An extended review of the new movie starring Canadian actor Ryan Gosling
It’s increasingly rare nowadays for a piece of pop culture to appeal to all ages. Much of what is released, streaming or considered “content” is targeted at niche audiences. And so, when an accessible and meaningful story, with the potential to bring generations together, is released near Eastertime it should be celebrated.
Enter Project Hail Mary, the new film starring proud Canadian and Hollywood darling Ryan Gosling.
Adapted from Andy Weir’s best-selling novel and directed by Phil Lord and Chris Miller (the creative team behind The Lego Movie and Into the Spider-Verse), Project Hail Mary is set in the near future when it’s discovered that our sun, and stars across the universe, are dying except one. This lone surviving star (or sun) holds the answer to our survival.
And so, a small team of astronauts and scientists are sent on a sacrificial mission to discover and send back the answer that will save us all. Along the way, however, first contact is made and an unexpected friendship is formed.
The film has a runtime of 156 minutes, but it feels like 90 minutes, not only because it thrills and entertains, but because the story is incredibly creative and economic in its structure.
Jumping back and forth between the deep space mission and the crisis that launched it all back on Earth, the intimate and immersive direction along with a refined and focused adaptation by screenwriter Drew Goddard, keep us engaged and on the edge of our seats.
It also doesn’t hurt that Gosling is endlessly compelling and charismatic. And given the fact that a lot of his screentime is either alone or acting opposite a rock (an alien-rock-creature to be more specific), is all the more impressive. There’s almost something Chaplin-esque about his performance, which might also be the reason why it’s so emotionally resonant.
And it’s a good thing it is, because his character not only has to hold the centre, but also allow us to enter into the experience of survival and rescue.
Which is why, when the film takes a turn and confronts us with the limitations and fragility of our hero, we feel seen and considered, because many of us are never as brave as we think we are. For it’s one thing to accept our own mortality, but it is quite another to offer it up on behalf of the whole human race.
While Project Hail Mary is an undeniable thrill-ride and a piece of popcorn entertainment all ages can enjoy, ultimately it is a story of cosmic connection that combats the experience of isolation and loneliness through sacrifice.
And given the fact that we’re approaching Holy Week and entering into the Easter season, it can be a valuable reminder to know that at the centre of the universe is a sacrificial narrative, a narrative many of us believe to be rooted in God’s own nature.
Or as theologian Robert Jenson puts it, “The Crucifixion is what it cost the Father to be in fact…the loving and merciful Father of the human race…Christ’s suffering is the anguish God undergoes to be actually merciful within history; it is the pain of truly loving us.”
So, as the Season of Lent comes to a close, and followers of Jesus prepare for the highest of holidays (or holy days), why not welcome a story that suggests a deeper meaning. Why not congregate together and acknowledge the fact that we all crave connection, and are invited to participate in a mission that can save us all.
Adam Kline is a pastor of intercultural missions and narrative theologian living in Belleville, Ont. Read his columns at loveismoving.ca/category/behind-screens. Poster: Amazon MGM Studios / Grace Hill Media.