The Quill & The Cross

Summary

Scientist and schoolteacher Ryland Grace (played by Ryan Gosling) is sent into space with one mission: figure out how to stop the sun from dying. He must solve the mystery of the sun-eating parasite astrophage, but he may not have to do it alone. He teams up with an alien christened “Rocky” to save both their planets

Starring: Ryan Gosling, Sandra Huller, James Ortiz, Lionel Boyce, Milana Vayntrub, Ken Leung

My Review

My Rating: 5/5

My Recommended Age: 12+

Things To Be Aware Of

Violence: 2/5 (We see a massive explosion and hear that multiple people died in it. Grace suffers minor injuries. He gets smashed against the control panel. Grace finds two dead bodies, and we see their faces and hands.)

Sexual Content: 1/5 (We hear that Rocky has a partner back on his planet that Grace calls Adrian. Grace mentions a few people are “hooking up”. When he first wakes up, he wears a barely see-through medical bag and occasionally visible underwear. When Grace successfully breeds astrophage, he jokes that he and his assistant “made a baby.”)

Language: 1/5 (Grace uses a couple f-word substitutes, like “fudging”. He takes the name of God in vain a few times.)

Other Negative Content: 1/5 (Grace finds some vodka on the ship and drinks some. Heroin is mentioned briefly. There are a few references to evolution. Grace vomits offscreen.)

My Take

Project Hail Mary was one of those movies where it just gets everything right. And, especially since it was adapted from a book, it got that right too! The story, the visuals, the acting, the action, the humor… everything was “chef’s kiss”.

The story is engaging, with the perfect blend of suspense, science, sweet moments, and humor. Ryland Grace is a funny, smart, brave guy who is flawed yet determined to do the right thing. Ryan Gosling did a spectacular job bringing him to life. I loved the relationship between him and the alien, Rocky: I was laughing uproariously at some of it, and trying not to cry at other parts.

The overall look of the movie is just incredible: it perfectly matches epic, dramatic space life-or-death situations, wise-cracking and banter back on the ship, and just enough science that it gets you thinking. The soundtrack is incredible, bringing every scene to life even more. The main character is heroic, hilarious, smart, and determined to try and save humanity, even if it means losing his own life. If you’re looking for an suspenseful, intense, humorous, space rescue mission with lots of stunning visuals, hilarious banter, and a story that pulls you in, Project Hail Mary is the movie for you!