AMAZE AMAZE AMAZE
Summary
Project Hail Mary is something we rarely see these days – charming and filled with a sense of wonder. Ryan Gosling is fantastic and every scene with Rocky is the obvious highlight. See it in IMAX so you can enjoy every moment of that euphoric score and incredible visuals.
Plot: Science teacher Ryland Grace wakes up on a spaceship with no recollection of who he is or how he got there. As his memory slowly returns, he soon discovers he must solve the riddle behind a mysterious substance that’s causing the sun to die out. As details of the mission unravel, he calls on his scientific training and sheer ingenuity — but he may not have to do it alone.
Review: Project Hail Mary has been my most anticipated film of the year as the book is one of my all-time favourites. The characters of Grace and Rocky are amazing and directors Phil Lord & Chris Miller have brought them to life perfectly.
At first, I wasn’t sure Ryan Gosling was the right choice to play Ryland Grace as I pictured him nerdier looking, however, I am happily proven wrong as this is arguably his best performance to date. Grace is one of the world’s greatest scientists who has no faith in himself, but when he is called upon to save the world from the sun dying, he reluctantly joins the team. For reasons I won’t go into he ends up in space by himself and it’s up to him to save the world… but he isn’t alone. Along comes the Eridian alien called Rocky who is sure to become a beloved character with audiences. The pair have to work through language barriers which provides a lot of the film’s humour and the tone manages to stay faithful to the novel too.
I thought Sandra Hüller was perfectly cast as Eva Stratt who is colder in the book, but is more sympathetic in the movie.
I was a little disappointed that a few of my favourite lines (like “I cannot help I am in Ball”) didn’t make it into the movie and the other astronauts didn’t get fleshed out as well as they do in the book. This is a movie though and it’s already two and a half hours, so you have to cut a few things for it to be watchable. To be honest, if this movie was 5 hours I would still love it as I enjoyed every moment with Rocky and Grace and never wanted it to end.
I think Daniel Pemberton’s score is arguably the best I’ve heard since The Lord of the Rings. The reason I say that is there is an almost supernatural euphoria to the music which I felt with LOTR where just hearing the gorgeous choirs would make me tear up. This does the same and it is easily going to become one of my favourites of all time. It’s just sublime and every note works perfectly with the stunning visuals on screen.
The film may be two and a half hours, but like I said it never felt it as I was engrossed from the start and it really is a near perfect adaptation.
I also want to add that we shouldn’t have to worry about the future of theatres as this movie has been nearly sold out all week and looks set to open in the US with over $71 million. I haven’t seen a theatre so packed since pre-covid and there was just a sense of optimism in air tonight which I think was brought on my this movie which is the feelgood film of the year.
Overall, Project Hail Mary is already the best movie of the year for me as I absolutely adore the book. Ryan Gosling is perfect as Grace and Rocky is just adorable and likeable. The visuals are incredible, the story is well paced, and it also has one of the best movie scores I’ve ever heard.