Pop Commentary

I did not expect “Project Hail Mary” to hit me so emotionally, but it had me in tears.

The synopsis

The new film is about a science teacher who wakes up on a spaceship with no recollection of who he is or how he got there. As his memory returns, he begins to uncover his mission, which is to find out how to stop a mysterious substance from killing the sun.

What the movie did right

1. I have to say that this is one of Ryan Gosling’s best performances. Like, I know it’s super early, but I think he deserves an Oscar nomination for this.

2. The heart of this movie is an alien sidekick named Rocky. I didn’t think I would get so emotionally attached to him, but the scene where they learned how to communicate with each other really sold me.

3. I have to shout out Sandra Hüller, who played it so stone-faced for most of the film, but then she showed tiny cracks of emotion, and I thought that was masterful.

4. Also, this movie just looked incredible. They used practical sets and a physical puppet for Rocky, and it all just made everything seem more real. There was also this one scene where Ryan Gosling stood in a cloud of pink light that I cannot get out of my head. It was just so majestic and stunning.

5. Lastly, the science of it all was surprisingly easy to follow. The whole conflict with the sun never felt overwhelming or confusing, which isn’t always the case with films like this.

The verdict

I ended up giving “Project Hail Mary” 9/10 stars. If you love sci-fi that actually makes you feel something, I suggest you go see it!

For those who’ve already seen “Project Hail Mary,” let me know what you thought of it in the comments and subscribe to Pop Commentary for more videos like this!