland Grace (Gosling, Barbie), a middle school science teacher and disgraced molecular biologist, awakens in the titular spacecraft with no idea how he got there or what he’s doing there. He’s horrified to discover he’s the only one on the ship; his two crewmates died while they were sleeping. Now it’s on him, a teacher with no formal astronaut training, to save the day.
So what exactly is the big emergency? It seems that the sun is dying as a result of an alien microorganism called Astrophage. If nobody intervenes, it will lead to a catastrophic cooling event on Earth. Food will become scarce and a lot of people will die. The only solution is to travel to the only uninfected star in the universe and figure out why this is. It’s a long journey and there’s only enough fuel for a one-way trip making this a suicide mission.
Grace isn’t the only one looking to stop the Astrophage. He encounters an alien spacecraft and establishes contact with its sole inhabitant, a five-legged being he names Rocky (voice of James Ortiz) due to his rock-like appearance. They manage to get around their language barrier and start to work together to solve the problem that’s affecting both of their planets.
Project Hail Mary oscillates between Grace’s mission and flashback scenes showing how he got involved in the first place. He’s approached in his classroom by Eva Stratt (Huller, Toni Erdmann), a dour government agent with a literal mind (on the spectrum, I think). She brings Grace in to study the mysterious organism which he does. He’s eventually briefed on the situation in its entirety. He was never supposed to go on the mission. Obviously, something changes.
Visually, Project Hail Mary is dazzling. It has amazing special effects that never overwhelm the narrative. Now take a close look. Do you notice something unusual? Those are what we call practical effects. Lord and Miller say they used them as much as possible eschewing green screen in favor of actual physical sets and backgrounds. Same goes for the creature effects. That’s a puppet you’re looking at. Only a minimal amount of CGI is used for it. As a result, he feels like a real presence. What you’re seeing in Project Hail Mary is the work of actual artists, not a bunch of folks sitting at computers. I admire this kind of old school craftsmanship.
In terms of plot, Project Hail Mary is a reasonably intelligent sci-fi adventure. It’s smart without being too cerebral for mainstream audiences looking for popcorn entertainment. It’s compelling enough even if it does occasionally lag a little. It also struggles to balance its heavier themes with lighter moments. It definitely feels off balance. Gosling delivers a good performance in what more or less amounts to a solo act. Huller also does fine work as the humorless government agent who always looks like she’s hiding something. The alien Rocky is a great creation. He’s not just a plot device; he’s as much a character as any of the humans.
In short, I enjoyed Project Hail Mary. It’s a decent movie. Sure, it’s a bit on the long side, but it’s never actually dull. It’ll keep your interest. Is it destined to become a sci-fi classic? Only time will tell.
