Let’s face it: things have been bleak. The state of the world is uncertain and tense, and it can be easy to feel hopeless and out-of-control. What we needed was the perfect hopecore movie. Not one that glazes over conflict and ignores genuine fear, but one that embraces raw human emotion in a way that seems to parallel real life. Enter: “Project Hail Mary,” the perfect film for the end of the world.
The film follows Ryland Grace, played by Ryan Gosling, as he embarks on a one-man mission to save the world from a mysterious, sun-eating alien species, or “astrophage”. Along the way, Grace endures a variety of space-related challenges in addition to the incredible pressure to save all of humanity. Luckily, he eventually gains some help in the form of Rocky, a rock-like alien from the planet Erid, set on a similar mission to save his own species.
On Earth, humans innovate and unify to create a last-ditch effort at saving Earth as astrophages eat away at the sun, causing a fatal global cooling. Humanity’s unstoppable willingness to persevere in this movie is incredibly inspiring – it goes to show that we will do whatever it takes to survive. Different countries, scientific fields and people of all backgrounds now have one mission: save planet Earth and everyone on it.
The Power of Hope
The film features an immense amount of optimism in the human race. All characters, though faced with an impending doom and only the slightest chance of rescue, genuinely believe in the power of science to the extent that they are willing to crack jokes and live full lives in spite of the 30-year-maximum time bomb looming over their heads.
On the Hail Mary, Grace, faced with amnesia, unexpected challenges and limited knowledge of space travel, continues to strive for a solution, placing his life at risk for the sake of humanity. His lighthearted sense of humor pleasantly contrasts the fact that humanity depends on him. Gosling portrays the character so powerfully, not just as a golden retriever nerd in space, but also as a devoted and selfless scientist and teacher.
A Positive Outlook
The world right now is riddled with uncertainty: climate anxiety, conflict between countries and a general sense of political and social doom. There’s a lot to be pessimistic about, to say the least, but this movie shows that humans are an innovative species that loves to persevere when everything seems hopeless. It’s a wakeup call to those that feel hopeless right now — it is important to maintain hope, optimism and community in the face of the unknown.
Some of the most powerful montages during the film show the bonds that are formed between people reaching toward the same goal: saving the world. Though our own circumstances may not be so extreme, “Project Hail Mary” is a reminder of the importance of love, trust and teamwork when things get tough.
Even outside of the film’s plot, we can see true artistry behind the choices of cinematography, acting and other creative decisions made on the film. Not to mention minimal usage of CGI, which is hard to do for a movie about space and aliens. As AI seems to swallow up every creative industry, it is refreshing to see something so undeniably human.
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