Andy Weir’s Project Hail Mary is the story of a high school science teacher, Dr. Rhyland Grace, who knows he is on a mission to save the world, and he has to do it alone, but he doesn’t know why. Along the way, Grace becomes friends with an alien, who he conveniently names “Rocky” because of his stoney appearance. The book, released in 2021, was adapted into a movie starring Ryan Gosling as Grace and James Ortiz voicing Rocky, the stoney alien. The sci-fi adventure is about a human and an alien problem-solving in deep space, but under the surface, it’s about how a human and an alien developed a culture of 2 and helped save each other’s worlds.
Grace and Rocky’s relationship is unique as they learn about each other’s culture, science, and how to communicate. While Rocky speaks in organ-like musical notes, Grace develops a software that can translate what Rocky says in ‘Hulk-speak’. Throughout the story, Grace slowly gains back his memory, learning more about himself, his mission, and most importantly, how he and Rocky are going to save their worlds.
In Weir’s first book The Martian, Mark Watney faces problems that become harder to solve while Ryland Grace and Rocky have to solve every challenge that presents itself as soon as they can. Ryland solves all with Rocky’s engineering skill presenting new solutions and a wittiness that has the likeness of a James Gunn movie or Neil Gaiman comic. The book puts you into a captivating world where you truly feel the isolation Grace feels and make you feel like Rocky is the most precious thing in the world.
The movie was highly anticipated and the critics’ reviews have been raving about it, with several Letterboxd reviews going as far as saying it’s “Interstellar for biologists.” Directed by Phil Lord and Chris Miller, who directed the Spiderverse movies. The movie’s CGI is detailed with color and truly brings you into the feeling of the unknown in deep space. The movie’s score, done by Daniel Pemberton, has epic choral movements and subtle, somber moments. Pemberton’s ability to allow for there to be silence within each piece, is perfect for a movie set in space.
Don’t just believe me when I say that both the book and movie are good, the teachers agree. Mr. Matthew Levy, a history teacher at ERHS, thought that as Grace and Rocky’s friendship in the both versions was “the entire focus of the story” and that “Ryland’s journey progresses from being afraid of Rocky’s ship, to feeling excited to be the first human to meet an alien, to finally building a shared culture with him.”
Mrs. Tammi Tatro thought that the adaptation “did a really good job” especially because “it’s very rare when a production, or like a movie script, stays close to the book.” She thought that the pair’s friendship truly bloomed when Grace realized that “when you care about someone, you’ll do anything for them.”
“Rocky doesn’t go from being an opponent to a friend, but there is a nice message in finding comfort and community with those different from you,” said Nico Coman, a junior at ERHS. There are of course imperfections such as slight continuity issues that Nico points out: The ‘fluency in language’ sub-plot stops being important at some point in the both, “I felt like fluency in language was achieved too quickly between Grace and Rocky, and at a certain point it basically ceases being a factor in the film.” said Nico about the movie.
The book brought people together during the pandemic and the movie is bringing people back to the theaters. In times where we are seeing people drift apart because of technology, this story reminds us of what friendship means; Friendship means helping someone else, even when it doesn’t benefit you or make sense.