Project Hail Mary

I think this might be my favourite sci-fi film since “Galaxy Quest” (1999) and like that, this is a solid and entertaining story led by an actor who is quite possibly getting better looking and more charismatic as he gets older. “Grace” (Ryan Gosling) is the kind of interactive science teacher that I’d have loved. Few text books, just gadgets, gizmos and beanbag factoids that appear to keep his teenage students interested and enthusiastic. When he leaves one afternoon he encounters the enigmatic "Eva” (Sandra Hüller) who knows of his more rebellious past amongst the scientific community and who invites him to participate in a crucial and global project. The sun is dying, and rapidly, and they have identified what they think might be the cause. Quickly identifying what he calls the “astrophage”, he is soon aboard an aircraft carrier in the middle of the ocean working on an antidote that might be sourced from a star light years from earth. A scientist he wants to be - an astronaut, well that's a different matter - and so after an unfortunate explosion that’s where “Eva” has a difficult decision to make. Running in parallel to this thread is one on a spaceship in a galaxy far, far, away - and where it’s lone astronaut has met and befriended another wanderer looking for a solution to this intergalactic plague. The two are pretty much polar opposites. They’ve no language in common and they don’t even breathe the same air - but some technical legerdemain, sign language, model making and good old-fashioned goodwill might just help them find a solution in time? Aside from a couple of quite sparing interventions from Hüller - and a mean bit of her karaoke, this is really just Gosling demonstrating that cardigans are cool as he hurtles through space. The writing provides him with some quite witty dialogue a well as just an hint or two of actual science; the visual effects are impressive too but ultimately it’s his amiable characterisation that makes us smile and tugs at our heartstrings almost simultaneously as their story races along for a couple of hours mixing jeopardy, humour and the power of friendship into it as it goes. It looks great on a big screen and I'd certainly be up for a sequel.