In cinema history, we have seen many movies about the near destruction of Earth. From Armageddon, Deep Impact, and The Day After Tomorrow, we have seen planet Earth in peril many times.

Project Hail Mary gives us this tale again, with the sun being the villain this time. The sun is dying, and a team of well-regarded scientists is tasked with finding a way to stop it. Ryan Gosling plays Ryland Grace, a Science teacher who is involuntarily signed up to help figure out why the Sun is dying.

Time Jumping Story Telling

The movie jumps back and forth in time to tell the story of Grace, how he ended up on this space station, and what qualifies him for this job. During these flashbacks, we see Grace teaching his classes and meeting Eva Stratt, played by Sandra Hüller. Eva leads the team of scientists on this top-secret mission and is Grace’s point of contact.

Project Hail Mary does a great job of balancing the jump between times. The movie might not play well if it were shown in chronological order. By jumping around in time, the audience sees the importance of the mission and what is at stake. The audience also sees how these connections help Grace not give up, even when times look bad.

In the vastness of space, Grace meets Rocky, voiced by James Ortiz. Rocky is an alien who is also trying to find a way to save their planet. The two form an unlikely partnership and help each other try to find a solution.

This Experience is Big.

What Project Hail Mary does well is bring back that feeling of watching a spectacle on the screen. Through sound and cinematography, the screen envelops the audience and takes them along on Grace’s journey. We feel the G Force pulling us as the ship loses its gravity and spins uncontrollably. Seeing it in IMAX is the way to go for this movie.

The relationship between Grace and Rocky is reminiscent of Tom Hanks’ character Chuck in Cast Away and Wilson. Even though Rocky can speak, seeing Grace befriend and interact with a rock is a beautiful thing. Their encounter and friendship show how two beings from different worlds learn to work together for a common goal. At first, the relationship between the two is bumpy, but they soon learn how to communicate and work together.

Project Hail Mary deserves to be seen on the biggest screen possible. Certain moments are just jaw dropping. Seeing it on a big screen makes the colors pop and pulls you into the journey of Grace and Rocky.

Final Thoughts:Project Hail Mary is a life-affirming movie that shows the power of working together for a common goal. Ryan Gosling gives a stellar performance as Ryland Grace. He takes viewers on a roller coaster ride with waves of emotions from being stranded on the ship. Again, the movie jumping back and forth in time helps to highlight the importance of his mission.

Violence: There is no violence in the movie. There is a moment when Grace realizes he has been volunteered for the mission, and his reaction is pretty emotional to watch.

Kid Friendly: The movie is fantastic for kids who are into Science and aliens. The run time of 2:36 might be long for some kids, but the movie is very entertaining.

Science teacher Ryland Grace (Ryan Gosling) wakes up on a spaceship light years from home with no recollection of who he is or how he got there. As his memory returns, he begins to uncover his mission: solve the riddle of the mysterious substance causing the sun to die out. He must call on his scientific knowledge and unorthodox ideas to save everything on Earth from extinction… but an unexpected friendship means he may not have to do it alone.