Key Points

• At its core, Project Hail Mary is a deeply human story wrapped in a science fiction setting, featuring a very likeable Ryan Gosling in the lead.
• A risky space mission becomes humanity's only hope, and Ryland Grace (Ryan Gosling) becomes an unlikely part of it.
• Despite the serious 'end of the world' theme, the film often feels light and hopeful. And much like The Martian, it finds humour in unexpected situations.

First things first: If you're a fan of Ryan Gosling, Project Hail Mary isn't just an easy yes... it's unmissable!

Gosling delivers one of his most charming performances yet, which says a lot considering his popular roles in crowd-pleasers like The Notebook, The Nice Guys, La La Land, and Barbie.

Remember when Meryl Streep lovingly said at the 2017 Golden Globes that Ryan Gosling is 'Canadian, like all the nicest people?'

Yeah, that easygoing charm totally shows in his latest role as a nerdy scientist.

He stars as Dr Ryland Grace, a former biologist-turned-middle school teacher. Project Hail Mary opens with him waking up alone on a spaceship, far from Earth, with no memory of how he got there or what his mission is.

We slowly piece things together along with him through flashbacks.

What's Project Hail Mary About?

Earth is facing a major crisis. A mysterious organism called Astrophage is draining energy from the sun, putting all life at risk. Unlike Don't Look Up, where leaders fail to act responsibly, this story shows countries working together to solve the problem.

A determined government agent Eva Stratt (played by the quietly commanding Sandra Huller) brings scientists from around the world to find answers under 'Project Hail Mary'.

A risky space mission becomes humanity's only hope, and Grace becomes an unlikely part of it.

Based on the novel by Andy Weir, whose earlier work became the film The Martian directed by Ridley Scott, this film mixes science, humour, and survival in space. It also brings to mind Christopher Nolan's Interstellar, especially with its theme of saving a dying planet through space travel.

Even though the story uses familiar ideas and tropes, Project Hail Mary stays engaging thanks to its refreshing humour and a strong emotional core.

The film takes a surprising turn when Grace meets an intelligent, rock-like alien that he nicknames Rocky. Rocky’s planet is also in danger, and he is on a similar mission. Their teamwork and growing friendship become the emotional heart of the film.

Movies often show aliens as dangerous, hostile entities. There are some exceptions like Steven Spielberg's ET the Extra-Terrestrial, which prompted an inspiration back home with Koi Mil Gaya. Project Hail Mary builds on that idea, telling a friendship story between two very different beings.

Directing duo Phil Lord and Christopher Miller balance big scientific ideas with human emotion, and mostly succeed. At its core, Project Hail Mary is a deeply human story wrapped in a science fiction setting.

Despite the serious 'end of the world' theme, the film often feels light and hopeful. And much like The Martian, it finds humour in unexpected situations.

It does a good job of explaining complex science in a way that's easy to follow, though sometimes the explanations feel overly simple. This is also where the film can feel a bit heavy-handed.

At times, the explanations go on for too long, and the dialogue can feel more like a classroom lesson than part of the story. If you enjoy serious science fiction, you might find parts of it too simple and even slightly silly.

The pacing isn't perfect either. The first half moves swiftly, but a few scenes linger more than required especially towards the climax. While never boring, the film does feel slightly stretched in places.

The look and feel of Project Hail Mary

Project Hail Mary is visually stunning. It renders a sensory delight with beautifully composed shots by Cinematographer Greig Fraser (Dune) and some gorgeous special effects. Space feels vast and quiet, but also strangely beautiful and never eerie. The filmmakers create an atmosphere that pulls you in and keeps you there.

The soundtrack is a major strength; the music adds emotional depth, making quiet scenes more touching and tense moments more gripping.

Two scenes especially stand out.

Grace holds a small funeral in space for his fellow crew members, a man and a woman, whom he barely knew before this mission. He quietly looks into their lifeless faces before releasing their bodies into the void.

Another one plays out like docking scene from Interstellar as Grace and Rocky attempt a difficult mission to gather a sample from another planet. It's a terrific scene that puts personal stakes and shows their 'camaraderie' in a tension-filled sequence.

Ryan Gosling is effortlessly affable

Ryan Gosling dons the space suit for the second time after Damien Chazelle's sublime First Man, in which he played Neil Armstrong, the first man to land on the moon. Here, he makes Grace feel like a real, relatable person rather than just a scientist in a space story. He is almost in every frame and his effortlessly affable presence carries an entire film. There's also a wonderful Meryl Streep nod here, with Gosling nearly cracking mid-performance!

Like the best crowd-pleasers, Project Hail Mary makes you laugh, it makes you weep a little, it keeps you riveted and then leaves you with a big smile by the end.

That's everything you'd want from a fun movie experience, right?

Project Hail Mary Review Rediff Rating: