PROJECT HAIL MARY – Review by T.J. Callahan

Project Hail Mary: “It would be preferable if I did not die.”

Based on the Andy Weir novel of the same name, Project Hail Mary shoots a human farther into the universe than any mortal has ever flown, to relay a down to Earth story of perseverance, bravery and mercy.

Black dots are eating away at the sun. In 30 years our planet will be colder, hungrier and less populated. A group of scientists from around the world, in connection with NASA, plan a massive endeavor to thwart the source to save mankind. Science teacher Ryland Grace, played by Ryan Gosling, is the chosen one to part the heavens for this meticulous mission.

The “saving” Grace wakes up from several years of induced sleep on a spacecraft light years from home, looking more like a caveman than an astronaut. Soon realizing where he is and why, Grace begins to carry out his tasks when he has a close encounter with a third kind…a stone-faced mini Star Wars AT AT Walker he decides to call Rocky. Their bonding makes a difference between life and death.

Even though Ryland put the NOT in astronaut, Ryan put the Oh Hail Yes in Project Hail Mary. This film is full of pedigrees including a visionary sci fi novelist and a writing and directing team in Phil Lord and Christopher Miller who know how to translate multiple ideas onto the large screen that make sense and fulfill all our senses at the same time. But without Gosling, this movie doesn’t have any gravitational pull. Ryan is Spaceman Ken. He’s easy on the eyes, has an easy going attitude despite the seriousness of the mission, and he easily brings heart and soul to a galaxy far, far away as the lone soul in the darkest depths of space. Gosling is the perfect human to make Earth’s first connection with an alien.

The 2 hour 36 minute, PG 13 space odyssey takes almost as much time to tell its story as it does to fly to another dimension, but whether you are a technothriller fan or a dramedy lover, you won’t drift off into space. Project Hail Mary is ET, Wall-E, and Gravity. It’s (Inter) stellar. A must see on the biggest screen possible that is anointed with three Our Fathers and blasts off to an eight out of 10 on the TeejFlixometer.