SAVANNAH, Ga. (WSAV) — We’ve all heard the age-old adage: the book is always better than the movie. It’s very rare that a book can stand alongside its filmed adaptation. Thankfully, “Project Hail Mary” joins that group in standing with its excellent source material in terms of quality.
From the first frames, “Project Hail Mary” pulls you into the story and the action begins as Dr. Ryland Grace wakes up from a coma in a spaceship with no clue where or who he is. From there, Grace must piece together who he is, why he’s on board this ship and what exactly his mission is. Bringing Grace to life is the ever-affable Ryan Gosling, whose natural wit and charm helps make Grace into a hero worth rooting for in what is largely a one-man show.
The film is directed by Phil Lord and Chris Miller, best known for the animation work producing the “Spider-Verse” franchise or directing “The LEGO Movie.” “Project Hail Mary” lands squarely in their wheelhouse, blending emotion with wit just enough to let your eyes well up and the audience laughing. I do wish they would’ve lingered just a moment longer on some of the film’s emotional beats but this is easily their finest directorial work.
The set design of the Hail Mary spaceship is incredibly well-realized and tangible. It is shot in such a way by Oscar-winning cinematographer Grieg Fraser that it feels claustrophobic and cramped. Pair that with the gorgeous, sweeping visuals of the spacewalk sequences (especially in IMAX, the format this film demands to be seen in) and you’ve got one of the most gorgeous and visually effective films in recent memory…