Ryan Gosling on an interstellar rescue mission! Our META film review of Project Hail Mary
We'll tell you what this sci-fi adventure has to offer!
Sometimes space is not only infinitely far, but also damn lonely. Especially when you wake up all alone on a spaceship, millions of kilometers away from home. With "Project Hail Mary", Phil Lord and Christopher Miller bring us one of the most hotly anticipated blockbusters of the year on the big screen. But does the adaptation manage to do justice to Andy Weir's acclaimed book? We went into weightlessness for you and reveal in our META film review whether the cinema ticket is worth it – and what the international press thinks.
The story: A biological suicide mission
The initial situation is actually quite simple: mysterious space parasites, the so-called "astrophages", are siphoning off the energy from our sun. The result: a new ice age threatens the earth and seals the end of civilization. In an act of desperation, biologist and teacher Ryland Grace involuntarily becomes part of the "Project Hail Mary" mission. When he awakens from his coma deep in space, he is on his own – at least for the time being. Grace must solve the mystery of the astrophages in order to save humanity, and in the process encounters the alien stone creature "Rocky", who apparently has to deal with very similar problems.
Ryan Gosling delivers!
Long before the release of "Project Hail Mary", rumors were already doing the rounds that Ryan Gosling would deliver one of the strongest performances of his career here – and all we can say is: this is no marketing hype! Gosling almost single-handedly carries the film and demonstrates a knack for humor and genuine desperation. His Ryland Grace is not a classic shining star, but a deeply human hero: anxious, sometimes selfish and morally in a gray area. These weaknesses make him incredibly approachable. David Rooney from the Hollywood Reporter agrees:
"Ryland is a great role for Gosling, whose easygoing charm makes him the ideal actor to mask anxiety and sorrow with throwaway humor, serving as a conduit for the story's affecting contemplation of altruism and sacrifice. It's a gorgeous performance, one of his best; he keeps us deeply invested in Ryland's wins and losses throughout."
When hard science meets Lord & Miller humor
As with "The Martian", you can feel the DNA of "hard" science here too. "Project Hail Mary" is not a superficial 08/15 adventure; here there is calculation, experimentation and logical reasoning. Although this is occasionally somewhat cryptic, it is precisely what makes the character so appealing. The fact that the movie never loses its footing despite its physical heaviness is thanks to the signature style of directing duo Phil Lord and Christopher Miller. The film is really funny, even if the humor almost takes up a little too much space in dicey situations. But before it gets too silly, the story takes a turn for the heart-warmingly emotional.
A friendship that spans light years
The real heart of the plot is the relationship between Grace and the alien stone creature Rocky. The movie takes quite a long time for the process of communication. Rocky communicates via melodic sounds reminiscent of whale songs or synthesizers. Language is staged here as a real barrier that needs to be overcome – after all, how can we prevent a galactic catastrophe together if we can't even communicate with each other? The bond between humans and aliens grows not through worn-out clichés, but through shared curiosity. This friendship is already delivering the most touching movie moments of the year.
A visual spectacle
Visually, the movie is an absolute rapture. The shots of outer space are of a visual power not seen since Christopher Nolan's "Interstellar". No wonder: cinematographer Greig Fraser, who was already involved in the "Dune" films and "The Batman", is responsible for this. The design of "Hail Mary" is detailed and tactile – a far cry from sterile CGI construction kits. Again and again, one is reminded of Stanley Kubrick's "2001: A Space Odyssey", so realistic and powerful is the technology presented here.
Criticisms: Running time and profundity
What might divide opinion is the running time. At 156 minutes, the trip is a tad too long. Especially towards the end, the storytelling seems a little redundant, as certain elements are repeated.
Youtuber Jeremy Jahns also had his problems with the running time, but for different reasons. In his opinion, some aspects of the story were ticked off too quickly, which should have taken more time. At the same time, however, there are also some that could be ticked off more quickly:
"In terms of length, "Project Hail Mary's" almost 2 hours 40 minutes long. It's about as long as "The Dark Knight" feels slightly too long. And I that's because of flow. Because if this movie had taken more time to flesh some things out, see the thought process and troubleshooting more would have felt earned and it wouldn't have felt as long."
His conclusion: the movie should have been longer, which may sound paradoxical at first glance.
"So, as I'm here saying the movie feels slightly too long, I'm also here saying I would prefer a 3-hour plus cut of the film. How does that work? It can't. yet it does. It's paradoxical."
Owen Gleiberman of Variety adds that the lack of creativity is most noticeable in the long running time:
"But here's the rub. "Project Hail Mary" is way too long (two hours and 36 minutes), because there's not much variation to it."
In our opinion, more serious themes such as existential loneliness in space, ageing far from home or the confrontation with death are often only scratched on the surface. Here, the movie sometimes relies a little too much on the "we can do it" mentality of its characters.
Conclusion
Despite some minor weaknesses, "Project Hail Mary" is a rousing space adventure with a real feel-good vibe. Ryan Gosling in top form not only saves the Earth, but also provides us with one of the most beautiful friendship stories of recent years. The film opens in cinemas on March 20, 2026.
Our opinion: Thrilling, funny and spectacular – "Project Hail Mary" is the first big blockbuster highlight of 2026!
