My Cultural Diet

I’ve described Andy Weir’s Project Hail Mary as the sort of sci-fi novel that “makes you feel smarter while you read it” and noted — somewhat blithely, perhaps — that a movie adaptation was all but inevitable, thanks to the success of 2015’s The Martian (another Weir adaptation). I prefer Sir Ridley Scott’s film to this one, if only because Matt Damon works a bit better for me as an isolated astronaut who uses jokes as much as science to survive. That said, Project Hail Mary is still plenty fun in its own right, and quite refreshing. Like The Martian, it’s a prime example of “competence porn” — don’t worry, that link’s “safe for work” — in which smart, resourceful, and dedicated individuals work together to solve insurmountable problems sans any angst or melodrama. Ryan Gosling stars as an astronaut who finds himself adrift in space without any memories, only to slowly realize that it’s up to him to save the sun, and by extension, all of humanity. Fortunately, he’s not alone in this endeavor, not when he encounters an alien who resembles a rock spider, and who’s on a similarly desperate mission. If this odd pair wants to save their respective worlds, then they’ll need to figure out how to communicate and overcome their differences. That they do is never in doubt, but it’s the journey — and their burgeoning friendship — that really matters. Certain parts of Project Hail Mary don’t hold up under close scrutiny, like some of the hand-waving concerning the various logistical challenges facing our two very different heroes. (I recall Weir’s novel being more thoughtful in that regard.) But the film’s so gosh-darn charming and optimistic — not to mention visually stunning — that you just want to hold on and go along for the ride.

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