Film Review: ‘Project Hail Mary’

*This review originally appeared on our sister website, Awards Radar. 

Wow. Truly, it feels apt to begin a review of Project Hail Mary with just that. Wow. There is something about the works of Andy Weir that I’m now convinced make amazing films. The Martian is one of the best adaptations of a science fiction novel in some time, so expectations here were already high. Still, in taking a more ambitious Weir work and making this movie as phenomenal as it is does feel like an achievement. Those calling it E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial meets Interstellar are giving you an idea of what to expect, this has elements of Gravity and The Martian as well. Moreover, this is probably the most purely entertaining of the lot. This flick is incredible, absolutely engrossing, and the best film of the year so far.

Project Hail Mary is the highlight of 2026 cinema to date due to how immediately sucked in by the story you get. The sci-fi elements aren’t necessarily unlike anything you’ve seen before, though how it’s depicted is very unique. This is a stunning achievement, all things considered, with so much heart and imagination. I loved every single moment of this movie, from first frame to last.

Waking up on a spaceship, Ryland Grace (Ryan Gosling) has no memory of who he is or why he’s there. Exploring the ship, he discovers his crew to be deceased, leaving him alone, literally floating in space. The ship’s computer is helpful yet complicated, leading to a lot of fumbling around. Grace starts to piece together that he’s on a mission from Earth, but without much context. Soon, he starts to remember that he was a middle school science teacher, after a career as a scientist fizzled out. When a single-celled organism dubbed Astrophage is discovered, the wonder turns to fear as Astrophage is consuming the sun, effectively dooming Earth and every living thing in a matter of a few decades. It’s not just our sun, either, it’s every solar system, and beyond, save for one distant star.

As Grace struggles to figure out how and why he’s on the spaceship, he flashes back on his recruitment by Eva Stratt (Sandra Hüller) for a last ditch effort to save Earth. Dubbed Project Hail Mary, his experiments with the mysterious substance potentially contain a long shot solution for our survival. Of course, his memory is coming back slowly, which complicates things. Then, another ship comes into contact with his. Terrified and utterly confused, Grace does head over to the other ship, which has now docked with his. There, he meets an alien, one who appears very interested in him. It turns out, the alien is also a sole survivor on its ship and is trying to save its planet as well. Naming it Rocky (puppet work and voiced by James Ortiz), they work on forming a method of communication. Then, it’s a co-working situation, as the two bond, try to save the day, and discover something special. To say more about where this goes would be criminal, and it almost feels unfair to even reveal Rocky, but the marketing has, and he’s so wonderful, one can’t help themselves.

Ryan Gosling, for a good portion of the film, is delivering a one man performance, which he absolutely knocks out of the park. Gosling is able to make you believe that Ryland Grace is a nerdy teacher, an out of his depth astronaut, and humanity’s only hope for survival, sometimes in the same scene. It’s a movie star performance, to be sure, full of charisma, but the empathy you feel for Grace is something Gosling completely aces. Plus, he has all-time buddy chemistry with Rocky, which is a credit to Gosling, as well as the practical effect that is our new alien buddy. Rocky, performed and voiced by puppeteer James Ortiz, makes the extraterrestrial a character you completely fall in love with. I’m not ashamed to admit they brought me to tears. Rocky is up there with E.T. itself in terms of alien friends. In terms of supporting roles, the one that leaves a mark is Sandra Hüller, who mixes a German iciness with what ends up being a genuine warmth towards Grace. Hüller is arguably overqualified for the role, but she does such a nice job, no one will bat an eye. The cast also includes Ken Leung and Milana Vayntrub, among others, but Gosling is the star…alongside Rocky.

Directors Phil Lord and Chris Miller magnificently mix action, emotions, and humor, really showing the best example yet of how well they can navigate tone. Lord and Miller take the adaptation penned by Drew Goddard (who was Oscar nominated for adapting Weir’s first novel, The Martian) and give it a really incredible visual flair. The cinematography by Greig Fraser is mesmerizing, while the Daniel Pemberton score keeps your heart racing. They all combine to give you the sense of wonder that permeates the work. The single best aspect, however, is how tactile Rocky is, to the point where you care about the alien in a way you’d never expect. All of the best emotional beats, as ell as funniest moments, come via Grace and Rocky’s interactions.

I know it’s early and a bit ridiculous to talk about awards, but Project Hail Mary is good enough to warrant the conversation. Keep in mind, Sinners came out in mid April last year, so while it’s not a great comparison, genre fare, when done this well, does get noticed months later by the Academy. This flick deserves attention in Best Picture, Best Actor for Gosling, Best Adapted Screenplay for Goddard, Best Cinematography for Fraser, Best Original Score for Pemberton, and Best Visual Effects. If Oscar voters are anywhere near as enthusiastic about this one as I am, this could extend to Best Director for Lord and Miller, as well as various other technical categories. A lot would have to go right, but I believe in this one’s ability to connect with audiences and voters alike, even with a March release date.

Project Hail Mary absolutely blew me away. Fans of Weir or The Martian will delight in this new tale, which is bigger, more ambitious, and leans into cinematic sci-fi elements more, yet has just as much fun. For around two and a half hours, I was transported. This is what blockbuster cinema can and should do. Excitement and ideas, paired together with strong writing, vivid direction, alongside a hell of a central performance. This is the best film I’ve seen so far in 2026, my first four star review of the year, and almost assuredly going to wind up on my top ten list come the end of December. Yes, it’s just that good. Project Hail Mary is an absolute treat here in March, but would be an impeccable movie at any point on the calendar. Prepare to fall in love with Grace and Rocky!

Joey is the owner and editor-in-chief of Awards Radar. For nearly a decade and a half, he served as a writer at The Awards Circuit (even back when it was still called The Oscar Igloo). A member of the Critics Choice Association and a Rotten Tomatoes certified critic, his work has been quoted on FYC award screeners, in press materials, trailers, and more.