A few times a year I like to go into a film completely blind, no trailers, no research. I avoid everything I see about the film. This year Project Hail Mary was my blind movie pick, I knew exactly two things about this film: It was set in space and the aliens were not of the scary variety. In passing I had seen what seemed positive reviews from my fellow film reviewers, so despite not really knowing a lot about the film I had pretty high expectations. And let me tell you those expectations were exceeded. I have even revived my Letterbox just so I can use Project Hail Mary as a benchmark for every film I see in 2026 and let me tell you it will take something huge to knock Project Hail Mary out of first place. Read on for my full review - there will be minor spoilers.
Check out my latest reviews HERE.
Directors by Phil Lord and Christopher Miller take on Andy Weir's novel of the same name. Project Hail Mary explores the question of what would happen to Earth if The Sun were dying. High school science teacher Dr. Ryland Grace (Ryan Gosling) finds himself in space on an information gathering mission to save The Sun and everyone on Earth - no pressure! Grace is an unlikely hero; thrown into a situation he was well-equipped for but not prepared for. He is not the typical lead which makes him even more impressive to watch. The film takes us on the journey with Grace, seeing everything through his eyes, reliving snippets of his life before traveling to space as he remembers them. This means we actively feel what he feels. The exposition makes us feel small compared to the variousness of space, it hammers home the enormous task faced by Grace. As the film introduces Rocky (voiced and brought to life by James Ortiz), an Alien searching for the same information as Grace, we join the unlikely duo as they become the best of friends. The film is paced well, never dragging or moving too quickly. It knows how to breathe, how to linger in moments of impact, allowing viewers to take in the spectacle of space. It's pure perfection.
Technically the film leans into practical and traditional filmmaking techniques using no green screens. Cinematographer Greig Fraser uses a smaller aspect ratio when filming the past scenes on Earth and a larger ratio for the space scenes, drawing focus to the scale of space and the mission Grace is on. The film is visually stunning, the use of colours electric. The fact that no green screens were used makes these visuals even more impressive. The commitment to practical effects is rare currently, but it pays off in Project Hail Mary, the spinning spaceship, actually spun, Rocky is a puppet, and the majority of the sets are real meaning both actors and light could interact with them. And whilst CGI is still heavily used, the use of practical effects adds a level of authenticity that could never be achieved by green screen and CGI alone.
There is something so emotionally impactful about unlikely friends. Grace and Rocky form a relationship built on trust bravery and a common goal. They just click, even when frustrated with one another, you know they will choose each other every time. Gosling spends the majority of the film only with Rocky, giving a masterclass in acting. To be able to hold the screen alone is a huge skill not possessed by all actors. Yet Gosling does it seamlessly, bringing emotion, charisma and talent to the career defining role. Thankfully Rocky was not green screen and the practical effects of using a puppet shine through in the final film, creating a really authentic dynamic.
Overall, Project Hail Mary is an exceptional film. There is something to love about every moment of this film. It is, simply put a work of art. When the lights come on at the end of the film, there will unlikely be a dry eye in the cinema so take some tissues with you and a big bag of chocolate for the support. The best space film I have ever seen and it's sure to remain one of the best for a long time.
5 Stars (Plus 5 more - because it is just that good).
Make sure you follow me on Letterbox: dgray28
Thank you for reading xx
Comments
Post a Comment