It’s been a long time since I walked into a movie with expectations this high. Ever since reading Project Hail Mary, I felt like this story had the potential to become something special on screen. The book is funny, emotional, science-heavy without being overwhelming, and anchored by a surprisingly beautiful friendship. It’s the kind of material that requires the exact right creative team to pull off — and somehow, this movie got all of them.
You have Andy Weir’s source material, Drew Goddard adapting it, Phil Lord and Christopher Miller directing, and Greig Fraser behind the camera. On paper alone, that’s a dream combination — a team capable of balancing humor, emotion, spectacle, and science. After seeing the film, it’s clear that this alignment is exactly why the adaptation works so flawlessly. This story spills from page to screen almost perfectly.
This wasn’t just a great adaptation. This was a transcendent time at the movies.
The Next Great Space Epic
We’ve had some incredible space films this century — movies like Interstellar, Gravity, The Martian, Ad Astra, and First Man. Each of them brought something unique to the genre — spectacle, realism, emotion, or introspection. Project Hail Mary feels like it borrows the best parts of all of them and blends them into something that feels both familiar and completely fresh.
But the closest comparison might actually be Cast Away in space.
Ryan Gosling fills the Tom Hanks role, while Rocky becomes this movie’s version of Wilson — except the emotional depth here goes even further.
At its core, this is a buddy movie in space.
A Beautiful Friendship at the Center
The relationship between Grace and Rocky is what makes the film special. Grace is introduced as someone isolated on Earth, a loner who doesn’t really have anyone. They even point out he doesn’t have a dog. Then he meets Rocky, and suddenly he finds someone who understands him — someone who thinks like him, learns with him, and becomes his closest companion.
They show each other their worlds. Grace shares Earth. Rocky shares the wonders of Erid. The bond that forms between them is funny, heartfelt, and deeply emotional. It reminded me of the kind of unexpected friendships you make when you’re far from home — the ones that become incredibly meaningful even if they come out of nowhere.
This is where the film channels the spirit of E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial and Close Encounters of the Third Kind — human connection, wonder, and emotion driving the sci-fi.
And it works beautifully. I cried four times. You could hear sniffles throughout the theater.
Ryan Gosling Carries the Entire Movie
This movie simply does not work without Ryan Gosling. I genuinely cannot imagine another actor in this role. He balances intelligence, awkward humor, vulnerability, bravery, and reluctant hero energy perfectly. He’s doing physical comedy, emotional acting, science exposition, and carrying a one-man survival story — and it all lands.
He has to be funny, like his panic comedy in The Nice Guys. He has to be emotionally grounded. He has to feel like an ordinary guy thrown into extraordinary circumstances. And he absolutely nails it. This is the kind of performance that proves he can carry an entire movie on his own.
While Gosling carries the film, Sandra Hüller gives an excellent supporting performance that grounds everything. She’s the most serious character in the film, and that seriousness balances the humor and absurdity. Without her, the movie risks leaning too silly.
She has standout moments, including a karaoke scene and a powerful late conversation with Gosling that really lands emotionally. The movie essentially revolves around three core presences: Grace, Rocky, and her — and that dynamic works perfectly.
There’s also a smaller appearance from Lionel Boyce from The Bear, who makes the most of limited screen time early in the film.
Rocky Is Perfectly Realized
Rocky could have easily failed. Instead, he’s perfect. The puppetry, animatronics, and CGI blend seamlessly. The production design is incredible — they built the tunnel where they meet, constructed large practical sets, and made the zero-gravity sequences feel real. That physical craftsmanship makes Rocky feel present, which makes the emotional connection work.
He’s lovable, funny, and likely to become a pop culture icon. We haven’t had a lovable alien like this in a long time.
A Stunning IMAX Experience
This movie was made for IMAX. From the opening red-and-blue-lit awakening, I got goosebumps. The colors hit immediately. The score kicks in. You’re leaning forward in your seat. Multiple sequences had me staring up at the screen like a kid again.
The cinematography from Greig Fraser is phenomenal, and the score by Daniel Pemberton elevates everything. The music enhances the emotion, the spectacle, and the wonder. It’s one of those movies where the sound, visuals, and scale combine into something overwhelming in the best way.
This is why you go to the movies.
There’s something communal about watching a movie like this. Sitting in a sold-out theater, laughing together, crying together — it feels bigger than just entertainment. For me, going to the movies is like going to church. It’s a shared experience where you feel something collectively. This movie delivered that in full.
I walked out smiling, almost levitating, just happy. This is why theaters matter. This is why movies matter.
If there’s one small issue, it’s that the ending runs a bit long. The movie essentially ends three times. The book does this too, but trimming one ending might have tightened things up. Still, emotionally, it lands.
Final Thoughts
This is a near-perfect movie for me. Funny, emotional, visually stunning, and deeply human. A buddy movie in space. A love letter to friendship. A reminder of why we go to the movies. There’s times when you will think of your dog, if you happen to have one. The relationship and bond you form with your pet and how that can mean so much to you. Rocky reminded me of my own dog and it makes the emotional stuff in this movie hit even harder. Bring the tissues.
Best of the year so far. And it’s going to be very hard to top.
A transcendent theatrical experience.
Project Hail Mary = 94/100
