PROJECT HAIL MARY : Tuesday 24th March 2026

I saw the M Rated 'PROJECT HAIL MARY' earlier this week, and this American Sci-Fi adventure film is Co-Produced and Directed by Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, whose previous Co-Directing credits are 'Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs' in 2009, '21 Jump Street' in 2012, 'The Lego Movie' in 2014 and '22 Jump Street' also in 2014. The film is based on the 2021 novel of the same name by Andy Weir. It saw its Premiere showcasing in London earlier this month, and was released world wide last week, having garnered generally favourable critical reviews. The film cost US$200M net to produce, and has so far grossed US$164M at the global Box Office.

The film opens with Ryland Grace (Ryan Gosling, who also Co-Produces here) slowly waking up from an induced coma on a spaceship. He is disorientated, his muscles are weak, he is suffering from retrograde memory loss, and while in his enforced sleep he has grown a long beard and hair. We don't know how long he has been in stasis. Grace quickly discovers that his other two crew members have died while in their induced comas. He then scribbles away on a white board deducing that he is 113 light years away from Earth in a distant planetary system.

Grace's memory gradually starts to return and he remembers that he is a middle school science teacher and former molecular biologist. In the past, scientists have observed the dimming of our Sun, which has coincided with the formation of an infrared line from the Sun to Venus called the Petrova line. The dimming, is seemingly caused by a microorganism known as Astrophage rapidly increasing its population on the Sun's surface, which will result in a catastrophic global cooling of Earth within the next thirty years, which we are told will wipe out half of all humankind, animal and plant life. Government agent Eva Stratt (Sandra Huller) recruits Grace and a few hundred other scientists from across the world to study Astrophage.

Grace is tasked with examining samples of Astrophage under strictly controlled lab conditions. He discovers that Astrophage is a cell which is impenetrable to any form of electromagnetic radiation, and that it thrives on Venus through the planet's carbon dioxide rich atmosphere and energy from the Sun. Researchers also discover that Astrophage is a very effective, albeit volatile, fuel source. It has also infected other stars within our solar system. Stratt discloses Project Hail Mary, a plan to send a crew on a suicide mission to Tau Ceti, the only undimmed nearby star. The Hail Mary spacecraft only has enough Astrophage as fuel for a one-way trip, but will carry probes to send the crew's findings back to Earth.

Back in the present, as Grace approaches Tau Ceti, his on board computers alert him to an alien object approaching. That object turns out to be an alien spacecraft, vastly larger than his own ship. It docks with the Hail Mary, and Grace determines it is made of 'xenonite' (solid xenon - a dense, colourless, odourless gas found in Earth's atmosphere in trace amounts.). The pilot of the alien ship is a rock-like, five-legged alien from Eridani. Grace names it 'Rocky' after the Eridian's appearance and Rocky Balboa (voiced by James Ortiz).

Grace deduces that Eridians see via echolocation, and creates a laptop computer translation system for Rocky's music like speech. There were twenty-three other Eridian's on Rocky's ship but they all perished. Rocky explains that he is a mechanic and also the sole survivor of a mission to stop the Astrophage. Neither can survive in the other's atmosphere, so Rocky enters Hail Mary using a small, multi-sided transparent ball like structure as a spacesuit.

Grace has a memory flashback where he recalls meeting the commander Yao Li-Jie (Ken Leung), engineer Olesya Ilyukhina (Milana Vayntrub), and scientist Annie Shapiro (Liz Kingsman) for Hail Mary, along with their backups. While handling Astrophage, a mishap kills the scientist and backup three days before launch in a massive explosion at command base. With no time to train a replacement, Stratt requests that Grace take the place of the deceased scientists giving him three hours to make up his mind. When Grace refuses to go, Stratt tries to convince him that he will be saving humanity and the planet, but he still maintains that its not for him, and that he'll face his fate with the rest of humanity. Stratt has him drugged and forcibly placed in an induced coma on the Hail Mary.

