Based on the novel of the same name by Andy Weir (“The Martian”), Project Hail Mary tells the story of middle school science teacher Dr. Ryland Grace (Ryan Gosling), who wakes up on a spaceship over 11 light years from earth, with no memory of how he got there, or his mission. He is the sole surviving crew member of the spacecraft Hail Mary (voiced by Priya Kansara), which had been sent on a one-way mission to collect information that is crucial to the survival of the planet. Earth’s Sun is dying and if nothing is done, within 30 years, the drop in Earth’s temperature could wipe out the world’s food supply, followed by its population. Grace is humanity’s last hope against this extinction-level threat. However, the molecular biologyist soon discovers that he is not actually alone in this venture—the Earth’s sun isn’t the only star being affected—other planets also face a similar threat. Grace makes an unlikely friendship with alien Rocky (voice of James Ortiz), and together they learn to communicate and figure out a way to save both of their civilizations.

As the film follows Grace and Rocky’s adventures in space, it also constantly flashes back to Earth, to see how we got here, starting with disgraced scientist Dr. Ryland Grace being recruited by the head of the international Petrova Taskforce, Eva Stratt (Sandra Hüller), and partners up with security guard Carl (Lionel Boyce) as he tests his various theories as he investigates astrophage particles that are key to the mission. We also see the crew of the Hail Mary, including Olesya Ilyukhina (Milana Vayntrub) and Captain Yao (Ken Leung), go through their training, and how Grace ultimately finds himself a part of the mission.

Project Hail Mary comes from producers/directors Phil Lord & Christopher Miller, who know quite a bit about adding humor and heart to a film. The screenplay was written by Drew Goddard, who had adapted Weir’s previous novel, The Martian, for the big screen.

Project Hail Mary has a similar feel and tone to Andy Weir’s The Martian, which also centers around a man alone and away from Earth. Though, despite The Martian winning the Golden Globe for best comedy, this film actually has a lot more humor to it. When we start off, the viewer finds themself in a similar position as Dr. Ryland Grace—slightly confused and not sure of what is going on. However, as the film flips between the present in space and the past on Earth, these gaps start to fill in, and the mission becomes clear. However, these transitions are doe in a clever way, with events in the present oft informing the clip from the past, or vice-versa. Both sides of this story are filled with action, drama and humor, and some exciting twists and reveals.

Ryan Gosling is perfectly cast in this role as the teacher trapped in space trying to save humanity from an extinction-level event. He has amazing chemistry will all of his co-stars, human or otherwise. No matter who he’s paired with he’s a delight to watch. Grace pretty much wins over and becomes friends with anyone he interacts with, even if they are initially a bit stand-offish—no one can resist his charm. It’s lonely for him being in space all by himself, so when he meets Rocky and has another “person” to talk and interact with, it invigorates him and gives him a new sense of purpose and life. Even though he’s in a dangerous and deadly position, he ultimately accepts his lot and decides to make the best of it, putting all of his effort into completing this mission. I really enjoyed Grace’s friendships with Carl and Rocky, which are so fun and filled with comedic moments. Rocky is this 5-armed, faceless alien, but voice actor/puppeteer James Ortiz really gives him an amazing and delightful personality. I dare anyone to not fall in love with this character and the hilarious bond and friendship that forms between him and Grace. “Fist my bump!” Carl is another unlikely friend for Grace. He starts off as this stoic security guard, but ends up joking and playing around with Grace. A testament to actor Lionel Boyce is that he was originally only supposed to be around for four days, but there was such great chemistry and Ryan Gosling kept pulling him into scenes, that he ended up being on set for a month!

I have not read the Project Hail Mary book, or listened to the audiobook (which gets rave reviews), so I cannot comment on how faithful this adaptation is. However, I found it to be a funny, heartwarming and exciting tale that takes viewers on a satisfying journey of emotions.

