If those names mean anything to you, you’ve watched Project Hail Mary. I first heard about this movie in January after seeing the trailer. I figured it’d be the kind of film my husband would want to see on IMAX, while I’d prefer to watch it at home with snacks, likely falling asleep 30 minutes in. With everything set to release this year, PHM just didn’t grab me at first. 

Fast forward to March, and I started seeing many positive reviews of the movie. People were already calling it the movie of the year and the best thing to come out so far this year. It was everywhere, and I got curious (yes, I jumped on the bandwagon). So when my sister told me that she’s interested in watching the movie, I thought that’s it, I’m watching it and judging it by myself. Last night I went with my sister to watch PHM on IMAX, and it was a trip. I was on the edge of my seat the whole time. Be reminded that this article is not spoiler-free.

Here for the Plot

PHM tells the story of middle school science teacher Grace, an ordinary man, who is approached by a mysterious woman holding his PhD dissertation. The woman and her team kidnap Grace to some sort of military base where they force him to conduct a study on a sample of some substance in a lab. Ironically, after the lab research, Grace is confronted with his own PhD study, which turns out to be  inaccurate (ouch).

Grace had long since accepted that he was just a teacher, that wasn’t meant to do anything else with his life, but for some reason, he was intrigued and stopped underestimating himself. He joined the team to conduct further research on the matter, during which he made scientific advances. Long story short, the sun was dying, or something was killing Earth. Bear with me here, because for the first time, I don’t want to spoil anything (the movie is that beautiful), and I’m not an astronomy expert. 

I don’t want to give a lot away, but I think this is enough to intrigue you if, for some reason, you had the same judgment about PHM as I did back in January. Grace wakes up from an induced coma in space, alone. There were two other people on board, but they were already deceased when Grace woke up. My mind immediately starts racing. How could this be? Why? And this is all you are getting for the plot. I told too much already. 

Such a Heavenly View

PHM isn’t a movie; it’s cinematic art at its finest. Going into the movie, I had no idea the movie would keep flashing back until the audience understood the whole story. Since Grace lost some memories, they kept coming back bit by bit, like puzzle pieces throughout the film, providing the background information the audience needed to understand why Grace was in space in the first place. Let’s talk about the colors, because I wouldn’t know how to explain the use of the lens in this film, and I have had friends explain the rule of thirds, among other things, for a long time. Cameras aren’t my thing.

The colors were simply mesmerizing and captivating enough to give you goosebumps, I’m not even exaggerating. Not going to lie, halfway through the film, my eyes started to feel heavy, and I kept yawning (it was when Grace started making contact with Rocky early on). My body was telling me I needed to sleep, and for a moment, I really thought I was going to give in, but the way the movie is edited kept me waiting in agony.

Like a Fist in my Heart

Let’s go back to the plot for a bit. I didn’t expect I would like the dynamic between Grace and his new friend in space, Rocky. Soon, they became partners while their friendship kept growing. They go to extreme lengths to gather the necessary data that might save their own planet (Rocky’s planet was dying, too). At one point, I started mentally preparing myself for the death of Rocky, Grace, or both. Rocky makes a big sacrifice in order for Grace to go back to planet Earth.

After they parted and said their goodbyes, Grace realized that Rocky’s ship was made of something that would react to something, and that it would end tragically for Rocky. The story not only teaches us about the importance of having good friends but also about the importance of empathy. Grace was on his way home, something that was impossible even a few days before, but he chose his partner and friend over his own chance to step back on earth. So that is when I finally teared up. Luckily, my sister didn’t notice. I can be a quiet crier when I want to (not in Coco).

Empathy as the Real Survival Mechanism

I didn’t expect the movie to be so funny. My sister and I were constantly laughing. But for good reason, because the more you think about the severity of the plot, which in the 90s may have sounded like some faraway sci-fi shit, it’s starting to feel quite real in the present time. When Eva Stratt calculated how much time the world and mankind have left, that is, if nations worked together to coordinate resources, it’s not much. She didn’t even have hope for collaboration, which kind of reflects the current political climate; then the film wasn’t so funny anymore.

That is why Grace’s courage in jeopardizing his own life (proving that he was worthy all along), before sending all the necessary data back to Earth, to go save Rocky was so meaningful. To me, that is the necessary collaboration that Eva was referring to to guarantee the continuity of life for years to come: basic empathy. So yes, I will choose men like Grace and Rocky every day, instead of suited, greedy white men who want to destroy the world for their own benefit and personal gain. 

Final Thoughts

Overall, the film was easy to follow, even though I know nothing about astronomy and have just basic knowledge of science. I also quite enjoyed the banda sonora of PHM, which really resonated with the storyline. Those who know me know which song was my favorite.

I would definitely want to watch PHM again, but I would probably pick better seats. More in the middle so I can feel the colors explode on my face. And I should probably upsize my popcorn this time, because I finished mine before Grace gained consciousness of why he was sent to space. 

If you’ve seen the movie, what did you think of the way Grace was sent to space? I could talk for hours about that, but that is not the purpose of this article. 

P.S. This week’s Sunday reflection will be posted next week. I want to sleep on it for a bit.