Ryan Gosling and and Sandra Hüller in a scene from “Project Hail Mary” (Amazon MGM Studios) [AP Photo]
It’s been a minute since we’ve had a big-screen space epic that’s as fun as it is awe-inspiring. The last memorable one might have been “The Martian,” so it shouldn’t be surprising the drought ends with another Andy Weir story adapted by Drew Goddard.
“Project Hail Mary,” directed by Phil Lord and Chris Miller, is the kind of cinematic adventure we’ve been missing: A clever, sincere, most-ages crowd-pleaser full of life, energy and a love of science and “Interstellar.” It’s the kind of movie Disney should be making, but here we have Amazon MGM to thank. It will probably get better with age and repeat viewings.
Ryan Gosling is put to the ultimate movie star test as the only person on screen for much of the picture. It begins with his character, Ryland Grace, waking from an extended sleep in a spaceship. His long hair and bushy beard suggest he’s been out for quite some time. Worse, he’s alone and has no idea how he got there or who he is.
The film doesn’t linger too long in mystery: Flashbacks and an alien friend soon enter as he pieces together who he was on Earth (“Am I smart?” he wonders) and tries to complete his mission to save the sun.
Except Grace is pretty sure he’s not a hero. On Earth, he was a middle school science teacher. When students ask about strange dots outside Earth’s atmosphere that seem to be causing the sun to die, he assures them experts are working on it. He’s not thrilled to discover he might be their only hope.
Government officials have found an old doctoral paper that made him a laughingstock. He insists they’ve got the wrong guy. “I ride a bike to work … and it’s not for exercise,” he tells Sandra Hüller’s project manager Eva Stratt. Still, he’s scrappy and keeps working the problem.
It’s easy to invest in the journey of someone who has to learn to believe in himself – especially with an improbably cute alien sidekick, Rocky, voiced by James Ortiz. Think golden retriever meets genius architect. They quickly become best friends, which can only mean one thing: You’re probably going to cry.
While Grace and Rocky carry the film, Hüller stands out as the dry, practical head of the operation. “The Bear’s” Lionel Boyce also lights up his scenes as a private security type.
Lord and Miller haven’t directed live action in some time, and it’s good to have them back, teamed with cinematographer Greig Fraser, whose grasp of scale and effects shines. The film runs over two hours, yet there’s rarely a dull moment, thanks to constant problem-solving, earnest irreverence and wit. Daniel Pemberton’s buoyant score and Joel Negron’s editing help keep things moving.
It’s refreshing that “Project Hail Mary” doesn’t saddle its hero with tragic baggage – just an alien friend and the fate of Earth.
[Abridged]
LINDSEY BAHR, MDT/AP Film Writer
“Project Hail Mary,” an Amazon MGM release in theaters March 20, is rated PG-13 by the Motion Picture Association for “some thematic material and suggestive references.” Running time: 156 minutes.
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