Project Hail Mary (2026)

Review: written June 2026

Heartwarming unlikely buddy movie

Ryan Gosling wakes up on a huge spaceship, far from home. He cannot remember how he got there, and he is alone. Through his eyes as he tries to figure things out, and through flashbacks to Earth, we piece together what has happened. In essence he is the sole survivor of a desperate attempt to save Earth.. a “Hail Mary”, as it were. So far, so deep and meaningful sci-fi.. and yet that probably isn’t what you’ll remember about the movie at all. It’s his relationship with the alien he makes contact with, whom he calls “Rocky”, that you’ll remember.

Their interaction forms the heart of the movie, which takes centre stage while the gravity and science of the undertaking which brought him to space is relegated to window dressing. That’s not all there is though, with part of the reason the movie has a welcome warmth being the implicit riposte to the nihilist or dystopian trend in sci-fi, with the message here being hope. Hope that mankind will find a way, hope that obstacles can be surmounted, weaknesses can be overcome, and that friendship and partnership plays a pivotal role.

Ryan Gosling brings huge charisma to the role.. making a character who hasn’t made all the best and noble decisions, a relatable, believable and likable character.

It’s a beautiful movie to look at too, with spectacular images, which are never lingered on too long, but show enough to further the story and relationship between the two main characters.

I’m a sucker for this sort of ‘lone man in space makes unlikely friendship’ story, ever since “Silent Running”.. though if I had a qualm it’s that the science part and ‘save our world’ part are somewhat underserved. Humour verges on goofiness at times, which undercuts the larger drama, and leaves some questions nagging when you stop to think about it. How did he develop a translation software so quick? How did he manage to learn navigation in space so quickly?

Any complaint is minor however, for what turns out to be a surprisingly enjoyable mash-up of buddy movie and sci-fi ideas. It looks great, and the lead is charismatic, making this a worthwhile entertaining watch. In the end the best special effect is being able to put a smile on your face.