PROJECT HAIL MARY

Being positioned as an early year blockbuster tent-pole is a tough beat. AND to not even be a franchise, woof - even harder. You're either going to be a massive hit or putter out. So it's been interesting to see Amazon-MGM's tactic over the last few months at how to market this Andy Weir novel adaptation that reportedly cost a staggering $250 million+. It's a bold step in non-franchise movie making and the team of Phil Lord, Chris Miller and star Ryan Gosling are admittedly the right trio for this kind of film.

There’s a lot to admire in Project Hail Mary, even if it doesn’t always strike the balance it’s aiming for. Anchored almost entirely by Ryan Gosling, who stars as science teacher Ryland Grace who wakes up on a spaceship with no recollection of who he is or how he got there, the film thrives on his presence in a way few modern blockbusters dare to attempt. Much of the story rests on his shoulders, and he carries it with an ease that feels both charismatic and controlled. It’s a performance that reminds you just how rare it is to find an actor who can command attention without ever feeling like they’re trying too hard.

The first act seems much like Weir's other novel, The Martian, where our protagonist finds himself in a state of intergalactic solitude, yet it feels more like a pseudo-performance of Tom Hanks in Cast Away, as Grace finds himself having to deal with the death that now surrounds him on this ship. It's a hard first 20 minutes as the gravity of his situation and the amnesia hit like a hard combo.

As the film moves on, Gosling’s performance is both comedic and grounded, playing directly into his strengths - dry delivery, a slightly condescending edge, and an ability to undercut tension with perfectly timed humor. Yet beneath that is a sincerity that keeps the character from feeling one-note. Gosling has always been one of my favourite actors for many years, and he continues to cement himself as one of the best actors working today with this performance. What’s most compelling is how, despite being such a global face in Hollywood, there’s still a sense that he’s just a Canadian kid at heart. That grounded authenticity gives the film an emotional anchor, even when the narrative starts to drift tonally.

The film’s scientific backbone, adapted from Andy Weir’s novel, is another major strength. Much like Weir’s previous work, the story is dense with problem-solving, physics, and real-world logic, yet it’s presented in a way that feels accessible rather than overwhelming. THIS IS KEY FOR A GENERAL AUDIENCE - NOT JUST SCIENCE NERDS LIKE ME! The first hour is absolutely spectacular - tense, methodical, and filled with a genuine sense of discovery. It captures that rare science fiction magic where the stakes feel enormous, but the solutions are grounded in intellect and perseverance rather than spectacle alone.

That sense of momentum, however, begins to shift once Rocky is introduced. From a technical standpoint, the character is incredibly well realized, especially with the decision to use practical effects and a physical prop rather than relying solely on CGI for the character. There’s a tangible quality to Rocky that makes every interaction feel more immediate and believable. The set design overall follows this same philosophy, giving the film a lived-in, tactile feel that elevates the immersion in a way many modern sci-fi films struggle to achieve.

Where the film becomes more divisive for me is in how it handles tone during its second act. Rocky, while undeniably charming and even endearing, ushers in a shift toward a more comedic, buddy-driven dynamic. The humor isn’t inherently the issue - it’s often genuinely funny - but it starts to dilute the gravity of the situation for both. For a story centered on an imminent planetary extinction, the increased reliance on jokes makes the stakes feel less urgent than they did in that gripping first hour. At times, it feels like the film is caught between being a hard science fiction thriller and something closer to an E.T.-style emotional companion piece.

Ultimately, Project Hail Mary is an ambitious and often captivating adaptation that doesn’t fully reconcile its competing tones but that doesn't stop it from being the first great movie of 2026. When it leans into its science, tension, and Gosling’s performance, it’s among the most compelling sci-fi films in recent memory, with an ability to echo beside something like an Interstellar. But when it pivots too heavily into comedy, it loses some of the weight that made its premise so compelling in the first place. It’s still a highly worthwhile watch - thoughtful, well-crafted, and frequently entertaining - but one that leaves you wondering how much more powerful it could have been with a steadier tonal balance.