Lately, one of the hottest topics among sci-fi fans has been the movie Project Hail Mary. The film promises to show us how an ordinary schoolteacher, played by Ryan Gosling, encounters an alien stone spider on another planet.
New science fiction film
The American sci-fi film Project Hail Mary will premiere in Ukraine on April 19. However, people have been talking about it for several weeks now, at least since the latest trailer was released. In fact, it is already attracting more attention than most sci-fi films of recent years.
There are many reasons for this. It is worth mentioning the lead actor, Ryan Gosling, who is extremely popular. However, it is equally noteworthy that Andy Weir, the author of Project Hail Mary’s source novel, The Martian and Artemis, is considered one of the leading contemporary authors in the “hard” science fiction genre.
Back in the day, the film adaptation of The Martian was a huge hit and left a lasting impression on people, even those with little interest in space-related topics. And this is even though it is filled with elements that are quite difficult for those who do not remember their high school curriculum well. Thus, this film proved that becoming popular does not require a drastic lowering of intellectual standards.
The Sun is setting
In fact, everyone is expecting the new film to be just like the original. Especially since the book Project Hail Mary, published in 2020, has already become one of the decade’s top science fiction bestsellers.
Interestingly, Andy Weir, known for his meticulous attention to detail, ensuring that everything in his book aligns with scientific understanding, begins the story with a premise that surprises those interested in such details.
Scientists have observed that a mysterious “tail,” visible only at certain wavelengths, extends from the Sun toward Venus. At the same time, the star’s brightness begins to decrease noticeably.
It later turns out that the cause of this is alien astrophage bacteria. Not only are they capable of surviving on the Sun’s surface, where temperatures can reach 5,800°C, but they also actively absorb enormous amounts of energy. And this could soon lead to the Earth freezing over, and all of us starving and dying. Therefore, the brave protagonist must fly somewhere to save humanity.
To be honest, it sounds like the plot of a really dumb, low-budget movie. Because, come on, there’s no such thing as bacteria capable of surviving on the surface of a star. But the thing is, Weir really does know physics and biology well, and so she explains all of this through quantum effects in the membranes of these alien lifeforms in such a way that, on the one hand, questions do remain, but on the other, even experts find it quite difficult to pick holes in these explanations.
Most science fiction authors would stop there, but Weir takes it a step further. If all the stars in our vicinity except one are infected with astrophages, then that is precisely where we must look for the answer. How do we get there? Well, there are astrophages that, strictly in accordance with the laws of energy conservation, act as energy reservoirs comparable in efficiency to helium-3.
This means that the rocket engine must be built based on them. By the way, the “Hail Mary” in the title is the actual name of the interstellar spacecraft, and it is a reference not so much to religious themes as to a specific type of pitch in baseball.
That’s exactly how good science fiction should work: it should explore all the implications of a fantastical premise and find within them something that helps solve the very problems the author has created for his characters. And that’s one of the main reasons why people are so eager to see this movie. Everyone has been craving quality science fiction, and now it is finally here.
The main character
Another reason to see this movie is the main character. Of course, Ryan Gosling’s fans, who love him in any role, have played their part. However, the character he plays – Ryland Grace – is actually incredibly interesting. Calling him simply a schoolteacher is not quite accurate, because he is actually a biochemist who turned to teaching for a variety of reasons. Still, at heart, he has remained a man with a scientific mindset.
It will be incredibly interesting to see him on the big screen, because no matter how much he tries to convince himself and his readers that he ended up on board by accident, he is one of the best candidates for the role. He possesses a vast knowledge and a willingness to figure everything out, and he tries to solve any problem rationally, even when his brain is practically not functioning after a prolonged induced coma.
And this is indeed a hero who, at first glance, seems like the complete opposite of the characters who drive blockbusters, but upon closer examination, it becomes clear that this is exactly the kind of character modern cinema sorely lacks. Everyone is simply tired of infantile superheroes who succeed at everything on the first try, and when they do not, they fall into an existential crisis.
The alien Rocky
But the most interesting thing about Ryland Grace is that, unlike the protagonist of The Martian, in the movie, he has to demonstrate not only how to do something but also the ability to explain it to someone who, it would seem, is incapable of understanding anything. By the way, this is a super-skill that’s essential for a schoolteacher.
And in Project Hail Mary, he found a worthy counterpart – an alien named Rocky. And here he is – a true star right now because the traditional approach to portraying extraterrestrial intelligence in films is to make them as anthropomorphic as possible, or to make non-human forms as appealing as possible using 3D graphics.
But Rocky is a giant spider – one might even call it a stone or iron spider. Weir describes the biology of these creatures in considerable detail in the book; their tissues contain far more iron and silicates than ours do.
In other words, in theory, Rocky looks as unattractive as possible to the average person. What is more, in the film, a 3D model does not portray him; instead, it is a high-tech puppet – a robot. And yet, surprisingly, viewers who saw the movie trailers really liked him. Because, thanks to the work of 3D artists and makeup specialists, he looks like a real – and in some ways even somewhat likable – alien.
It is alongside Rocky that Gosling’s character will have to save the world because they are the only survivors from the crews of the two spaceships. And the most interesting thing the film offers is the interaction between a human and a creature that perceives the world in a completely different way.
This will be done without any mystical elements, such as the idea that reality itself depends on our perception. The world remains the same, but the characters perceive it differently.
A must-see!
And all of this will take place aboard a spaceship located in another star system. Many have criticized the ship itself for its supposedly archaic design, but in reality, it is extremely well-designed. It is even supposed to have something resembling gravity, achieved in a way that can only be conceived if one has a solid understanding of physics.
In any case, it is sure to be a spectacular sight. Everyone is expecting true science fiction, and it will be fascinating to see how the creators managed to adapt such a substantial book into a film long enough to be shown in theaters. And it is definitely worth seeing!
