Courtesy of mgm.com

When many delve into science fiction (sci-fi), they often wish for a world-building masterpiece, expanding their perspective on space as they understand it. Yet the film, Project Hail Mary, which was previously a book, does not fit into those standards. Project Hail Mary is a sci-fi book that rather tells a story of great bonds, friendship, and sacrifice, making it one of the best sci-fi movies of all time.

Project Hail Mary follows Dr. Ryland Grace (Ryan Gosling) on his journey alone in space, attempting to save The Sun from dying. However, his journey doesn’t stay lonely for long as he runs into an alien named Rocky (James Ortiz) who’s also trying to save his sun from the same predicament. The film often goes back and forth between past and present, the past being the lead up to Grace’s journey.

One of the most memorable aspects of the film is the raw emotion and bonds. The development of Grace and Rocky’s relationship is something that most fans adore.

While the two characters are from different planets, and should logically have a world of differences, that couldn’t be further from the truth. Their compatibility is undeniable and is reasonably loved. 

Something endlessly impressive is Rocky’s physical character. Aliens are typically done in movies via CGI, yet Rocky’s physical appearance was made without any and instead was a puppet. Creating such realism and fluidity with the puppet is appreciable as it creates authenticity on screen.

Not just Rocky, but the entire film was very impressive in terms of looks. There’s some scenes that display a planet Grace and Rocky come across that look visually staggering. From the vibrant colors to the overall atmosphere of the scene, it’s undeniably spectacular.

While the film is great by itself, for those who have read the book, there are a few changes, some are rather disappointing, but there are some positives.

One of the more disappointing changes is the removal of crucial struggle, internal and external. There are a few points in the film where things can appear rushed to those who have read the novel as it is in great detail.

In movie adaptations, it’s typically difficult to fit everything from the book into a movie, and content usually has to be either cut or rushed. However at times it feels the creators chose to rush the wrong things. For example, one of the most crucial internal struggles in the story is portrayed as just one single sentence in the film, undermining its importance.

It feels at times that the movie could have sacrificed a longer film for some vital moments. 

On the other hand, one of the more appreciated things they changed was the development of the character, Eva Stratt (Sandra Hüller). 

In the book, Stratt is portrayed as serious no matter what, and lacking emotion in most cases. However in the movie, she is given much more emotional depth, and even a sweeter side. The audience was given more of a chance to connect with her character and see through her seriousness, giving her more depth than the book.

Overall, the directors Phil Lord and Christopher Miller did an excellent job. From the details within the spaceship, to lighting and look of the scenes, to the overall depth of the movie,  Lord and Miller showed once again their excellence.