Project: Hail Mary

Project: Hail Mary Review: An instant sci-fi magnum opus

Brighton Nelson

21 Mar 2026 — 6 min read

Honestly, Project: Hail Mary wasn't a film I was very excited for. It probably wouldn't have even been near my top 30 most anticipated films this year! However, with great word of mouth about the book and Rocky looking cute, I had to watch it, if only to do due justice as a movie reviewer. And, as somebody who wasn't all that excited, this film was one of those magical experiences that reminded me why I love movies so much, especially with the vast array of mediocrity I watch as a reviewer. I'm very excited to talk about Project: Hail Mary and am even more honored that you've taken time out of your day to join me, Brighton Nelson, in today's Reel Ranker review.

I love how this planet looks like a caramel apple yet still looks this stunning!

Honestly, this is one of those rare movies where I've got no notes. Even as somebody who wasn't even remotely excited, I wouldn't change a single goshdang thing about this movie because it's that incredible. Lord and Miller did a fantastic job writing and producing the Spider-Man movies, directing Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs and The Lego Movie, and tons of other absolute classics... but I've got to say, I firmly believe this is easily the magnum opus of their careers thus far, which is saying a lot with all the awesome competition they've put out. The only thing I might have liked was for the very last scene with his school teaching to be about 2 minutes longer, so the film could more naturally fade to black in a cutely satisfying way, instead of its rather abrupt ending. But, that's a small nitpick in the grand scheme of things!

The film's biggest highlight is undoubtedly the relationship between Grace and Rocky. This is one of my new favorite on-screen friendships of all time! Ryan Gosling delivers an awards-worthy performance as he begins to understand the language of his new best friend in such a sweet way. By extension, this is an emotionally charged experience throughout as they get to know one another, make sacrifices for one another, and more. And Rocky is simply so adorable that I'm certainly asking my family to get me a life-size Rocky for my birthday or Christmas. And, if they don't, well, I might blow them up with astrophage.

He's so cute! I'm also asking for a Glordon plushie from Elio for my birthday or Christmas, too! That might be it, I don't want them to spend too much on me.

While every element of this film is a joy, the whole experience would be practically nothing by comparison without this duo, and, in a sense, could've ended up as a watered-down version of The Martian. However, as it stands, this film is exponentially better than The Martian, and I don't think it's even a fair competition. I haven't read any of Weir's novels, of which there aren't many, but I'm thoroughly excited to check out the inevitable adaptation of Artemis when that comes out! And I'm also excited to see if Weir can top this story with his next novel, because that's certainly not going to be easy!

Speaking of the story, while it's relatively simple compared to the beautiful relationship that most of the story revolves around, I really did enjoy its nonlinear pacing. The film switches between past and present at the right time every time, and never lingers too long on the backstory. The backstory in this film is fantastic, but if it stuck to it too long, it could take away from the heart of the film; instead, it stays just enough to amplify the main story instead of subtracting from it. There are a multitude of moments when I genuinely cried during this movie, and it's been a while since I've been sitting on the edge of my seat, desperately hoping for relief from the moment on screen. Seriously, this film is an emotional rollercoaster from start to finish.

Framing everything beautifully, intensifying every emotion, were the stunning cinematography and the scintillating score. Everything in this film feels so otherworldly yet equally tangible, marrying practical effects with special effects, sans green screen. This is easily a film that will be nominated for practically every technical Oscar, without question. The visuals are magical at times; astronomically grand at times, yet remain small and adorable throughout. This film captures every emotion with its visuals, which can be incredibly difficult, especially when your film takes place in space. Complementing the visuals and synergizing with the narrative, this may just be my #1 score of this year by the end, because every single note of this score elevates every minute detail of the story in exactly the way it needs to.

The incredible visuals definitely carried over to the graphic design. Holly holy, this is peak.

The Reel Ranker Verdict

Reel or Unreel? - Reel
The Reel Ranker Score: 100%
Letter Score: S+
Star Ranking: 5 out of 5

As somebody who doesn't gravitate toward sci-fi genre flicks often, Project: Hail Mary has already become one of my favorite movies of all time. It's one of those monumental films that will go down as an all-time classic. Boasting beautiful storytelling, visuals, and an incredible core relationship, this is one of those films that deserves awards in every category at every award show: it's a 10/10 masterpiece.

Interested in checking out some other awesome films for the whole family? Check them out below!