Streaming on Prime
There have been a few science fiction masterpieces made since Star Wars (1977) and Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977) which started the modern day genre of science fiction, taking bold chances with the genre and with visionary imagination took us to great heights. Man had not yet landed on the moon when Stanley Kubrick gave audiences 2001 – A Space Odyssey (1968) his magnificent opus across the universe and through time. With stunning visual effects and sound, glorious cinematography, the perfect musical score, and a murderous computer (our future) the film stunned audiences with its rare visionary power and re-invented the language of the cinema, the image in storytelling, and its use of sound and non-sound to convey space.In 1977 came two very science fiction films, the exuberant science fiction fantasy film Star Wars (1977) and later that year Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977), a breathtaking, near religious experience about aliens contacting us to let us know they are there. Two years later in Alien (1979), director Ridley Scott reminded us “In space, no one can hear you scream” in a spell binding horror film in which the battered ship cruising through space becomes a haunted house, haunted by a vicious flesh eating alien. The sequels to Star Wars came next The Empire Strikes Back (1980) the very best of the series, Return of the Jedi (1983) showing wear. The sequel to Alien, aptly titled Aliens (1986) was a fast paced war film in which mankind went to war with these horrors. There was a huge box office flop in 1982 that grew in prestige and is now considered one of the greatest science films ever made, the haunting Blade Runner (1982). That same year Steve Spielberg gave us the soul stroking work E. T. – The Extraterrestrial (1982) about a child’s friendship with a wise old alien left behind by accident while gathering plants.
The next truly great science fiction film was Contact (1997) a breathtaking work from Robert Zemeckis about aliens again reaching out to man to let us know they were present. Jodie Foster was extraordinary in the film as the young scientist sent into space to encounter them. Since then we have had The Martian (2015) a thrilling film about a lone scientist left behind by accident on Mars and earth’s plan to rescue him, new Stars films and Steven Spielberg’s Disclose Day (2026) an outstanding work about a group of people disclosing information about aliens among us.
And Project Hail Mary, a downright brilliant film that is both thrilling and funny, and speaks to mankind’s humanity as no other film ever has.
Based on the book by Andy Weir, who also wrote the novel The Martian, the film is directed by Phil Lord and Christoper Miller who have a huge background in animation the film’s story is told in a broken narrative which comes together beautifully. We open with a young scientist waking up from an induced coma, unaware of where he is and where he is going. He discovers he is 11.9 light years away from earth and traveling to Venus to stop some sort of life from dimming the stars and doing what will eventually kill the sun, and thus life on earth. His memory comes back in flashes, and we learn a government organization had approached him to help with this extinction level world emergency. He agrees to help, and Eva Stratt (Sandra Huller) who obviously wields enormous power, elevates his level of security to the highest in a second and suddenly Grace knows everything including the knowledge if the son goes out man will be extinct. But then when an explosion kills the scientists meant to go into space she is speaking with Grace and asks him to forgive her for what she must do next, and induces him into a coma with an injection and he is quickly off to space. The two scientists who accompanied him into space, perish on the trip, leaving him alone. But is he?? Turns out an alien has come to this spot in space for the exact same reason, the sun that sustains life on their planet is also dying, the same sun. At first Grace is afraid of the rock like little creature who he names Rocky due to his love of the film. Via computer Grace manages to create a program that will translate what Rocky is saying and help the alien understand Grace. Soon Rocky is speaking, asking questions, answering them, sharing information, the two beings working together to find an answer to the terrible problem.
The relationship between Grace and Rocky develops into a deep, loving friendship between two radically different life forms. But then they realize they must say goodbye. They do but Grace discovers there is a problem aboard Rocky’s ship. He can go after his little friend and extend his stay in space indefinitely, but save his friend, or nit know when or if he can ever go home. What he does is deeply human, moving and exactly what the little alien would have done for him, and they each know. By the end, grace is back where he started, in a classroom teaching youngsters about space, just different youngsters.
Ryan Gosling is magnificent in the film carrying it on his shoulders making the right decision with each choice presented him, giving what is easily his best performance and bear in mind he has been mighty fine before. His Grace is brilliant scientifically, but not so bright socially. There are long stretches when it is just Grace onscreen and Gosling males those moments deeply entertaining. There is also a dark sadness to him because he suspects the journey will bring about his death, which Rocky will not have. He tells us over and over through the film he is not a brave man but he turns out to be the bravest man we might ever encounter. This is an Oscar caliber performance and I hope Gosling is not only nominated but wins next spring.
Equally good is the chilly remote leader of the project Eva Stratt portrayed with a no nonsense sense of authority by Sandra Huller, who too appears on line for an Oscar nomination as supporting actress. She seems icy cold but during a karoke night shocks everyone by picking up the mike and singing A SIGN OF THE TIMES which has a profound impact on the crew surrounding her. Her previously unknown vocal talents soar into the room, into the stars, a haunting tune in which she knows better than anyone why they must succeed.
The enormity of the mission becomes clear when an explosion kills the chosen crew and Grace realizes they are are going to force him to go, and there is nothing he can do about it. By the end of the film he understands and forgives Eva wwhich he had never expected to do.
The two actors together make subtle soft magic together in the scenes they share and when they go solo. We understand why Eva must distance herself from the crew and Grace, because of the horrible decisions she is forced to make. And we understand why Grace goes after his friend deeper into space just as we come to understand why Grace continues the mission, for love of life. Not just his life, but for all life.
We are halfway through the year 2026 and this is the best film I have seen thus far. I am betting that on December 31, it is still the best film of the year. A soaring, heartfelt masterpiece about finding one’s humanity, even when you might not be human.
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