When I emailed Andy Weir, the author of Project Hail Mary, he did not say much about the recent film adaptation other than that his favorite part was “the atmospheric sample sequence” and that it was “heart-pounding.” After watching the movie, even with my reservations about certain changes, I agree that “Project Hail Mary” for the most part manages to strike the right balance between faithful and inventive, preserving the book’s core while reenvisioning it for the screen.

A cinematic adaptation of a science fiction novel starring an ensemble of Oscar nominees, “Project Hail Mary” aptly translates Andy Weir’s 2021 novel packed with jest and hard science into a live-action panorama reimagined in vibrant astro-doused hues and synth-heavy tunes. The film brims with lush greenery and cosmic nightscapes, a trite-yet-much-needed contrast that astutely frames the irony of an inverted katabasis. To add to the effect, sound designers Erik Aadahl and Ethan Van der Ryn’s penchant for immersion is captured through a meticulously calibrated sequence of ethereal, futuristic soundtracks and a near-perfect approximation of a music-based alien language.  

The central narrative takes place on the Hail Mary, a spaceship tasked with saving the future of humanity. In the opening scene of the film, Ryland Grace, an academic-turned-middle-school-teacher played by Ryan Gosling, wakes up with no memory of who he is or how he ended up in space. What’s worse, he is immediately greeted by a strikingly impassive AI voice, which informs him that he is the only survivor on the ship.  Ryland’s apprehension is short-lived, though, as he regains his memories following several fragmented flashbacks scattered throughout the film. 

The premise of the film, as the audience finds out, is ominous and steeped in a pre-apocalyptic aesthetic reminiscent of other popular science fiction movies such as “Interstellar” and “Don’t Look Up”: Sometime in the near future, Astrophage — a fictional species of alien microbes that absorb and eventually kill stars — is detected on the sun, causing global panic and unrest. With scientists prophesying a catastrophic level of global cooling (I mean, isn’t it funny how the tables have turned?) in as little as 30 years, Eva Stratt, a ruthless former European Space Agency administrator portrayed by Sandra Hüller, recruits Ryland to solve the problem. He ultimately finds himself on the crew of the Hail Mary, destined to collect data approximately 12 light-years away from Earth without a guarantee of return or survival.

It isn’t until Ryland meets Rocky — a five-legged spiderlike alien with superhuman physiology and unparalleled engineering expertise voiced by James Ortiz — that the plot starts to truly take off. Rocky is from Erid, a planet endangered by another Astrophage-plagued star system. He, too, is on a mission to save his species and has lost his colleagues en route. Ryland and Rocky commiserate over the clear parallels between their circumstances, learning each other’s languages and customs. While the novel dedicates a section to expound on their respective scientific and technological backgrounds, the film only lightly touches on the subject, propelling the narrative with seamless dexterity and depicting the two strangers’ growing camaraderie through a menagerie of sentimental sequences.

This redirection was the right choice; indeed, most fans who read the source material would agree that the best part of the film is watching — and hearing — Rocky cheerfully banter with Ryland. The team behind the adaptation brought the fan-favorite character to life using a blend of puppetry and clever sound design, faithfully adapting every charming quirk of the kind-hearted alien companion. In one scene, he excitedly rolls around the Hail Mary, leaving sardonic comments about how messy humans are and apologizing for his own behavior at the same time; in another, he worriedly watches over a sleeping Ryland. (It is an Eridian tradition to keep each other company during periods of slumber.)

Still, I have a few qualms with this adaptation. When I asked Weir about his involvement in the making of the film, his response was that he had little, if any, influence over the script itself. Sure enough, there are several clear differences between the two versions, some of which feel less like necessary choices and more like directorial blunders. 

According to Weir, screenwriter Drew Goddard, who was previously in charge of adapting Weir’s other book The Martian, only consulted him on “scientific stuff” and retained sole control over the script for “Project Hail Mary.” This is apparent in Ryland’s characterization, or lack thereof, as his distinctively humorous persona in the novel has been noticeably toned down. Perhaps the biggest flaw is the omission of the thousand or so lines of witty internal monologue that were crucial for his character building. While Gosling’s performance was undeniably strong, as a fan of the original novel, I couldn’t help but think that his Ryland felt flat and bland at times. 

To the delight of many, and dismay of some, the plot itself does not diverge greatly from Weir’s story. Yet the few modifications Goddard made are significant enough to raise a couple of eyebrows. The opening sequence of the film is an example of this; instead of letting the mystery of Ryland’s whereabouts simmer, the scene provides the audience with an immediate view of outer space — a questionable departure from one of the most engrossing moments of the novel. A similar pattern emerges in the treatment of the gradual escalation of the Astrophage crisis on Earth. In the book, Eva is an all-powerful figure with near-absolute legal authority, forcing governments and scientists to cooperate with the mission. The film condenses her narrative weight significantly, stripping the character of what made her so compelling on the page. 

Despite these shortcomings, it is undeniable that “Project Hail Mary” is overall a faithful adaptation of Weir’s novel and an exhilarating ride in its own right. With its cinematic spectacles, sentimental scores and rich artistry, “Project Hail Mary” is replete with moments that are “heart-pounding,” in Weir’s own words.