Project Hail Mary (2026) review

★★★★★

The film follows Ryland, a school teacher, as he awakes from a coma in deep space with no memory about himself or how he got there. And if you haven't watch it already, that's enough. Get to your local IMAX immediately.

Project Hail Mary is a masterpiece in visual storytelling, but the heart comes from the relationship Ryland Grace (Ryan Gosling, hello matching initials!) forms with his loveable alien friend Rocky (James Ortiz).

The Acting

This might be shocking for some of you to hear, but I was never a big Ryan Gosling fan. Sure, I loved Barbie (who didn't?) and La La Land had a profound effect on 16-year-old little me. But if you'd asked me three weeks ago, I would've said "what, the guy from that Alison Hammond Blade Runner interview?".

Sorry to be late to the game, guys, but I am obsessed with Mr. Ryan Gosling. And, as someone who has now watched 75% of his cinematography, this might be my favourite performance of his. It is so authentic and raw, I forget (even after round 7 at the BFI), that this isn't actually a school teacher, alone and scared, drifting in space light-years away from Earth. The emotion, humour and he brings to the role make me believe in a world in which my own insecurities and drawbacks are my greatest strengths. Maybe I can be brave, too.

If this wasn't a science-fiction novelty throwing ideals at your face about the world coming together to save humanity, I would consider this a character study of the world's worst (best?) astronaut.

Sandra Huller must, of course, have her moment in the spotlight too. There is a nuance to her character Eva Stratt that is so easy to miss, but so wonderful. Stratt commands Project Hail Mary (the project, not the film); she is elusive, mysterious, and secretly soft. A combination of values befitting to the wonderful actress who steals scenes with her unintentional humour and unforgiving bravery.

But Was It Pretty?

The cinematography for Project Hail Mary was coordinated by Greig Fraser, of Dune, The Batman and Lion fame, in which he has won 1, and been nominated for 2, academy awards. In future, the four-film Beatles biopics will also be of Fraiser's work. It is no suprise, then, when I tell you that Project might be one of my favourite shot movies of all time.

There is a shot, around half way through, that immediately brought me to tears on my first (and subsequent) watch of this film. It is a shot that I believe has completely redirected my viewpoint on cinema, on the way it is viewed as an art form. In my seat (D7) in the IMAX, I let out a shaky breath, and thought "wow, I love movies".

Combined with the illustrius score, by Daniel Pemberton (a la Into the Spider-Verse, The Trial of the Chicago 7 & The Man From U.N.C.L.E), this particular sequence cemented the 5 star review, before I even knew the magic that was to come.

There are a sequence of shots in this film that follow on from one another, blending so seamlessly you almost don't notice the aspect ratio changes from current to past tense. There is a brightness to this film that is so often under-utilised in modern day media (please use lights on set for the love of god!!!!), tied together with a colourful spectrum and a sprinkle of rainbows that makes for a movie about humanity backlit by love.

Conclusion

Project Hail Mary is an instant classic, and a beautiful depiction of humanity, relationships, and space in it's never-ending expanse.

Release date: March 9 2026