'Project Hail Mary' Review: Ryan Gosling and an alien attempt to save the planet in fun space adventure

We don't often get precocious prime popcorn flicks these days — movies that are not conscionable axenic entertainment, but that are besides highly well-made, peculiarly successful the post-COVID era. Only a fistful of movies travel to mind: "Top Gun: Maverick, the "Dune" films, the archetypal "Wicked," "F1."

Thankfully, we tin adhd different to the list: "Project Hail Mary."

Adapted from the 2021 publication by "The Martian" novelist Andy Weir, "Project Hail Mary" follows Dr. Ryland Grace (Ryan Gosling), a erstwhile biologist-turned-middle schoolhouse subject teacher who is sought aft by European Space Agency head Eva Stratt (Sandra Hüller). She believes there's a accidental that Grace tin prevention the satellite based connected a contrarian dissertation helium wrote that ostracized him from his peers.

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Ryan Gosling stars arsenic Ryland Grace successful "Project Hail Mary," from Amazon MGM Studios.  (Jonathan Olley © 2026 Amazon Content Services LLC. All Rights Reserved.)

Set successful the not excessively distant future, scientists observe that the prima is dimming by an infectious organism called "astrophage," which dilatory consumes the sun's energy. Stratt warns Grace that ample swaths of the world's colonisation could statesman dying successful 30 years if they don't find a solution. Virtually each prima successful the postulation has been infected but one: Tau Ceti, located astir 12 airy years from our star system.

The mission, dubbed Hail Mary, is to nonstop a three-man unit to Tau Ceti to hopefully observe what is preserving Tau Ceti and replicate it for Earth. Except determination won't beryllium capable vigor for the unit to marque it back.

Stratt wants Grace to spell connected a termination mission.

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Sandra Hüller stars arsenic Eva Stratt and Ryan Gosling arsenic Ryland Grace successful "Project Hail Mary," from Amazon MGM Studios.  (Jonathan Olley © 2026 Amazon Content Services LLC. All Rights Reserved.)

Despite his beardown trepidation and resistance, Grace wakes up respective years aboriginal from an induced coma utterly confused, not taking agelong earlier realizing helium is nary longer connected Earth and is the lone unit subordinate inactive alive. Never having been successful abstraction before, Grace adapts to starship beingness reasonably well.

Upon his accomplishment astatine Tau Ceti, Grace discovers he's not determination alone. Next to his alternatively puny starship is simply a elephantine alien spaceship. After a spot of reluctance, Grace accepts an invitation of sorts to conscionable his counterpart connected a makeshift bridge. Standing down an atmospheric disagreement is simply a faceless, spider-like stone carnal who Grace names Rocky. The 2 of them rapidly enslaved — astatine archetypal with carnal gestures that Rocky is capable to mimic until Grace develops a connection strategy based connected Rocky's dependable frequencies, yet giving Rocky an artificial dependable (played by James Ortiz).

Rocky has the aforesaid predicament arsenic Grace. His location satellite is besides successful information and, similar Grace, he's the past remaining unit subordinate connected his ship. Grace and Rocky find themselves successful an improbable partnership.

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Ryan Gosling stars arsenic Ryland Grace successful "Project Hail Mary," from Amazon MGM Studios.  (Jonathan Olley © 2026 Amazon Content Services LLC. All Rights Reserved.)

Ryan Gosling is easy 1 of the astir charismatic actors moving today. He tin bash comedy, helium tin bash drama, and he's ever truthful likable. And you request idiosyncratic similar that for a movie that's acceptable connected a solo abstraction mission. Gosling showcases each of his talents here, fundamentally starring arsenic a leader to basal for successful a sci-fi enactment escapade arsenic good arsenic a buddy drama arsenic helium develops an adorable dynamic with Rocky that resembles E.T and Elliott. It's among his champion performances.

"Project Hail Mary" is simply a bold departure from directors Phil Lord and Christopher Miller's past films ("21 Jump Street," "The LEGO Movie," the "Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse" saga arsenic producers). According to my pal Evan, who work the Weir caller and saw the movie with me, adaptation stays existent to the root material, which helium said is likewise comical. So hats disconnected to screenwriter Drew Goddard ("The Martian," "The Cabin successful the Woods").

From the stunning cinematography of Oscar-winner Greig Frasier ("Dune," "The Batman") the beardown people of composer Daniel Pemberton, the fantastic editing of Joel Negron, to accumulation plan and ocular effects — Lord and Miller assembled a stellar squad crossed the board. Do not beryllium amazed if "Project Hail Mary" becomes an Oscar contender a twelvemonth from now.

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Ryan Gosling stars arsenic Ryland Grace successful "Project Hail Mary," from Amazon MGM Studios.  (Jonathan Olley © 2026 Amazon Content Services LLC. All Rights Reserved.)

The Verdict

Amazon MGM Studios' "Project Hail Mary" is simply a crowd-pleasing, out-of-this-world escapade that's genuinely meant for the large screen. Gosling gives a winning show successful an enjoyable movie seemingly from a acold gone era. And if you tin spot it successful IMAX, decidedly bash so.

★★★ ½ — SEE IT NOW

"Project Hail Mary" is rated PG-13 for immoderate thematic worldly and suggestive references. Running time: 2 hours, 36 minutes. In theaters now.

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