Last November, after learning about the upcoming release of the film, I decided to purchase a copy of Andy Weir’s sci-fi novel Project Hail Mary. As a child, I loved re-watching The Martian, a movie based on one of Weir’s books by the same name, so I figured I would be bound to enjoy this new story. I packed the book for a trip to New York and, for a few days, read chapters on and off. Then, because of flight delays, I was stuck in the JFK airport for 10 hours, so I read. I must have read essentially non-stop for 8 hours. I was engrossed in the book, its characters, themes, and plot. I read until my eyes gave out and the sleep deprivation caught up to me. Thus, I was ecstatic to watch the film. I saw Project Hail Mary in the IMAX screening of the Montehiedra theater and it was an ethereal experience that exemplified the power of filmmaking and art. Together, everyone laughed about Rocky, stressed out about their perils, cried, and, by the credits, was changed.
The film follows Ryland Grace, a micro-biologist turned middle school science teacher who joins Project Hail Mary, a global effort to find a solution to Earth’s most pressing issue: organisms in space feeding from solar radiation and killing the Sun. In order to do so, three astronauts are sent on a one way trip to the outskirts of the galaxy to study a Sun unaffected by the organisms. Grace is sent on the mission, but as a result of a years long coma, loses his memory and is left alone to save Earth. While in space, Grace meets Rocky, an alien from another planet (Erid) who has also come to save his people. Subsequently, Project Hail Mary is a story of two scientists who work together, form an unbreakable friendship, and beat all odds to aid billions.
The film, beyond being a masterclass in directing, editing, score, and cinematography, showcases a tale of unrelenting optimism that makes Project Hail Mary a soon to be sci-fi classic. Grace and Rocky are the only beings alive for light years, they are decades away from their home planets, and their other crewmates have all passed away from the tumultuous journey, but they continue to keep moving forward. Despite scientific issues, mechanical catastrophes, and mission failures, the duo always returns to the drawing board to think of another approach, never stopping in their pursuit of a solution. As a result, they are able to find a predator for the sun-killing organisms, effectively saving Earth and Erid. However, because of a fuel problem, Grace does not return to Earth and opts to save Rocky, coming back with him to Erid and becoming a teacher for Eridian children.
At its core, the movie is about optimism and Grace and Rocky’s bond. It teaches audiences about the human spirit and the need to, not just survive, but to help others. Ryland does not need to do this. Neither does Rocky. They could always give up, return to their planets in defeat, or live in their ships until their deaths, but they don’t. They keep fighting. Because of this, you leave the theater with this inexplicable desire to do good. To have that same unstoppable spirit as Grace and Rocky. In Project Hail Mary, Earth and Erid are doomed and headed for extinction. The protagonists are the last hopes and they make it work, they finish the mission. Audiences leave the movie elated, filled with joy and optimism for what they, random people like Grace, can do.
Project Hail Mary leaves a similar impression on movie-goers like James Gunn’s Superman. Both films showcase protagonists persevering and rising up in the face of adversity. Just as Superman ends with a lovable Clark Kent valuing his family to “Punk-Rocker”, Hail Mary closes with Grace staying with his original morals and continuing to teach Eridian kids. Because of their grounded themes, the importance of these stories extend beyond theaters and award shows. In today’s climate, we are constantly bombarded with news of war against Iran, deadly ICE raids, environmental damage, and the negatives of social media. It’s impossible, then, to not be worn down, to not be nihilistic and believe that human kind is horrible, that we are destined to destroy ourselves, and that we, as civilians, have no real power. Yet, films like Project Hail Mary give us hope, they re-ignite our optimism, they become a light in the darkness. Project Hail Mary reveals that we can be good, do good, keep moving forward, and maybe make a new alien friend along the way.
