Because Alien (1979) is my mom’s forever number one, I grew up fully marinated in starry films (official term, don’t fight me). So naturally, I walked into Project Hail Mary (2026), wondering, “Is this the one I’ll force my mom to watch next?” And what hit me first wasn’t the story — it was the tone, unexpectedly warm for something set in the cold vacuum of space.
Friendly?alien stories exist, sure, but ones that actually stay in space are rarer than you’d think. Project Hail Mary leans into the charm and becomes a delicious cheese fest.
Right off the bat, we start strong, thanks in large part to Ryan Gosling’s ever-charismatic, magnetic presence as Ryland Grace, science teacher extraordinaire, turned accidental astronaut, wakes up alone on a space station with no memory of how or why he’s there — a set up that lands even harder because Gosling makes full-tilt disoriented panic weirdly endearing.
I’d say he carries the movie, but even though he’s left alone for much of it, the beautiful relationship he builds with his alien co?star Rocky (James Ortiz), shares the weight of what could’ve been a standard isolation narrative à la The Martian (2015) (no shade, love that film, this one’s just a different vibe).
Visually, the film is stunning. The contrast between the sleek, futuristic space sequences and the grainy, old?film vibe of the Earth flashbacks grounds the story. It feels like rifling through childhood tapes, hoping they’ll reveal some secret that explains who you are and maybe — just maybe — how to fix everything.
This movie has a little bit of everything, making it a well?rounded, popcorn?worthy theatre experience. What starts as a mission to prevent the sun from dying turns into two bros in space trying to save the world, and I was so here for it. It gave me a full throwback thursday to Enemy Mine (1985) — a buddy space?opera where sworn enemies become besties out of sheer survival.
Not quite the same here, though; this one is more like love at first science thought.
What surprised me most was the communication arc. The film reinforces the idea that science isn’t just numbers — it’s creativity, patience, and the willingness to think sideways, the same curiosity that fuels both good teaching and good science. Despite moments of solo self?reflection, Grace shines when he steps into this pocket of mutual understanding and cultural exchange — though I’ll say it seemed hell of a lot easier than the language gymnastics in Arrival (2016), a film I adore for its own beautifully complex take on connection, with both stories, in their own ways, turning language itself into an act of devotion.
I swear this film is basically a love story in space.
My favourite scene? Easily the hilarious?but?heart?squeezing karaoke moment where the famously stoic, hyper?practical Eva Stratt (Sandra Hüller) unleashes her entire soul on Harry Styles’ “Sign of the Times.” I walked out fully convinced this needs to be my next karaoke go?to song.
The soundtrack overall is fantastic — great song choices, great sound editing, great score.
But let’s be honest for a second. If all this sounds amazing, why is the film still kind of a mess?
Because for all its strengths — the character work, the visuals, the music — the structure falters. Plot points and character realizations get over?explained. The setting lacks the awe?filled stillness of space you’d find in 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968). And the music, while gorgeous, sometimes leaves no room to breathe, filling every moment instead of letting the quiet ones land. Climactic beats only work when you feel the rise and fall — rollercoasters have turns for a reason; it’s easy to lose dynamism if you only ever go up.
And like Interstellar (2014) (a great film despite this), Project Hail Mary doesn’t quite know when to end. Emotional beats drag just long enough to dull their impact, which, over time, might hurt its rewatchability. If you’re expecting action scenes and constant space walks, it might not be the movie for you either.
That being said, this one’s actually funny, guys, I swear. And that humour creates a great contrast with the emotional beats that pull at your heartstrings. Like, this space rock has no business making me cry three times.
It’s a crowd?pleaser for good reason, and the cinematography alone is worth the ticket.
Verdict: It won’t dethrone my go?to space film (WALL?E (2008) supremacy forever), but I’m absolutely recommending it to my mom. It’s also officially joining the space?marathon lineup alongside heavy hitters like Gravity (2013), Contact (1997), The Fifth Element (1997), and Apollo 13 (1995).
Omg, Houston — should we do a listicle of the best starry movies of all time next? Don’t tempt me.
