In HAIL MARY, directors Phil Lord and Christopher Miller deliver a stunning adaptation of Andy Weir’s acclaimed novel — a thrilling, cerebral, and surprisingly heartfelt space odyssey that explores not only the far reaches of the cosmos, but the endurance of the human spirit. With Ryan Gosling anchoring the narrative in a hauntingly immersive solo performance, this is science fiction at its most profound: scientifically rigorous, emotionally grounded, and daringly imaginative.

The film opens with Gosling’s Ryland Grace awakening alone aboard a spacecraft, adrift in the darkness of deep space, with no memory of who he is or why he’s there. What unfolds is part mystery, part survival thriller. As Grace painstakingly pieces together his past through ship logs, cryptic memories, and eerie systems diagnostics, he comes to a harrowing realization — he is Earth’s last chance. A catastrophic cosmic phenomenon is draining the sun’s energy, and Grace has been dispatched on a one-man interstellar mission to find a solution… or die trying.

As the story accelerates, the film reveals its unexpected emotional core: a delicate, richly imagined first-contact subplot that unfolds with both tension and tenderness. The alien encounter — startling, awe-inspiring, and utterly unlike anything in modern sci-fi — reshapes Grace’s mission and forces him to confront what it truly means to cooperate, trust, and sacrifice. It’s a narrative turn that elevates the movie from solitary heroism to something far more universal.

Lord and Miller, best known for their sharp wit and inventive visual storytelling (Spider-Verse, The LEGO Movie), bring both to bear here, but with a newfound maturity. They balance the vast, sterile loneliness of space with flickers of humor, wonder, and quiet introspection. The direction embraces both the grandeur of science fiction and the intimacy of a character drama, never letting the spectacle drown out the soul.

Drew Goddard’s screenplay distills the complexity of Weir’s novel into something cinematically taut yet thematically rich. Science — real, hard science — is central to the film’s plot, but it’s never overwhelming. It drives the urgency and wonder, while also serving as a metaphor for the resilience of intellect, curiosity, and hope.

Milana Vayntrub and Liz Kingsman deliver compelling supporting performances through flashbacks and mission recordings, offering glimpses into the life Grace left behind and the pressures that forged him. Their roles add dimension to Grace’s internal journey, grounding the film’s emotional stakes on Earth even as the action unfolds light-years away.

HAIL MARY is not just a space epic — it’s a story about memory, identity, and redemption. It captures the terrifying isolation of deep space, the thrill of discovery, and the profound necessity of connection. In the end, it’s not just a film about saving Earth. It’s a meditation on what makes us human, and why — even in the darkest void — we still reach for the stars.