H. T. Davey Reviews

Review by H. T. Davey

Directed by: Phil Lord and Christopher Miller

★★★½

Project Hail Mary is a vibrant, big-hearted sci-fi adventure starring Ryan Gosling and based on the novel by Andy Weir. Gosling plays a scientist who wakes up on a spaceship as its sole surviving crew member – with no memory of how he got there. His only ally? A quirky, rock-like alien nicknamed Rocky. Together, the unlikely duo must figure out why suns across the galaxy are dying, and ultimately try to save life on Earth.

The film is upbeat, clever and surprisingly funny. Gosling delivers one of his strongest performances in years – you can tell he’s fully committed to both the emotional beats and the scientific chaos. The visual effects are stunning, with Rocky brought to life in a way that feels oddly believable and genuinely endearing. Space itself looks spectacular, making the film gorgeous to watch on the big screen.

Throughout the story, there are real moments of tension where it feels like either Gosling’s character or Rocky may not make it out alive. This gives the film genuine stakes without ever tipping into horror or anything too heavy. It stays entertaining from beginning to end, though the runtime does feel a touch long, and a few scenes could have been trimmed without losing impact.

Overall, Project Hail Mary is a fantastic, crowd-pleasing sci-fi film with heart, humour and a standout performance from Gosling. It’s absolutely worth catching in a cinema near you.