Review: Project Hail Mary – If Pixar was Live-Action

Project Hail Mary came out earlier this year and quickly proved that Hollywood can make good stories, given they actually have the dedication to do so.

Starring Ryan Gosling, Project Hail Mary follows Dr. Grace, a 6th-grade science teacher who is chosen by the government to help figure out what is eating the sun. He soon finds out what it is, and the government sends him on a mission to space to find out why all the stars in the galaxy are being eaten, except for one. Upon reaching the star, he meets an alien searching for the same answers and they team up to save their planets.

Overall, this was one of the most wholesome movies I have seen in a long time. It doesn’t try to push any sort of political agenda, it wasn’t about appeasing the non-existent “modern audience,” it didn’t make the male characters incompetent. Instead, it stuck to what used to make movies fun to watch: a story of a dude going against all odds for the greater good. It’s a tale of friendship, personal growth, perseverance, and hope.

Because of Project Hail Mary‘s wholesome nature, it quickly reminded me of early 2000s Pixar. It has some funny parts, and lot of heavy themes are explored, but they’re explored in a way that’s uplifting, and that everyone can understand. The ending feels earned. The characters didn’t just get there through whining about their feelings, but through working hard for it.

Something that was impressive in the movie was Dr. Grace’s alien friend, Rocky. When creating the movie, the producers decided that Ryan Gosling needed something to act with. Rocky couldn’t just be CGI. He had to be real. So, they made two versions of him – a puppet and an animatronic. From a mix of puppetry and a few visual effects here and there, they brought the alien to life, which is especially impressive given that Rocky doesn’t have a face. They had to go entirely off of movement and voice alone to communicate emotions and make him engaging, a feat which they pulled off incredibly well. Throughout the movie, I was wondering how they got me to care so much for a rock.

Additionally, the movie doesn’t treat the audience like we’re stupid. We don’t get a bunch of massive exposition dumps where the characters almost break the fourth wall to tell us what’s going on. Instead, we get to find things out with the characters, which makes the story much more engaging.

Overall, I’ll give this move a 10/10. It was super cute, wholesome, and a fun watch for the whole family.

Until next time,

M.J.