Ryan Gosling stars as Ryland Grace in PROJECT HAIL MARY, from Amazon MGM Studios. Photo J. Olley
Was the movie good?
“Amaze! Amaze! Amaze!” is how Rocky, the alien, would reply.
I also imagine Ryland Grace would reply, “It’s out of this world, Rocky.” And I agree.
Project Hail Mary was more than I expected. The witty dialogue coupled with incredible visuals and a snappy pace, kept me on the edge of my seat. I didn’t expect to chuckle throughout the entire movie. I also did not expect to cry as often as I did during the film.
Science teacher Ryland Grace (Ryan Gosling) wakes up on a spaceship light years from home with no recollection of who he is or how he got there. As his memory returns, he begins to uncover his mission: solve the riddle of the mysterious substance causing the sun to die out. He must call on his scientific knowledge and unorthodox ideas to save everything on Earth from extinction… but an unexpected friendship means he may not have to do it alone.
Full disclosure: I never read the book, even though it seemed to be on everyone’s reading list throughout 2025. I saw the cover constantly on social media, but I’m not really a sci-fi fan, so I kept putting it off. Now that I’ve seen the movie, I’m genuinely curious to read the novel, because the imagination of its author is extraordinary.
Ryan Gosling, who plays Ryland Grace, the science teacher thrust into space against his will, does an enormous job carrying what is essentially a one-man film. How he manages to create a believable relationship with a rock-like alien and still convey so much emotion is a testament to his talent.
I thoroughly enjoyed being pulled into this movie. I didn’t resist the fact that it was sci-fi; instead, I let myself be drawn in little by little until I was fully immersed, believing what I was watching on screen, as far-fetched as it seemed. Part of me even wants to believe that something like this could await humanity if we venture far enough into the universe and encounter other life forms. The nod to Close Encounters of Third Kind (1977) wasn’t lost on me.
The film asks us to keep an open mind and imagine that such encounters might be possible. But it also explores a darker possibility: the threat of microscopic life forms capable of devouring an entire planet.
The bravery, vision, and selflessness portrayed by the astronauts and scientists in the story may feel almost too idealistic. Yes, astronauts accept enormous risk when they travel into space, just as soldiers accept the risk of death when they go to war. But as Grace himself admits at one point: “I don’t have it in me.”
That line struck me. Because I’m sure I don’t have it in me either.
If you go see Project Hail Mary, which I highly recommend whether you’ve read the book or not, bring a couple of tissues. That’s probably all you’ll need. And if you have read the book, you likely already know which sentimental moments are coming.
Project Hail Mary doesn’t just make you wonder about life beyond Earth. It makes you examine your own courage, your own willingness to sacrifice for the greater good. Do you have it in you?
We could be looking at one of the best films of 2026. It’s that amaze! Go see Project Hail Mary. You will laugh and may shed a few tears, but you’ll walk out of the theater with a renewed sense of hope in humanity.
I did.
Project Hail Mary (2026) In theaters March 20th.
Runtime: 2h 20m
Rating: PG-13
Director: Phil Lord & Christopher Miller
Screenplay: Drew Goddard
Based on the novel by: Andy Weir
Starring: Ryan Gosling, Sandra Hüller, Milana Vayntrub, and the voice of Rocky by Alan Tudyk
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