As you might infer by how many of them I watch in a given year, I enjoy going to the cinema for just about any kind of movie. I may have a very good TV at home, with a 4K Blu-ray player, a nice soundbar with subwoofer, and access to far too many streaming services, but there is still something special about watching a film on the largest possible screen, munching on popcorn, and sharing a communal experience with the rest of the audience. That said, there are some movies that really drive home the appeal of the theatergoing experience, cycling us all through the gamut of emotions while also throwing images onto the screen that instill a genuine sense of awe in the crowd. Project Hail Mary is one of these films.
Ryland Grace (Ryan Gosling) is teaching middle school after being laughed out of the science community for a controversial paper he published about the nature of life. Recent news has revealed that the Earth is in grave danger, as what appears to be a microorganism (referred to as the Astrophage) has begun to rapidly block out the sun’s light, threatening a global cooling that will devastate our planet’s ability to support its population. Needing to assemble a team that’s willing to think outside the box to try and solve the problem, Eva Stratt (Sandra Hüller), the leader of the world’s efforts, recruits Grace, who is able to make several significant discoveries about the Astrophage and what it might be doing.
She calls him in to brief the other global representatives where it is also revealed to him that scientists have discovered the same process occurring on every observable star except one, Tau Ceti. A team of three is being assembled for a one-way mission to that star to determine why and then send their findings back on small probes so that humanity can try to learn how to halt the crisis. It’s a long shot plan, a Hail Mary if you will, with countless potential points of failure, but it’s the only option left, so up they go. Upon arriving at Tau Ceti, Grace discovers that his crewmates did not survive, leaving him alone to carry out the mission. But with other stars facing the same fate, it was unlikely that humanity would be the only species to come up with the idea, and Grace may not remain alone for very long.
The movie is perfectly attuned to Gosling’s strengths as an actor, and he carries it flawlessly. Drew Goddard’s script, based on the bestselling novel by Andy Weir, combined with the sensibilities of co-directors Phil Lord and Christopher Miller neatly blends moments of “hard” science fiction with humor that feels organic to the plot and a surprising amount of real human emotion. It feels silly to throw out a line like, “You’ll laugh! You’ll cry! You’ll hold your breath in suspense!”, but in this case it happens to be true. During the brisk feeling 2 1/2 hour+ run time you will feel all of those things many times over, with a good dash of awe thrown in for good measure.
The message of the ways that teamwork and friendship can help us to achieve the impossible while also making our own lives richer, has probably never felt more necessary and it’s nearly impossible not to be swept up by it and walk out of the theater with an optimistic grin. Filled with suspense and humor punctuated by moments of breathtaking beauty (one shot literally made me gasp) this is a strong contender for one of the best films of 2026. We’re only in March so it may well be dethroned, but either way, it’s pure spectacle and a pop sci-fi masterpiece. ★★★★★
rated pg-13 for some thematic material and suggestive references.
★★★★★ = Excellent | ★★★★ = Very Good | ★★★ = Good | ★★ = Fair | ★ = Poor
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