Note: This article includes spoilers of Project Hail Mary.
Imagine waking up from sleep in an unfamiliar place, not even remembering who you are, where you are, or why you are here. Then you discover you are on a spaceship, 12 light-years from Earth. Alone. And slowly, as your memory returns, you realize something far more terrifying, that you were sent here to save humanity. And you never agreed to it. If this sounds like a nightmare, you may begin to feel what the protagonist, Ryland GRACE, felt. To complicate matters further, another spaceship approaches, which is evidently not a human thing. Grace is initially horrified, but this was actually a fortune.
Grace soon discovers that the alien in the approaching spaceship, Rocky, has arrived for the same reason. They came here from distant corners of the universe, to resolve the same crisis threatening their worlds: the rapid spread of Astrophage, a microorganism that feeds on the energy of their suns, draining them toward extinction. Yet, with neither shared language nor common ground, they had to build understanding from scratch, starting with words, numbers, mathematics, science, and even cultures. Then, what follows is the story of how, in Rocky’s own words, “Grace Rocky save stars.”
The characterization is crucial in this film. Rocky and Grace are portrayed as endearing and deeply empathetic figures, as their jovial spirit juxtaposes their devastating circumstances: having lost all their crew members. And the film finds its most touching moment through their bond, when Rocky says “Rocky watched crew die, could not fix. Grace say Grace will die, Rocky fix.” For many, including Grace, it would be their first time crying over a rock. Furthermore, the evolution of Grace’s characterization is particularly interesting. Initially, he was afraid of the mission, believing he was not brave enough. Yet near the end, he makes a decision for Rocky that might have cost his life. To understand this, we may recall a quote from Captain Yao: “Trust me, it’s not a (bravery) gene. You just need to find someone to be brave for.” Having no family, Grace had no one to be brave for at the start of this suicide mission. Yet as he worked alongside Rocky, and having once been saved by him, their bond grew strong enough that Rocky became that person.
Furthermore, Project Hail Mary intrigues us with science as well—from alien life, interstellar travel, artificial gravity, solid xenon, and much more. This film sparks our scientific curiosity. Notably, the detailed depiction of Rocky as an alien raises a thought-provoking question. Having no eyes, Rocky perceives the world through echolocation, and without the ability to observe light, its species has no concept of relativity. An exceptionally advanced civilization, capable of interstellar travel, has a blind spot in its understanding of physics simply because of how it senses the world. It makes us wonder—what fundamental theories might humanity be missing, constrained as we are by our own senses?
Ultimately, Project Hail Mary is an entertaining film with profound emotional and scientific depth, alongside striking visual depictions. It is a top-pick for Postechians, for the way it makes our imagination feel tangible, and reignites the passion for discovery that brought us here in the first place. Perhaps Rocky is counting on our help!
