Project Hail Mary (2026) – Review and Summary

While humanity is doomed, you’ll care far more about Ryan Gosling building a relationship with a rock alien.

ByAmari Hours Posted on

Spoiler Alert: This summary and review contains spoilers.

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“Project Hail Mary” Film Details

  • Director(s): Christopher Miller, Phil Lord
  • Writer(s): Drew Goddard
  • Based On Work By: Andy Weir
  • Distributor: Amazon MGM Studios
  • Runtime: 2 Hour(s) and 36 Minutes
  • Public Release Date (In Theaters): March 20, 2026
  • Genre(s): Adventure, Drama, Sci-Fi, Thriller
  • Content Rating: Rated PG-13
  • Primary Language: English
  • Images © of / Courtesy Of Amazon MGM Studios

Movie Summary

In 30 years, humanity and Earth might be on the brink of extinction. Something is eating away at the sun, and it is recognized by the scientific community; either they can seek a resolution now or wait and let countries devolve into war over resources.

Enter Dr. Ryland Grace. Disgraced for an unpopular and unsupported opinion, he became a middle school science teacher. However, with a German woman, Eva Stratt, leading the group that can save the world, convincing him to leave the children to join her research team, Dr. Grace seeks to redeem himself.

However, when he left Grover Cleveland Middle School behind, he had no idea he’d ultimately end up in space, far beyond the solar system, with the future of humanity dependent on him.

Cast and Characters

Dr. Ryland Grace (Ryan Gosling)

  • Character Summary: With an unpopular and unproven theory regarding entities existing that have no water inside them, Dr. Grace retreated from research to teaching middle schoolers. He is liked by his students, but the chance to redeem himself he eases into, despite some apprehension and fear.

Eva Stratt (Sandra Hüller)

  • Character Summary: A Eastern German woman who is heading a multi-national effort to save humanity.

Rocky (James Ortiz)

  • Character Summary: An alien life-form that appears to be a series of rocks.

Review and Commentary

Highlight(s)

Gosling’s Charisma [87/100]

Ryan Gosling has been acting for more than 30 years as of 2026. In Project Hail Mary, you see the results of that for the majority of the movie. Note, despite his star power, he doesn’t dominate his peers but certainly brings what some simply don’t. For example, when focused on Dr. Grace’s time on Earth, he is amongst scientists who do have personality but aren’t developed in such a way to stand out. At best, someone may be notable because you saw them in a show or movie you liked.

However, when he really gets to shine without having to tone it down or adjust to be part of an ensemble, it is in space. While Rocky, as noted in the next highlight, is a huge asset for Project Hail Mary, Gosling makes you care as Dr. Grace figures out a way to speak to Rocky or tries to navigate how he is going to complete his mission.

Also, take note, this is a 2-and-a-half-hour movie, and as someone part of the 90-minute-or-less brigade, adding an additional hour for me is beyond pushing it. But, Gosling keeps you from wanting to check your phone, get antsy, or take a nap and hope you don’t miss anything in the process.

Rocky and Dr. Grace [85/100]

Rocky is the type of character I could easily imagine Amazon, which owns MGM, the distributor, making a toy out of. But Rocky isn’t just a gimmick character made for merchandising, but actually adds a lot to Project Hail Mary. Yes, part of it is fun, comedic, and giving you a sci-fi element that may not be visually stunning, but certainly gets wheels turning in your head.

But the real gift from Rocky is that Rocky creates more of an emotional investment than Dr. Grace being humanity’s last hope. For Rocky too is the last hope of their people and that bond regarding survival, two species trying to save their people, while forming a friendship, gets you in your feelings. Especially since Project Hail Mary reminds you that this mission was never guaranteed to work, or go perfectly. So with every issue that comes about, every life-threatening risk, you find yourself suspending disbelief and wondering if one or the other might end up sacrificed, hurt, or even fail their mission.

Heck, there might be moments you think both may fail since Dr. Grace isn’t painted as the most confident or capable all the time and Rocky? While highly intelligent, his people seemingly aren’t aware of some of the science of space travel humans have. Which leads to early heartbreak. Making it truly seem, as much focus there is on Rocky and Dr. Grace, they could easily become another death in the story than martyrs or returning heroes.

On The Fence

There Will Come A Point You May Not Care If Humanity Lives Or Dies [73/100]

Humanity isn’t well represented in Project Hail Mary. No one is an ass, but they don’t really push you to want Dr. Grace to succeed either. If anything, you would rather Rocky’s people survive and if Dr. Grace had to sacrifice humanity, so be it. This especially becomes true because, in both good and bad ways, there is nothing Dr. Grace leaves behind on Earth worth noting. There is no family, significant other, child in his class you grow attached to. Earth is just portrayed by people who don’t want to suffer.

And the funny part is, they know the suffering will partly come at the hands. Not just due to the sun dying, but when things really kick into gear, war for resources. Furthering this thought that, humanity had a good run and maybe it would be best for it to end now.

Even At A Dolby Theater, The Visuals Were Okay But Not Stunning [74/100]

While Project Hail Mary has a reported budget of over $200 million, I wouldn’t say it is drop dead awe-inspiring. There are moments, especially if you haven’t seen a sci-fi film with money behind it in a while, where you may think “Is this what seeing 2001: A Space Odyssey was like?” But, I’m of the opinion if sci-fi is your jam and you’ve seen every sci-fi film that comes to the big screen, Project Hail Mary isn’t anything special.

To note, I saw it in a AMC Dolby theater, so not one of the best ways you could see this, but still a premium format. But, outside of the initial rush of seeing a foreign planet, maybe secondhand awe due to Gosling’s performance, everything felt standard.

Overall

Our Rating (79/100): Mixed (Divisive)

Project Hail Mary unquestionably has the potential to be one of the top movies of 2026. I’d dare say it could even be a dark horse for the next award season, especially for Gosling, depending on his competition amongst Best Male Actor. But that perspective, admittedly, may come from the high of Gosling’s performance rather than the film as a whole.

If you downplay his role, you have a potentially very average sci-fi film, which does get you invested, but maybe not in the ways it should or is expected. Add in visuals that, despite the film’s massive budget, don’t leave you in awe? It could be submitted that Project Hail Mary is well-positioned to not be overrated, but certainly overexposed.

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