Project Hail Mary (2026)

Film Details

Director: Phil Lord and Chris Miller

Run Time: 2hr 36

Cast: Ryan Gosling, James Ortiz, Sandra Huller, Lionel Boyce, Milana Vayntrub, Ken Leung

Synopsis

When an alien organism threatens Earth’s survival, mankind’s last hope is a science teacher who must set out into the stars to find the cure for the sun.

My Review

It might only be March but Project Hail Mary is already a contender for film of the year, creating a Sci-Fi that finds a perfect balance between humour, emotion and cinematic spectacle! I firmly believe that no other actor on the planet could have executed this role better than Ryan Gosling, who emits a charming likability that infects the audience and evokes laughter and tears in equal measure. The relationship between Grace and Rocky is incredibly impactful and to bring that to life with such authenticity requires acting of the highest standard. Having a physical presence in the Rocky puppet will have helped massively but still, Gosling is just so convincing! But credit must be given to the screenplay too, there is a lot of humour and poor writing would suppress the emotional undertones, but that couldn’t be further from the case here, because those heartfelt moments are ultimately more profound, set against the comedic nature of Grace’s character.

Meanwhile, the set design, visual effects and lighting were simply outstanding. Miller has confirmed not a single green screen was used but rather a mix of practical effects, lighting and a team of talented VFX artists, creating a wonderful aesthetic for Project Hail Mary’s space sequences. With my personal favourite being Grace on the hull during the particle storm, the shift from green aurora of the planet to the red storm was a sight to behold. There are so many lessons to be learned from this production and the excellence of the film itself can stand as a testament to its teachings. Sci-fi executed in this way is everything I love about cinema and that’s reflected in my score here. Seeing it in IMAX only enhanced that experience, with its expanded aspect ratio and 70mm film, this is a film to be seen on the biggest screen possible! It was made and filmed for IMAX, so I’d definitely recommend seeing it in this format if you can.

My Rating: 9.5 out of 10

Thanks for reading.

Film Review Club