- Rating: 4.5/5 stars
- Verdict: "Project Hail Mary" is incredible. The choice to use practical effects pays off not only visually, but also allows Ryan Gosling to act against something real rather than a tennis ball on a stick. That produces a star performance that is a must-see in theaters. Just be ready to laugh a lot.
- Where to watch: "Project: Hail Mary" premieres in theaters on March 20
"Project Hail Mary" was one of my most anticipated movies of 2026, but I would be lying if I wasn't a bit nervous. The recipe for success was there: Andy Weir wrote the beloved novel that serves as the source material for the film, and "The Martian" screenwriter Drew Goddard was adapting it. Add in the charming Ryan Gosling starring alongside the Oscar-nominated Sandra Hüller (and a cute rock puppet) and have acclaimed directors Phil Lord and Christopher Miller running the whole thing, and it seemed impossible for this movie to fail ... which, as a cynic, signaled to me that surely this would end badly.But it didn't fail at all. In fact, "Project Hail Mary" is about as good as it could be. I'll admit I've never read the book or listened to the audiobook. which has a cult following of its own, so perhaps there are adaptive choices that will bother some moviegoers. My wife, who went with me, has listened to the audiobook and she informed me that while some stuff must have been left on the cutting room floor, there's nothing major that will have fans tearing their hair out in anger.
