On Mar. 20, “Project Hail Mary” was released in theaters. The film earned a nearly perfect 94% score on Rotten Tomatoes and, to date, has pulled in well over 600 million dollars at the box office.
Ryland Grace, portrayed by Ryan Gosling, is a molecular biologist turned middle school science teacher. He is selected to go on a suicide mission far from Earth in order to find a way to destroy astrophage, a star-eating microbe. After several years of being in a medically induced coma, Grace awakes to find he is the only surviving member of his crew. Soon after, he meets Rocky, a lone alien far from home. Together, their bond strengthens as they learn to communicate and study astrophage in an effort to save their home planets.
At its surface, the film is fun and visually stunning. It is filled with many lighthearted and genuinely funny moments that make it feel particularly human. Several scenes will have an audience choked up from their visuals alone. On a deeper level, the film explores themes of friendship, sacrifice, courage, and hope. The movie displays an unlikely friendship and the benefits of seeing someone beyond their exterior. Because Grace and Rocky were alone prior to finding one another, they quickly formed a strong bond and would do anything for one another.
A particularly beautiful moment in the film is after the friends have parted and Grace realizes Rocky is in danger. Instead of continuing his journey home, Grace turns around and rushes to be with Rocky, accepting the fact that he will likely never return to Earth. In terms of portraying the emotional depth of true friendship, “Project Hail Mary” excels.
The main weakness of the film is predominantly its length. While there is a lot of story to be told, it becomes monotonous at times, especially because the setting is often limited to empty outer space or a space ship. There are long sequences that feel wasted and could have instead been used to further develop Grace and Rocky’s relationship.
Otherwise, its flaws are few and far between. The film is outstanding in its portrayal of love between two unlikely friends, pulling at the heartstrings of viewers young and old. It speaks to anyone who has ever felt alone and in desperate need of a companion. All in all, it is a beautiful and inspiring movie that moves an audience and causes them to fall in love with its charming characters. “Project Hail Mary” leaves a lasting impression on viewers and is undeniably one of the greatest films of 2026 so far.
