Project Hail Mary Is Sending the Right Messages to Hollywood
Written by Nandita Joshi
There used to be a time when audiences would look up to a movie screen with awe at the world that had been created before them. 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968), Gravity (2013) and even Interstellar (2014) to this day are still spoken about for their bold visual effects and striking cinematography. Nowadays, more often than not, audiences find themselves picking apart the features of sci-fi films - largely due to production companies favouring speed and low costs over quality. Directors Christopher Miller and Phil Lord decide enough is enough, attempting to give our eyes a visual feast in Project Hail Mary.
Based on Andy Weir's New York Times Best Selling novel, the story follows molecular biologist turned middle school teacher Ryland Grace (Ryan Gosling) being asked by former European Space Agency administrator Eva Stratt (Sandra Hüller) to return to his academic research in aid of a greater cause, preventing the planet from extinction. What starts out as lab research turns into an epic, interstellar mission across galaxies to save mankind.
What makes the film stand out amongst its peers is the sheer commitment to delivering an optical spectacle. Director of photography Greig Fraser, alongside production designer Charles Wood, reinvigorates the magic of the movies by building impressive, immersive sets and experimenting with how light is captured on film to create glorious, intergalactic scapes. Combined with the all-encompassing IMAX aspect ratio sequences, you cannot help but feel utterly transported to the depths of outer space.
The film boasts a lack of green screens and a focus on practicality; however, that is not to say that there weren't fantastic uses of visual effects. In one of the best use-cases of it thus far, the astral background was developed by ILM and captured on set in real time using their StageCraft technology. Previous projects like Thor: Love and Thunder (2022) and Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania (2023) have shown the worst of StageCraft, relying on it too heavily for visual world-building. After garnering a sour reputation amongst audiences, Project Hail Mary sends a Hail Mary to StageCraft by reminding people how this technology can be harnessed to aid spectacular cinematography.
In tandem, the harmony struck with VFX and practical effects continues with the characterisation of Rocky, Ryland's unexpected cosmic companion. Voiced and puppeteered by James Ortiz, Rocky's endearing, lovable personality radiates out of the screen and provides a needed counter to Ryland's apprehensiveness. While his personality emanates predominantly through his dialogue, his mannerisms and micro-expressions often steal the show, which is a testament to Ortiz's puppeteering, coupled with Framestore's VFX touch-ups.
Miller and Lord do not dismiss the fact that VFX is an integral aspect of filmmaking, instead ensuring that how they are using it is intentional rather than a one-size-fits-all approach. The result? Filmmaking that puts craft and quality first. Hollywood should take notes.
For a feature that could quite easily fall right into the high-concept, fantastical tropes that sci-fi films often foster, the performances brought the narrative back to Earth. Gosling channels an effortlessly awkward wit as Ryland that we have seen him demonstrate before in roles like Holland March in The Nice Guys (2016) and Sebastian Wilder in La La Land (2016). Ryland's bumbling, nervous energy to the absurdity and pressure of the situation provides a nonintrusive comedic relief to the more serious beats, which comes across as incredibly genuine and relatable to audiences. He is someone you can't help but root for.
In contrast, Hüller's characterisation of Eva grounds the story in a more melancholic light. She immaculately presents the danger the world is in through her blunt, monotone demeanour. The film marks her first major Hollywood blockbuster role, drawing from the powerful performances we've seen in her more arthouse, character-driven features. Yet she feels underutilised, leaving us wanting more. Together, Huller and Gosling provide the perfect balance, giving the audience a plot that holds a heavy weight but is beaming with warmth and hope.
The film is undeniably an astonishing feat for directors Miller and Lord. Adapting a scientifically dense book while staying loyal to the source material can be a struggle, but they tackle it with ease. Their realistic approach to what is achievable in the 2-and-a-half-hour run time helps the narrative be engaging and digestible whilst juggling complex ideas. We are never left feeling way in over our depth.
Project Hail Mary serves as a reminder that we truly can have it all when with sci-fi films - compelling characters, superb storytelling, and most importantly, visually appetising sequences. Space movies are back in a major way.
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