Project Hail Mary

This review has been a long time coming. Part of me almost didn’t want to put it out cause Project Hail Mary has come and gone by this point. But the thing is, though, is if I don’t put it out now, it may never happen. So how could I not talk about the best movie I've seen so far in 2026? This is what we're here to do, and I appreciate y'all giving me the latitude to do this. Cause honestly, if we're keeping it a buck. I slept on this movie. Mainly out of ignorance, and at that time of year it was one of those "I will get to it when I get to it" type of movies. I get that it’s starring Ryan Gosling and some other notable names. Plus, after reacting to the trailer, I was left with more questions than excitement.

Then the movie comes out, and everybody and their momma is telling me how good it was. That's also when I found out it was a book as well. And I said to myself, you know what, it's time; let me go see what all the fuss is about. And man, was I surprised to find out that this wasn't your everyday space adventure. There was something deeper happening here, and at that moment I locked in. And I got to tell you this movie was amazing. And this might be a hot take, but Ryan Gosling might be up there with Leo if we're talking body of work. Pound for pound, bar for bar. But that's a story for another time. 

If I had to describe Project Hail Mary in a nutshell, it’s basically Interstellar meets Cast Away. Both great movies, great performances, and two totally different sets of circumstances. But I think it provides a pretty clear picture of what to expect with Project Hail Mary. Obviously, the whole existential threat of planetary extinction is very similar in Interstellar. But there is also this whimsical man-lost-in-space-instead-of-sea element to the movie. Like Tom Hanks, Ryan Gosling thrives in that awkward space. And instead of talking to a volleyball all day, Dr. Grace has Rocky. An intelligent rock/spider-looking thing from another planet faced with the same dilemma. So at least in Project Hail Mary, Dr. Grace’s Wilson can talk back.

This movie is full of problem-solving, but the way they choose to tell the story it what sets it apart. By going back and forth from the past to the present and back again and again. Through that content loop, it's almost as if we get to experience the discoveries all in real time. The back-and-forth nature of the movie really helps to keep the pacing fluid. This helps so that you never really get bored waiting to see how the movie ends. There is always some new discovery and piece of the puzzle unfolding to us in real time. So you are constantly putting two and two together. Almost like you're in a race to figure out what’s really happening before the main characters do. At least that’s how it was for me. The story structure of Project Hail Mary also lends itself to character development. We get to see them basically break down Dr. Grace to then subsequently build him back up. Build him back up into a person capable of saving the entire world by the end of the movie. Also, the kind of person whose intentions we no longer question either. Cause I feel like I really got to know him after all these crazy scenarios.

Granted, it was not until Rocky entered the picture that the movie takes a major turn. Cause up until then it’s like we are playing catch-up figuratively and literally. But once my boy Rocky pulled up from deep, that's when things really started to pick up. And we get a better understanding of the gravity of the situation. Cause now we know that, for one, we are not in this alone. So, in turn, it gives us as the audience some hope. But before they could solve any problem, they had to figure out a way to communicate. This is where I discovered the true magic behind this film and understood what kind of movie this was gonna be. Seeing Dr. Grace and Rocky figure out how to communicate from scratch was fascinating. Going from charades to 3D models and eventually working their way up to, like, a whole algorithm. Gave me the confidence that together they could figure out anything. Makes you think about how much we really take for granted.

Now don’t get me wrong, this movie isn’t just all word games & math. There are a few moments here and there that get your heart pumping. But they leave most of that for the backstory. One could say that things were less restrictive. Especially when you compare it to being confined to a spaceship. But the back-and-forth nature of the story was really enjoyable. Going from a big discovery to a bigger problem to an even greater discovery. It almost felt like I was getting a fast-track PhD. What is funny about that, though, is that after watching Project Hail Mary. I could not explain what they actually accomplished. I mean, sure, I could put it into layman's terms, but it wouldn't do the movie justice. But when I tell you, while I was in that theater, I thought I was coming to the same conclusions they were. You would have thought I wrote the script. But as soon as the movie was over, I did not retain one bit of that knowledge lol. But I think that speaks volumes from a worldbuilding standpoint. Cause the immersion was next level. Granted, I’m sure after watching the movie a couple of times I would be able to explain most of it 100%. It's a slippery slope because you don't wanna risk being so big-brained that you lose half the audience. So it's a fine line you have to walk. Cause at the end of the day, you never want things to start sounding too complex to grasp. Theoretical or not. You want everybody to be on the same page

The good news is Project Hail Mary is like a 2 ½ hour movie, but it doesn’t really feel like it. I think it's worth the watch. Not because of the glitz and glamour of space travel and aliens, but for the bond we get to see between Dr. Grace and Rocky. A bond turns Dr. Grace from a timid middle school science teacher. Shunned by the scientific community. To a real hero who is selfless and confident in his own skin. Which is why I gave it a 10/10 G-Files score. This is probably the only book that I would consider reading even after watching the movie. Even if reading it will ruin the movie for me cause everybody and their momma says the book is better. But more so cause I want to understand more of the scientific process. Not so much for the sake of the science itself, but the level of problem-solving. I think it would be helpful even in my own process as a creative. To take big problems and be able to come up with even bigger answers. And I just love movies that challenge me as well, so hopefully I will enjoy reading it just as much.