MANILA, Philippines — Just he did as Neil Armstrong in "First Man," Ryan Gosling returns to space for the film adaptation of Andy Weir's "Project Hail Mary."
Directed by Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, Gosling portrays Ryland Grace in "Project Hail Mary."
The "Barbie" star's latest sci-fi tells the story of a man who wakes up from an induced coma with no memory on how he was left inside a spaceship stuck in a different solar system.
Grace slowly remembers a critical mission to save the Sun from microorganisms dimming it, posing a threat to Earth and possibly ending life within decades.
The reluctant astronaut is not alone as he encounters another being from another galaxy with the same problem, and together they work to figure out how to save their planets.
Many will be familiar with a previous Weir book-to-movie project "The Martian," starring Matt Damon and directed by Ridley Scott, who knows a thing or two about science-fiction movies.
"The Martian" was adapted into film by screenwriter and director Drew Goddard, who adapted the story for Lord and Miller's first directorial project since the 2014 film "22 Jump Street."
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Since then, the duo focused on producing and writing well-received projects like the "Spider-Verse" franchise, "The Mitchells vs. the Machines," "Cocaine Bear," and several "Lego" movies.
Many have been anticipating a film adaptation of "Project Hail Mary" since Weir published the book in 2021. Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and Sony were among those interested and immediately picked up the project when it was greenlit for screen adaptation.
It comes as no surprise that "Project Hail Mary" carries elements of "The Martian," as well as recent sci-fi favorites "Interstellar" and "Arrival."
At the heart of the movie is Gosling, a leading man with charm that exudes even when alone onscreen, but even better when opposite new alien friend Rocky (voiced by James Ortiz).
For a story involving the potential end of the world, Gosling keeps moments light and warm, especially in scenes with Rocky, as they both explore every inch of their spacecrafts as lived-in spaces.
One key element to the adptation is the non-linear narrative that Goddard applies to good effect, visually discernable by the shifting aspect ratios best seen on an IMAX screen.
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Oscar-winning cinematographer Greig Fraser ("Dune" films, "The Batman," "Rogue One") shoots all scenes to great effect, paired admirably by the editing of Joel Negron and Chris Dickens.
The imagery aside, the flashback sequences do as much heavy lifting as the plot proper for the formation of Gosling's Grace, particularly his reservation and inclination to avoid conflict.
Sandra Hüller is also an entertaining watch. Her deadpan portrayal of Eva Stratt is unintentionally funny but not averse to mild geniality as evident in her karaoke performance of Harry Styles' "Sign of the Times."
There is also much to enjoy from what audiences will hear, from the exceptional sound design to the music — both the exhilarating score of Daniel Pemberton and the numerous needle drops from Neil Diamond to the Beatles.
"Project Hail Mary" derives its success from Weir's ideas, and how Lord, Miller, and Goddard bring it to the screen, culminating in an exciting sci-fi adventure that carries emotional weight.
The movie is setting itself up to be the first true blockbuster of the year, setting the critical and box office standards for the months to come.