Warning: This review contains spoilers.
When I first walked into the AMC theatre on a warm Sunday afternoon to watch the new film “Project Hail Mary,” I had no idea what I was getting myself into. As I sat down to watch the previews, my friend was excitedly talking about the special effects used in the movie: the lighting techniques, puppetry and absence of green screens. I was getting more thrilled by the minute, and once the movie started, I knew I was in for a treat.
I had gone in with minimal knowledge of the plot and storyline, and I am so glad I did. “Project Hail Mary” is an absolute cinematic masterpiece that no doubt will go down as one of the best movies of 2026 and possibly as one of the best science fiction movies ever.
Simply put, it is a cinematic and blockbuster sensation that has earned over $140 million globally in its opening week and garnered over $420 million worldwide, as of the beginning of April 2026.
Based on the 2021 novel by Andy Weir and directed by Phil Lord and Christopher Miller (who also directed “The Lego Movie” together), it is an excellent book to screen adaptation that uses wonderful worldbuilding, creative cinematography and an amazing cast of characters that redefines what a sci-fi movie is about.
The movie starts with disgraced molecular biologist turned middle school science teacher Dr. Ryland Grace, played by Ryan Gosling, waking up from a coma light-years away from earth with no memories of who he is or how he got there. He periodically gets flashbacks of his life on earth to understand who he is and what happened to him, drawing great suspense as we uncover who Grace is along with him. He realizes that he is the only survivor of a three man crew sent into the depths of space to study the rapidly reproducing light-consuming microorganism called astrophage that is sucking the energy from the sun, threatening all life on earth due to extreme global cooling, He has to find a way to stop it while also dealing with the intense loneliness of space.
Making sense of his situation, he encounters another spaceship piloted by the spider-like alien appropriately named Rocky, puppeteered and voiced by James Ortiz, from the planet Erid, who is also seeking a way to stop the astrophage. Grace and Rocky team up to find a way to save both their planets, and learn about each other in the process.
The relationship between them is possibly the best part of the movie. From their first meeting to the end of the film, I was left on the edge of my seat, craving another laugh from the strange human and sedimentary based creature. Grace and Rocky’s bond demonstrates how a shared purpose can lead to lifelong friendships. In addition, Grace is a testament of how scientific ingenuity and hope are necessary in less than optimal situations, demonstrating that meaningful connections and the courage to act for others are key to overcoming existential challenges.
The production and special effects of the movie was also excellent. The Hail Mary spaceship was a fully built set, Rocky was controlled by a seven person puppetry team and Greig Fraser’s cinematography is comparable to Christopher Nolan’s 2014 “Interstellar,” widely considered one of the best modern sci-fi movies, particularly with the “Time to Go Fishing” scene comparable in imagery and stakes to the docking scene. The breathtaking score was created by Daniel Pemberton, who also wrote the scores for both Spider-Verses, who is able to create a wonderful background soundtrack with unique motifs, but also can use pure silence to emphasise the drama, stakes and emotion of the film.
Moreover, it speaks to the growing issue of movie theaters not being able to recover to pre-Covid rates, threatening the film industry. In an interview with Variety magazine, Gosling said to moviegoers that “It’s not your job to keep [movie theaters] open. It’s our job to make things that make it worth you coming out.”
“Project Hail Mary” is a literal saving grace for the film industry and movie theaters because it represents how interesting movies with good production are making people want to see them. It’s the second-highest debut for a non-franchise film in the past decade. It also currently sits at a critic score of 95% on Rotten Tomatoes, a career high for Gosling. It exposes how production companies need to make movies that are worth going out to see, not something that will just make a profit. Movies are supposed to be an experience for the audience, not a rushed cash grab from studios. It is my greatest hope that the rest of the movies coming out this year will be just as good as this one.
I highly recommend checking out this beautiful emotion-packed, high-stakes space thriller, and if you already have, explore more of Andy Weir’s works. While I’m waiting for “Project Hail Mary” to be released on streaming to rewatch, I’m reading his other books like “The Martian” and “Artemis,” with hopefully other sci-fi books and movies on the way.
