To create a lighthearted space science fiction film, co-directors Phil Lord and Chris Miller released “Project Hail Mary” on March 20, delighting audiences with Ryan Gosling and his co-star, the puppet, Rocky.
“Project Hail Mary” was originally published as a book in 2021 and was written by Andy Weir. Weir has had success in the past with movie adaptations, with his book “The Martian” being turned into a movie starring Matt Damon.
“Project Hail Mary” is currently predicted to surpass “The Martian” in total box office with $141 million in just the opening weekend.
This success is due in part to the critical acclaim that it received before its release, with a 95% critic score on Rotten Tomatoes.
According to senior Ryan Gilbert, what makes the film so enjoyable is the relationship between Gosling’s character Ryland Grace and his alien co-star Rocky.
“The chemistry between Grace and Rocky is what makes the film stand out so much,” Gilbert said. “Their situation forced a quick and meaningful bond, and this bond made the movie more relatable, emotional and human.”
Senior Eli Bleazard felt similarly about the relationship between the two characters.
“Two creatures meeting life outside their solar system for the first time. So incredibly different, but find a way to communicate and have each other’s backs,” Bleazard said. “It was truly something special.”
Beyond the relationship between Grace and Rocky, one of the core themes in the movie, the unbreakable human spirit to survive and succeed, was also praised.
According to 2018 Souderton graduate Jakob Doña, the theme was especially important. “What stood out to me outside of its beautiful visuals were its strong themes of the unbreakable human spirit,” Doña said. “Both the setting and narrative do such an excellent job at showing the brutal trial-and-error process that often comes when braving something as risky and dangerous as space.”
In addition to the theme the movie’s premise is unique.
“This movie isn’t about Grace surviving like ‘The Martian’. He could do nothing and be fine, but he is [on the mission] for a reason, and he knows he is the only hope, so he has to give it his all,” Bleazard said.
Furthermore, the movie also widely received praise for Gosling’s ability to practically solo-act the majority of the movie.
According to senior Noah Utain, Gosling’s performance made his character believable.
“I like how Grace was shown as not a typical hero and was deathly afraid of going to space, but despite his lack of belief in himself, he was able to triumph and save humanity,” Utain said.
In addition to performances, the film’s pacing and storytelling also stood out to audience members.
According to Doña, the movie kept audiences engaged through its unique narrative style and overall pacing of the tension.
“Long movies can sometimes suffer from messy pacing, but ‘Project Hail Mary’ does a great job at keeping the viewer’s attention with its interesting perspective shifts,” Doña said. “The movie makes excellent use of withholding information from the viewer so we can only see things as Grace remembers and or experiences the event.”
In addition to the pacing of the movie, the science of the film is well executed according to Bleazard.
“Through all of this, it found a way to stay realistic and understandable. Some topics that originally may seem like loopholes are even explained through the movie,” Bleazard said.