“PROJECT Hail Mary,” the film adaptation of Andy Weir’s novel, opens in Philippine cinemas on March 18 following an early screening that drew strong reactions from members of the press.
Directed by Christopher Miller and Phil Lord, the science fiction drama stars Ryan Gosling as Ryland Grace, a science teacher who wakes up alone aboard a spacecraft with no memory of how he arrived there. As his memory gradually returns, he realizes he is on a last-ditch mission to save humanity and Earth from extinction. The cast also includes Sandra Hüller, Milana Vayntrub, Ken Leung, Liz Kingsman and James Ortiz.
Several journalists who attended the early screening shared their responses online.
Journalist Liam Crowley wrote, “#ProjectHailMary is perfect. Imagination unleashed even better than I pictured it on the page. How Gosling captivates throughout a largely one-man show is beyond me — your earliest Best Actor contender. And my sweet prince Rocky... tears flowed all third act. What a beautiful display of companionship. Heartwarming. Heartbreaking. And genuinely funny! An absolute must-see theatrical experience.”
“Variety” editor Jazz Tangcay described the film as “masterful and so beautifully done,” adding, “A truly heartwarming story of humanity and friendship. A superb performance from Ryan Gosling — a career best. Greig Fraser’s cinematography is exquisite to perfection.”
Writer Kevin Verma highlighted the film’s large-scale presentation, posting, “#ProjectHailMary absolutely floored me. Lord and Miller deliver a space odyssey that is deeply human and heartwarming. Ryan Gosling is fantastic here and brings emotion and charm to this SciFi epic. Incredible visuals and a pulsing score. You wanna see this one in @Imax.”
“Gizmodo” senior reporter Germain Lussier also shared his reaction, writing, “#ProjectHailMary is pure joy. Hilarious, heartfelt, hugely moving, wildly exciting and absolutely beautiful. The 160 minutes go by in an instant as Lord and Miller keep Weir’s narrative moving like a rocket ship. Gosling is better than ever and the Rocky effect and mind blowing.”
“Project Hail Mary” is distributed by Columbia Pictures.