Following Tau Ceti's Petrova line, Grace and Rocky find that the planet Tau Ceti e, which they name 'Adrian' after Rocky's mate and Adrian Balboa, holds an organism which preys on Astrophage, so controlling its population. After learning that Grace cannot return home, Rocky offers enough Astrophage to refuel Hail Mary. Shortly after gathering the organism from the upper atmosphere of Adrian, a fuel leak causes the Hail Mary to spin uncontrollably, which results in Grace being slammed into a control bank and being knocked out. 

Rocky breaks his spacesuit, saves Grace, and is able to bring the ship back under control by stabilising the ships gyroscopes at the touch of a button, but is severely injured in the process. With Rocky in a state of hibernation to recover, and Grace maintaining a watchful eye on his alien colleague, he finds a way to breed the Astrophage-consuming organism, which he calls 'Taumoeba' (an amoeba from the planet Tau). Rocky revives, and he and Grace part as friends, to return to their own solar systems, and home planets.

During the return journey back to Earth, Grace is awakened from a sleep by a contaminate alarm sounding throughout the ship. He isolates the alarm to the ships labs where he has stored the Taumoeba in xenonite flasks. He subsequently discovers that Taumoeba has evolved the ability to pass through their xenonite containers and is eating Hail Mary's fuel. Grace fixes the problem on his ship by ejecting the offending fuel tank, but realises that Rocky's entire ship is made of xenonite, which will allow the Taumoeba to consume all of his fuel. Left with the choice of returning to Earth or saving Rocky and his home world, Grace chooses to save his friend, sending Taumoeba and his research notes and video diaries to Earth via four probes, which he names John, Paul, George and Ringo - a journey that will take a little over four years.

The probes deliver to a now older Stratt on Earth what humanity needs to kill Astrophages, as she watches his video diaries from the bridge of an ice breaker ship carving through a frozen seaway in what is clearly a cooling world. The Eridians meanwhile have created a biodome on their planet for Grace to live in, and he clearly has a very comfortable existence on his new home away from home. Rocky later tells him that scientists have finished preparing the Hail Mary to enable him to return to Earth. While contemplating the news, Grace begins another day of teaching science to Eridian children, who all bounce around the room enthusiastically when he asks 'what is the speed of light'?

I really enjoyed 'Project Hail Mary' and by and large it seems that the critics and the movie going audience do too. It's a crowd pleaser of a film that combines science fact, science fiction, emotion, heart, connection, danger and moments of laugh out loud humour into a neat package that doesn't outstay its 156 minute runtime. The production values are top notch, and Ryan Gosling carries the weight of the film firmly on his shoulders as he grapples at first with the loneliness of infinite space, then befriending an alien rock, and ultimately saving Earth from near extinction. Directors Lord and Miller have here crafted what is sure to become a classic of the genre - a wholly immersive piece of film making that is a cinematic experience to be savoured. It's also a pleasing change to see an alien that is friendly, welcoming and collaborative on the big screen rather than those Hell bent on the widespread destruction of all mankind and our tiny blue planet, as is usually the case. If I have one gripe, however, it centres around the disconnect between timelines from the start of the film and the end of the film, the passage of time in between, and the fact that Stratt clearly ages, yet Grace doesn't, and although I haven't read Andy Weir's novel, I'm told that this isn't addressed in the book either! A minor criticism in what is otherwise an almost flawless film. Enjoy it on the biggest screen possible - you won't be disappointed.

'Project Hail Mary' merits four claps of the Odeon Online clapperboard from a possible five claps.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-

What's new at Odeon's this week : Thursday 19th March 2026

Unless you've been in hibernation in the very recent past, this years awards season pretty much concluded with the 98th Academy Awards, which took place on Sunday 15th March at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, Los Angeles, USA, and were presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS). Comedian, television host and writer Conan O'Brien returned to host the show for the second consecutive time, after receiving acclaim for hosting last years event.

The winners, grinners and also rans in the main categories are as given below :-

* Best Picture - awarded to 'One Battle After Another', beating out 'Bugonia', 'F1', 'Frankenstein', 'Hamnet', 'Marty Supreme', 'The Secret Agent', 'Sentimental Value', 'Sinners' and 'Train Dreams'. 

