Project Hail Mary – based on the bestselling 2021 novel of the same name and directed by Phil Lord and Chris Miller – attempts to fuse heart and sarcastic, self-deprecating humor with the awe of 2001: A Space Odyssey, but misses its mark.

The movie follows molecular-biologist-turned middle-school-teacher, Ryland Grace, played by Ryan Gosling, on a search for humanity’s salvation in a distant solar system. On his high-stakes solo expedition, Grace battles an atomic alien threat that is working to extinguish the sun and bring unbridled and eternal winter to the Earth.

 In pursuit of capturing a comically awkward character, Project Hail Mary’s protagonist instead comes off as emotionally immature and irritating. Gosling’s humor is amusing and sometimes genuinely funny at first, but after nearly three hours of Grace cracking jokes, the charm wears out. 

Partway through the story, Grace is joined on his quest by a playful and intelligent cobblestone golem, whom Grace affectionately nicknames “Rocky.” The creature is astonishingly puppeteered and can exhibit a wide range of emotional depth despite lacking any facial features. Grace’s relationship with Rocky drives the film’s second half as they form a genuine, cross-species bond. It is rare for a science-fiction story to primarily follow a single relationship, but this friendship works exceptionally well in Project Hail Mary.

While the film is undeniably well-shot, it is weighed down by nauseatingly fast-paced editing. Greg Fraiser, who acted as cinematographer for recent cinematic achievements such as Dune Part 2 (2024) and The Batman (2022), provided a messy product. Cosmic setpieces are denied their grandeur and calmer moments appear frantic due to inappropriate camera composition. Dramatic moments can never be fully conveyed in a film edited like a TikTok video.

On the positive side, Project Hail Mary excels in its exploration of loneliness. Grace’s social alienation and self-sabotaging attitudes are amplified by the unquantifiable physical isolation of living light-years away from home. As Grace crosses the claustrophobic corridors of the Hail Mary, he passes annular portals peering into infinite seas of stars and blackness. For the first third of the film, Grace is completely alone.

While the film keeps a generally lighthearted tone, the atmosphere is often melancholic. Moments of existential reflection represent the strongest parts of this film. The adventure’s stakes are dire; a seemingly unvanquishable microscopic bioweapon is swallowing the Sun and the entire Earth’s future depends on a desperate gamble carried out by one man.

The film’s central conflict is frequently interrupted by flashbacks of Grace developing a solution to humanity’s impending extinction with a team of the world’s best scientists. These breaks provide exposition but primarily serve to allow Grace to interact with other characters. Sandra Hüller is a highlight in her role as Eva Stratt, an international bureaucrat. Her almost comically unflappable attitude checks Grace’s unserious energy to balance the film’s tone. Gosling is at his best when he can bounce off other conflicting personalities. However, Grace’s relationship with Stratt could have been explored much more to make emotional payoffs more effective and to balance the silliness of the protagonist. 

Lord and Miller’s latest directorial film ultimately stumbles in its final act. The plot meanders and drawn-out goodbyes and reunions lose their intended heartwarming effect. The conclusion suffers from multiple “false endings” that left me impatiently waiting for the film to end. An hour of content could have been easily cut from the movie while still preserving key plot points and themes.     

Though well-acted and decently entertaining throughout, the film is campy, awkward and overly-long. Project Hail Mary can’t seem to find its footing despite being produced by its prodigious crew.