“Project Hail Mary,” an adaptation of the Andy Weir book of the same name, has been selling out theaters since its release on March 20. The film, starring Ryan Gosling, is a science fiction movie about a scientist’s attempts to go to space in order to save the world. The movie quickly took hold of fans across the world, grossing over $300 million dollars, making it Amazon MGM’s most profitable film ever, receiving rave reviews from critics and audiences alike.
The Matt Damon led 2015 adaptation of Weir’s debut book, “The Martian,” received positive reviews from audiences, meaning another movie based on Weir’s novels was an inevitability. “Project Hail Mary” brought on screenwriter of “The Martian” Drew Goddard, while giving Phil Lord and Chris Miller, known for their work on the “Spiderman Into the Spiderverse” movies, the directorial reins.
“Project Hail Mary” follows disgraced scientist Ryland Grace going on a journey to space in order to find a solution to the sun-eating astrophage threatening the earth. On his voyage, Grace comes in contact with an alien, named Rocky, who is also in search of a way to combat the astrophage on his planet. Over the course of the film, Grace and Rocky develop a connection as they work together to save their homes. Flashback scenes are interspliced throughout the movie of the events that led up to Grace’s launch, revealing his past to him at the same time as to the audience due to his amnesia.
In this modern, cynical world, “Project Hail Mary” serves as a beacon of hope for humanity, highlighting the power of human cooperation and willpower. Despite the seemingly dour premise of the film, “Project Hail Mary” manages to serve as a hopeful movie, highlighting the great accomplishments Grace and Rocky are able to achieve through their teamwork and dedication. Furthermore, “Project Hail Mary” is a technical marvel, heavily utilizing practical effects while still making Rocky and the scenes taking place in space seem very real. The movie beautifully adapts Weir’s novel, keeping the core ideas of the book intact while shortening it into a screenplay of reasonable length.
Quickly reaching $82 million on its opening weekend, “Project Hail Mary” had a very successful box office run. As of now, the movie has grossed $420 million, double its $200 million budget. Critically, the movie fared just as well, receiving a 95% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes and 8.4 out of 10 stars on IMDb. The film performed similarly among moviegoers with a 96% audience rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
“Project Hail Mary’s” refreshing mix of science, humor, action and heart make for one of the best science fiction movies of the past few years. As the movie continues to dominate in theaters, it will likely find even more success and could be a top contender come awards season this winter.
