Don’t get me wrong—I really enjoyed Project Hail Mary. But it’s not quite the near-perfect score it’s getting online. Yes, the alien is adorable. Yes, the scale of space looks incredible, however, it often feels like directors Phil Lord and Christopher Miller assume the audience won’t fully grasp the science, so instead of diving deeper, they skim over it—and that makes those moments feel a bit weaker than they should.
That said, the storytelling device is clever and does a great job building tension. And when the movie leans into that tension, it really works.
Rocky is undeniably charming, but for me, I had a hard time buying that a species capable of interstellar travel would be unaware of other fundamental concepts. All in all, I had a great time at the movies. It’s entertaining, no question. But I do have to knock it down a bit for moments where it feels like the filmmakers think I’m stupid.