Amazon MGM Studios/Alliance Home Entertainment have released Project Hail Mary on 4K UHD, Blu-ray, DVD and Digital. There will also be an Amazon exclusive 3-disc SteelBook giftset with additional features, new bonus content, a collectible booklet, and more that will be released on October 13. We were sent the standard 4K release for review, and it looks and sounds great. The film constantly switches between the present in space and flashbacks on Earth, and different aspect ratios are utilized to help differentiate between them—a fill-the-screen 1.78:1 for the space stuff, and a more cinematic 2.39:1 for the Earth flashbacks. In the commentary, the directors state that the latter is because people tend to romanticize the past. The picture generally looks clean and with a solid level of detail. Colors are a bit pale, but this feels like an intentional stylized look. Practical and visual effects blend in naturally, making you believe that Rocky is actually this living being, and that he Grace are really travelling through space. The audio track provides clear dialogue throughout, and makes excellent use of the stereo and surround channels to provide an immersive feeling, especially during the more action-packed sequences.

The 4K release includes just a single 4K disc, which is placed in a standard 4K keepcase along with a carboard slipcover. No digital copy code is included. The disc also includes an entertaining and informative commentary track by directors Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, 10 minutes of deleted scenes, and an 8-minute behind-the-scenes featurette about Rocky.

What’s Included:

Film: (2:36:31)

4K UHD:
• 2160p / Widescreen 2.39:1, 1.78:1
• Dolby Vision / HDR10
• Audio: English Dolby Atmos (TrueHD 7.1), English Descriptive Audio, French Canadian 5.1 Dolby Digitsl, French 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio, Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital
• Subtitles: English, English SDH, French Canadian, French, Dutch, Spanish

Extras:

• Commentary by Directors Phil Lord and Christopher Miller (2:36:31)
  Entertaining and informative commentary throughout. They provide lots of behind-the-scenes stories about the making of the film. They discuss the sets, the transitions between the two aspect ratios, the cast and performances, and more.
• Deleted Scenes (9:58)
  Collection of 5 deleted/extended scenes. Play All, or select from:
  • Day 1 Food Paste (1:39)
    Medical arm Armando tries to feed food paste to a newly-awakened Dr. Ryland Grace, which he rejects. As he’s running away, he activates the beds of the other crew members and discovers that they are dead.
  • I Think I’m Handling Things Pretty Awesome (2:20)
    Grace is still trying to come to terms with his situation, playing darts with a white board and markers, leaving a diary entry, using the bathroom, dancing with Armando, and more.
  • How To Put On The Space Suit (1:39)
    Grace struggles to put on his space suit, even checking out videos to see the process. Some of this is used in the final film in a montage when he does the space walk to catch the present from Rocky.
  • You Sleep, I Watch (2:20)
    Rocky keeps Grace awake as he loudly watches him try to sleep.
  • Maybe We’re Cousins (1:47)
    Grace and Rocky decide that if all life is related, they could be cousins.
• Earth’s Favorite Eridian (7:53)
  The cast and crew talk about the character of Rocky, keeping him the same as described in the book despite the challenges, giving him personality without a face, bringing the character to life using both practical &visual effects, animatronic and puppet versions of Rocky, finding the right voice for Rocky, and more. Includes behind-the-scenes footage, and interviews with producer/star Ryan Gosling (“Ryland Grace”), author/producer Andy Weir, co-directors/producers Phil Lord & Christopher Miller, creature effects creative supervisor Neal Scanlan, FX supervisors Paul Lambert & Mag Sarnowska, voice of “Rocky”/lead puppeteer James Ortiz, VFX producer Barrie Hemsley, and senior animation supervisor Arslan Elver.

Final Thoughts:

Project Hail Mary is a thoroughly entertaining film that mixes a lot of humor into this adventurous tale about saving the planet. At the core are some wonderful friendships. Ryan Gosling is perfectly cast and delightful in this role, and voice actor/puppeteer James Ortiz really gives Rocky an amazing and lovable personality. Amazon’s 4K release looks and sounds great, and also includes a solid selection of bonus material. The release comes highly recommended. That said, an Amazon exclusive 3-disc SteelBook giftset with additional material is scheduled for October 13 for those who hate to double-dip. The film is also currently streaming on Prime Video and MGM+, for those who subscribe and wish to check it out first before a blind buy, or while waiting to pickup the giftset release.