I watched a sci-fi movie far better than Star Wars | Films | Entertainment

Sci-fi is a strange genre. It has given us some of the greatest films ever made, yet finding a genuinely good one can feel like a chore when you have to wade through endless Star Wars sequels and CGI-heavy spectacles that lack substance.

It can be easy to give up on anything involving spaceships and aliens, but Project Hail Mary proves the genre still has plenty to offer, and it has become my favourite film of the year. I was originally a little sceptical about seeing Project Hail Mary because the trailer did not particularly interest me, but I am delighted to have been proven completely wrong. I loved this film so much that, the moment I spotted it on Amazon Prime this week, I bought it without a second thought. If you are searching for the perfect film to curl up with on a cosy night in, Project Hail Mary deserves a place at the top of your watchlist.

What makes Project Hail Mary worth watching?

Despite its reputation as a genre for nerds, most science fiction stories’ main characters are soldiers, rebels, or chosen ones battling some great evil.

It can become boring watching the same types of characters save the day, which is what makes Project Hail Mary so refreshing.

Its protagonist, Ryland Grace (played by Ryan Gosling), is not an action hero but an ordinary science teacher who wakes up aboard a spaceship with no memory of how he got there.

His two crewmates are dead, and through a series of flashbacks he gradually remembers that a mysterious organism is draining energy from the sun, and unless a solution is found, Earth will face a catastrophic ice age within decades.

Unlike the typical sci-fi protagonist, Grace is a timid, cardigan-wearing scientist who would never willingly volunteer for such a dangerous mission, but suddenly finds himself as the only person capable of solving humanity’s greatest crisis.

What makes Project Hail Mary stand out is that its hero succeeds through intelligence rather than violence and the tension comes from scientific discovery, not from shooting his way out of danger.

However, despite the seemingly hopeless premise, Project Hail Mary is far from a bleak film. It is frequently hilarious, which should come as no surprise given that it is directed by Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, the filmmakers behind The Lego Movie.

Grace is an endearingly goofy protagonist, but what truly elevates the film is how optimistic it is as Project Hail Mary presents a hopeful version of humanity.

Cinema has suffered over the last few years as it has become increasingly dominated by sequels, reboots, and other sprawling cinematic universes, which is why Project Hail Mary is such a breath of fresh air.

If you want a self-contained sci-fi adventure with a lot of heart then I guarantee you will love this movie as much as I did.

What are other people saying about Project Hail Mary?

Project Hail Mary is currently one of the most popular movies on Rotten Tomatoes with a 94 percent rating.

One review wrote: “Project Hail Mary is everything we admire and deserve from the sci-fi genre. It’s amazing how such a simple tale of bravery and friendship can feel so transcendent in the right hands.”

Another person said: “This was one of the best films I’ve seen in a long time. The message this film portrays is truly beautiful. It was one of the only films In my life where I almost cried in.”

Someone else wrote: “Watched it like five times in theatres. That’s how beautiful it was.” Others, however, had a tainted view of the film, with one reviewer stating they were “expecting more”.

Another wrote: “Project Hail Mary’ begins to bore at about the 20-minute mark.”