PROJECT HAIL MARY
Starring: Ryan Gosling, Sandra Hüller, Lionel Boyce, Ken Leung, Milana Vayntrub, and James Ortiz
Directors: Phil Lord and Christopher Miller
NICK
Despite some tonally misleading promotional material, Project Hail Mary is a terrific family adventure film. Ryan Gosling is perfect as Ryland Grace as he brings his undeniable likability and humour to the role, while Drew Goddard has written a tight script (his second Andy Weir adaptation following The Martian) for him to work with. It all comes together with great direction from Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, and most importantly, Greig Fraser's cinematography which is so impressive that I was visibly moved by its beauty. I may not have found this to be the masterpiece some are claiming, but it’s still a damn good film.
ADRIANO
It’s March, and 2026 already has an incredible blockbuster. Although Project Hail Mary leans heavily into a man-and-his-pet narrative much more comically than I expected, all my worries about it were quickly washed away. The friendship at the centre is heartwarming, and it gives the breathtaking back half another layer of power. The movie’s visuals are magnificent; but more than anything, this is a gripping character story of a lonely man finding his worth, and Ryan Gosling is more than up to the task with an incredible performance. Find an IMAX screen. Watch Project Hail Mary. It’s simply amazing.
AMARÚ
Telling Project Hail Mary’s fractured narrative through Dr. Ryland Grace’s (Ryan Gosling) perspective allows for two very successful outcomes: the discovery of both present and past’s mysteries being as energetic and exciting as if we were on the titular ship, and the release of a crowd-pleasing blockbuster not seen since the action/sci-fi heyday of the 1990s. Directors Phil Lord and Chris Miller’s energetic hope and visual flare combined with the film’s inspiring messaging about connection evoke the vibes of that decade’s family-friendly, feel-good epics. So, even though it relied on streaming-worthy explanations and leaps of suspended belief, my smile grew wider with every passing hour.
PAIGE
Hail Mary, full of grace! Project Hail Mary is truly a spiritual event that delivers all the feels. I promise you’ll laugh, cry, and cheer throughout. It embraces the inventiveness and resilience human beings are capable of, which makes the film not only heartfelt, but also inspiring. Ryan Gosling’s charisma anchors this film with emotional layers and while he’s certainly the rock of the story, Rocky (James Ortiz) is the heart of the film. With awe-inspiring visuals and an uplifting script, this film delivers a joyful experience that will leave you reaching for the stars.
BODE
Project Hail Mary finds directors Phil Lord and Christopher Miller alongside screenwriter Drew Goddard (adapting another Andy Weir novel following The Martian) bringing their brands of irreverent humour and earnest heart inside a hard sci-fi blockbuster. While I was undeniably charmed by its human-alien buddy setup, and often awed by Greig Fraser’s stunning cinematography, a baggy runtime and structural inconsistency hold Hail Mary back from being as fully great as it could’ve been. Still, even if it’s not the best space movie starring Ryan Gosling (that would be First Man), it’s entertaining enough to settle for 2nd place in my books.
ROBERT
Every so often, a movie comes along to remind the greater masses of the magic of cinema, and presently, that honor belongs to Project Hail Mary. The overlaying structure of the unfolding mission, along with Ryland Grace (Ryan Gosling) slowly remembering how he ended up on the spaceship, shows the dichotomy of the joy and pain of discovery beautifully. It is effortless in its humor, its earnestness, and its wonder while the stakes are ever-present. To make me laugh and cry so fully at a puppet shaped like a rock is the kind of charm to which I always want to be exposed.
KATIE
Project Hail Mary is a solid, crowd-pleasing family sci-fi adventure film, but I found its cheesiness and relentless witty banter testing. The film is held together by Ryan Gosling’s effortless charm, warm humour, and ability to convincingly deliver silly dialogue, yet I found it went on for too long, which is especially apparent in the last 20 minutes or so when the film strains to prove its happy resolutions. The visuals are fantastic, and the craftsmanship is impressive, but I wish it employed more visual storytelling, since the flashbacks to Earth are often more engaging than the scenes in space.
Want to hear even more of our thoughts? Nick, Amarú, and guest Nathaniel Ahart join Matt to take A Bigger Bite out of Project Hail Mary HERE.