The end of March brought an exciting, complex and hopeful Sci-Fi movie: “Project Hail Mary.” Directed by Phil Lord and Chris Miller, “Project Hail Mary” kept audience members on the edge of their seats from the very start.
Starring Ryan Gosling, “Project Hail Mary” opens with main character Ryland Grace waking up from a coma in a space ship, disheveled and confused. It isn’t until a flashback that we figure out how he got there.
The conflict in “Project Hail Mary” is that the world is in extremely bad shape – and time is running out. The sun and nearly all of the stars are dying, which means that in 30 years, 25% of the population (or more) will be gone. Experts at NASA decide that in order to get to the bottom of this, scientists must investigate the one star that isn’t dying in order to fix the others. The trip to this star is further than one ever visited before and has a high chance of failing. Anyone involved on the ship is told that they will die on this project. All things considered, the idea is such a long shot, hence the project’s name being “Hail Mary.” Solely through flashbacks, we learn that the man from the beginning is Dr. Ryland Grace, an overqualified science teacher who has been recruited to work on the ship. Grace is conflicted on whether or not he should go, but ultimately decides that he would rather go and possibly help save the world than stay home and very likely die in 30 years.
The plot of “Project Hail Mary” was complex, with many twists and turns, but still followable. Viewers could feel a sense of “being along for the ride,” anxiously hoping for all of the obstacles to be overcome. We were able to see perseverance and strength with all of the people fighting to keep the world in shape.
“Project Hail Mary” emphasized the importance of not giving up, no matter how hard things may be. Despite its dark, apocalyptic theme, the movie was still light at times and had lots of humor to lighten up such a weighty topic. Given the circumstances, one may think that the leading character would be very serious, but Ryan Gosling played a quirky protagonist rather than an intense one, making audience members consistently laugh at the silliness weaved into the otherwise dramatic story.
While I don’t usually consider myself a Sci-Fi fan, I can still appreciate the unique style that draws fans in. For those who do like Sci-Fi, or even adventure movies, “Project Hail Mary” is one that you can count on to have a mesmerizing experience. The exciting parts and the emotional aspects are what made this movie special. I recommend “Project Hail Mary” to anyone who loves movies with riveting plots and adventure, or even anyone who simply likes to watch brave characters combat challenges, and laugh along the way.
