On: Project Hail Mary (Film)

Yesterday, I got to watch one of the most anticipated films of the year on the big screen.

Project Hail Mary is the movie adaptation of the similarly named sci-fi book by Andy Weir. If that name rings a bell, it’s probably because it’s the same author that wrote The Martian, which was a huge hit (both as a book and later a movie starring Matt Damon) a decade or so ago.

I won’t go into too much detail about the story of Project Hail Mary here to avoid any spoilers, but it’s the same type of movie that The Martian also was. A guy in space who has to solve problems with science (and a couple more twists and turns). But this time, the guy is Ryan Gosling.

I started reading the book roughly a year ago but never finished it. And I’m also not the biggest sci-fi reader¹. So I was only half-prepared for what would await me.

Nonetheless, to cut things short: The movie adaptation of this book really is as good as the reviewers say.

The story is solid, sure. If you’ve read the book and know the technical details a bit better, it’s likely even more immersive.

But what stood out to me most were the artistic choices the film makes and that can only be brought to life in this audiovisual format:

The imagery and the music selection. Everything else is great too, but these two elements really were top-notch and definitely in my top 3 of all the movies I have ever watched.

Almost every frame (especially the wide-angle shots from outside the spaceship) could be printed and be hung on a wall. And the music makes these images and also the relationship and experiences of the characters even better. Not too obtrusive, yet, despite the different genres, always the right acoustic accompaniment for each scene.

So all in all, if you have even the tiniest interest in anything science/technology related and love beautiful pictures and good music, definitely go watch Project Hail Mary! And do it on the biggest screen possible, the IMAX experience is truly incredible.

And I’m probably gonna give the book another shot after the watch.

5/5

Watched: 25.03.2026