Write a commentUnfortunately for me and everyone that knows me, I have a very active dream state.
I haven't really gotten it down to a science yet. At this point of my life, I'm not sure I ever will. There are varying theories out there regarding dreams and why we dream. It would make sense if it was just random neurons firing, but there has to be some meaning to them, right?
One theory is that you're working out things you dealt with during the day. Your subconscious is basically playing ping-pong with your greatest fears and stressors in your brain while you sleep. There seems to be some truth to this, but I'm not sure it's always so random.
Back in 2013, I went to see Gravity in IMAX with a friend. Anyone who has been to an IMAX theater knows how impressive they can be if done correctly. For those of you who haven't seen Gravity, there's an extended sequence where Sandra Bullock's character is spinning out into space, seemingly without any way back.
I don't know that I totally knew until this sequence that spinning aimlessly in space is a fear of mine. Given the enormous screen as well as the immersive sound, much of this experience was seared into my brain right there and then. I don't usually experience anything like this in my daily life so the fear was never really activated.
I'm not sure what anyone else's experiences with dreams are, but with mine, it's as though I'm waking up in the dream. One particular dream was exactly what happened in Gravity except I was Sandra Bullock. I was just spinning into the black void of space, screaming to no one.
When I woke up, I was gasping for air and I was extremely hoarse. I felt like I had been screaming in my sleep. When I spoke to a friend about this, they said, "You probably have sleep apnea and you were probably snoring. That made your throat hoarse, that's why you were out of breath. You probably weren't getting enough oxygen to your brain and your brain was trying to wake you up by giving you a terrible dream so you could breathe normally."
The logical real world explanation didn't quell the day-long anxiety I had remembering the dream.
So, to say I'm not always good with space movies is an understatement.
In the months and weeks leading up to the release of Project Hail Mary, almost every movie I've seen in a theater has had the trailer for it. It became annoying. Years ago, studios would have a whole series of trailers so it was unlikely you'd see the same trailer twice. Not anymore. If you regularly go to the movies, you're going to see every new trailer at least 17 times.
It looked cute enough. I've liked Ryan Gosling for a long time and his movies are always something I look forward to seeing. There was something about Project Hail Mary though that gave me pause. I couldn't put my finger on it. I think the trailer made it look pretty generic. After all, we've had all manners of space films in the past 15 years, what sets this one apart?
Project Hail Mary tells the story of a high school teacher who is sent on a mission to save the sun. When he wakes up, he doesn't remember who he is, but finds out that the other two people in his crew are dead. These other two people were much more experienced than he was so humanity's last hope is in the hands of someone who is woefully unprepared.
While on this trip, he encounters another spacecraft with intelligent life on it. It is a spider-like rock creature. After some initial hesitation, Gosling's character and the rock creature, known as "Rocky", realize they're both trying to save their respective suns. They decide to team up.
What happens from there is nothing short of a miracle of filmmaking. Gosling has always been an incredibly engaging actor. Even when the film he's in isn't that good, he's usually the best part of it. A gifted comedic actor, he's also able to shift into more dramatic tones. This is his movie. There have been comparisons made to Cast Away and The Martian, and those are fair, but what sets Project Hail Mary apart from them is the overriding humanity.
If there was any doubt of Gosling's skills as an actor, this film should put those doubts to rest. He spends good portions of the film by himself, but once he meets Rocky, the movie hits a different level. While it's been shown that the puppeteer was on set and interacting with Gosling during takes, it's really difficult to fully convey how much chemistry Gosling has with a spider-rock alien. I was sitting there in the theater and completely floored by this. Somehow the filmmakers and the cast managed to get you emotionally invested in a spider-rock alien.
Not to get too much into the political spectrum here, but Project Hail Mary shows that connection and communication get a whole lot more done than war and destruction. Anyone that knows me or has read any of my previous reviews knows that I am a huge cynic. This is not me bragging by any means, but you watch even a few minutes of the news and it's hard not to be. While movies are meant to be art, they're also meant to be escapism. When they're done really well, they can tick more than a couple of boxes. Project Hail Mary manages to be so many things at once and we don't get that all the time at the movies. Sometimes, you get The Strangers: Chapter 3.
People will still be talking about Project Hail Mary for years to come. It is a prime example of what a big blockbuster can be. It entertains, it thrills and it moves you. This is the antidote to people saying there's nothing to see in theaters anymore.
Now, if I could somehow do a search in my brain for all the scary space dreams I have and replace them with dreams of me just hanging out with Rocky the spider-rock alien, I'd be in good shape.
Project Hail Mary (2026)
Directed by Phil Lord & Christopher Miller
Cast: Ryan Gosling, James Ortiz, Sandra Hüller
Runtime: 156 minutes
MPAA Rating: PG-13 (for some thematic material and suggestive references)
Rating (out of ****): ****
Project Hail Mary is currently in theaters.
