‘Fist my bump…’
Filmmaking duo Phil Lord and Christopher Miller have already proven themselves adept at creating innovative and entertaining films that are also capable of making money. Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs, 21 Jump Street, The Lego Movie, the Spider-Verse films… these are uncomplicated, unpretentious movies that know exactly what they are. It’s harder than it looks to keep making hits in the mainstream comedy arena, and yet Lord and Miller keep doing it. It’s no surprise then that Project Hail Mary, the latest film from Lord and Miller, has been both a critical and commercial smash…
When a mysterious unknown substance begins to destroy the Earth’s sun, a team of scientists is employed by the Petrova task force (headed up by Sanda Huller’s Eva) to find a solution. An unlikely leader of sorts emerges through Ryan Gosling’s science teacher and former protege Ryland Grace. Much of this is told through flashback, as the main story deals with Gosling waking up aboard a spaceship with no memory of how he got there. Later, in a second-act pivot, he strikes up a relationship with an alien life form whom he dubs “Rocky” (as voiced by James Ortiz), and the two of them tentatively begin to work together to save both their civilisations.
Basically, then, we are dealing with an improbable combination of Armageddon and 2001: A Space Odyssey, two brilliant but very different films. Gosling is as charming as ever and Lord and Miller, ever the visual innovators, make sure everything looks beautiful with a commendable mix of practical and CGI effects. The film is genuinely funny and surprisingly emotionally affecting, especially towards the end, but there is a nagging feeling that the film simply doesn’t need to be 156 minutes long.
This is not the first film to be based on an Andy Weir novel about a man stuck in space (the first being Ridley Scott’s superior The Martian), and there is no denying that Project Hail Mary wears its influences on its sleeve. But if you can get past the lack of originality and just enjoy the film on its own merits, there is no denying that this is a good time at the movies. Also, I could look at Ryan Gosling for hours. Great face.
