I’ll admit it upfront that I’m a fan of Andy Weir, the author of the book Project Hail Mary. I enjoyed both the book and film version of The Martian, which he also wrote, along with his novel Artemis. So, with those biases admitted, allow me to tell you about the science fiction adventure film Project Hail Mary.

The movie opens with astronaut Ryland Grace, played by Ryan Gosling, awakening in a spacecraft. At the start, he has amnesia but slowly remembers events in his life. Through a series of flashbacks, we learn, along with him, that he has traveled to Tau Ceti, a real star about twelve light-years from Earth. He also discovers that there were two others in the craft with him, but both have died. He is on a desperate, no-return, “Hail Mary” mission to save Earth.

The film is produced and directed by Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, and the screenplay was written by Drew Goddard. The movie stars Ryan Gosling, Sandra Hüller, Lionel Boyce, and James Ortiz. Along with Andy Weir’s writing ability, these people have combined to make a superior science fiction movie. The film is rated PG-13 for some, usually mild, profanity, tense situations, two dead bodies, and discussion of suicide. There is no sexual content.

If you’ve watched the trailer, you know that he also encounters an alien, which Ryland names Rocky because the creature looks like a cluster of rocks. Rocky is a puppet enhanced with digital effects and is voiced by puppeteer James Ortiz. When the creature moves into Ryland’s ship and they learn to live and work together, they become a sort of Odd Couple in space. Together, they set out to save Earth and Rocky’s 40 Eridani system, another real star system.

This is a long film, two and a half hours, and, if you’re not a science fiction fan, it might be confusing or tedious. However, I saw it in a nearly full theater, and it grossed $164 million in its opening weekend. I think the film is going to do very well. I wish those in the film business would create more movies like this one. If they did, it might draw more people to theaters and help revive the industry.

If you liked The Martian, Interstellar, or Arrival, I think you’ll enjoy this addition to the ranks of serious science fiction.

Recommendation: See it on the big screen.