“A Masterclass in the Human Experience”: Project Hail Mary
Film Review ★ Alyssa Bushman ★ @lissyb_21 ★ 3 Minutes
Project Hail Mary is a masterclass in the human experience. It is the perfect example of globalism over nationalism. Written by Andy Weir in 2021, this science fiction novel follows the story of middle school science teacher, Dr. Ryland Grace. He has been known to go against the status quo with what he believes to be right. Though he would prefer that the status quo was within his control. He is a perfect representation of humanity and the desire for closeness, companionship, and purpose.
The story kept me on the edge of my seat while reading and I was delighted to hear that it would be adapted into a movie this year. There are a few differences from the book, although most of the plot and characters are straight from the book.
The directors wanted the film to center around the friendship and camaraderie that Grace and alien- rock creature, Rocky, build over time and so some of the action sequences in the book were slimmed down to make room to show more interactions of them bonding. Though the film itself was 2 hours and 36 minutes in the final cut, the director's cut was 3 hours and 45 minutes.
One of the things that got taken out was that every astronaut/scientist that got chosen had to have a specific gene mutation that allows for them to be put in a coma for that extended period of time. Grace has this mutation. Though this does not mean he is a willing participant. Project Hail Mary was a riveting read and an even better watch. While reading I noticed that I paused many times to orient myself in the story. The movie really helped me understand where and how everything works within the story.
Andy Weir has mentioned he is on the aphantasia scale so he has a harder time visualizing what the story looks like in his head. With this in mind, in my opinion, I think this is the most accurate version of what I pictured in my head while reading Project Hail Mary. In the age of AI it is so refreshing to just see really cool editing and beautiful cinematography done by humans.
Speaking of extraordinary humans, James Ortiz is the puppeteer and voice behind Rocky. He brought Rocky to life by making him a quirky lovable spider creature that everyone quickly gets attached to. In his audition for the role, Ortiz had walked past the puppet that was meant for the audition and used his hand to depict the creature. He mentions in interviews the importance of having a bond with Ryan Gosling, who plays Dr. Grace. He credits the bond to the “cute” relationship that they both create by the end of the story.
This bond that is created becomes the purpose for the whole film. Both of them fight so hard to understand why they have to be the ones to save both of their worlds. In the end, it boils down to two unlikely heroes and one hell of a story.
With the launching of Artemis II, everyone is looking outwards to what lies beyond. The astronauts even got a special early screening of the movie before they were quarantined for the mission! Some little nods to the movie have been used in updates about the crew and it has created a renewed interest in space. Their wake up songs have become a fun little check in each morning that you can read about here. One check in with the crew, had a NASA member stating “amaze amaze amaze” which was a subtle nod to the film. When asked what the crew would miss most about being in space, Christina Koch answered, “the camraderie”.
With all of this space exploration media and the launching of Artemis II, we are in a space/science resurgence. The one through line for all space exploration is this desperate need and yearning for companionship. Knowing that we are not all alone. It is the one thing that connects us all.