* Best Director - awarded to Paul Thomas Anderson for 'One Battle After Another', beating out Chloe Zhao for 'Hamnet', Josh Safdie for 'Marty Supreme', Joachim Trier for 'Sentimental Value' and Ryan Coogler for 'Sinners'. 

* Best Actor in a Leading Role - presented to Michael B. Jordan for 'Sinners', beating out Timothee Chalamet for 'Marty Supreme', Leonardo DiCaprio for 'One Battle After Another', Ethan Hawke for 'Blue Moon' and Wagner Moura for 'The Secret Agent'.

* Best Actress in a Leading Role - awarded to Jessie Buckley for 'Hamnet', beating out Rose Byrne for 'If I Had Legs I'd Kick You', Kate Hudson for 'Song Sung Blue', Renate Reinsve for 'Sentimental Value' and Emma Stone for 'Bugonia'. 

* Best Actor in a Supporting Role - presented to Sean Penn for 'One Battle After Another', beating out Benicio del Toro for 'One Battle After Another', Jacob Elordi for 'Frankenstein', Delroy Lindo for 'Sinners' and Stellan Skarsgard for 'Sentimental Value'. 

* Best Actress in a Supporting Role - presented to Amy Madigan for 'Weapons', beating out Elle Fanning for 'Sentimental Value', Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas for 'Sentimental Value', Wunmi Mosaku for 'Sinners' and Teyana Taylor for 'One Battle After Another'. 

* Best Writing (Original Screenplay) - awarded to Ryan Coogler for 'Sinners', beating out 'Blue Moon', 'It Was Just an Accident', 'Marty Supreme' and 'Sentimental Value'. 

* Best Writing (Adapted Screenplay) - presented to Paul Thomas Anderson for 'One Battle After Another', beating out 'Bugonia', 'Frankenstein', 'Hamnet' and 'Train Dreams'.

* Best Animated Feature Film - awarded to 'KPop : Demon Hunters', beating out 'Arco', 'Elio', 'Little Amelie or the Character of Rain' and 'Zootopia 2'.

* Best International Feature Film - awarded to 'Sentimental Value' from Norway, beating out 'It Was Just an Accident' from France, 'The Secret Agent' from Brazil, 'Sirat' from Spain, and 'The Voice of Hind Rajab' from Tunisia. 

* Best Documentary Feature Film - presented to 'Mr Nobody Against Putin', beating out 'The Alabama Solution', 'Come See Me in the Good Light', 'Cutting Through Rocks' and 'The Perfect Neighbor'.

* Best Music (Original Score) - awarded to Ludwig Goransson for 'Sinners', beating out 'Bugonia', 'Frankenstein', 'Hamnet' and 'One Battle After Another'.  

* Best Sound - awarded to Gareth John, Al Nelson, Gwendolyn Yates Whittle, Gary A. Rizzo, and Juan Peralta for 'F1', beating out 'Frankenstein', 'One Battle After Another', 'Sinners', and 'Sirat'.

* Best Casting - presented to Cassandra Kulukundis for 'One Battle After Another', beating out 'Hamnet', 'Marty Supreme', 'The Secret Agent' and 'Sinners'.

* Best Production Design - awarded to 'Frankenstein', beating out 'Hamnet', 'Marty Supreme', 'One Battle After Another' and 'Sinners'. 

* Best Cinematography - presented to Autumn Durald Arkapaw for 'Sinners', beating out 'Frankenstein', 'Marty Supreme', 'One Battle After Another' and 'Train Dreams'. 

* Best Makeup and Hairstyling - awarded to Mike Hill, Jordan Samuel and Cliona Furey for 'Frankenstein' beating out 'Kokuho', 'Sinners', 'The Smashing Machine' and 'The Ugly Stepsister'. 

* Best Costume Design - presented to Kate Hawley for 'Frankenstein', beating out 'Avatar : Fire and Ash', 'Hamnet', 'Marty Supreme' and 'Sinners'.

* Best Film Editing - presented to Andy Jurgensen for 'One Battle After Another', beating out 'F1', 'Marty Supreme', 'Sentimental Value' and 'Sinners'. 

* Best Visual Effects - awarded to 'Avatar : Fire and Ash', beating out 'F1', 'Jurassic World Rebirth', 'The Lost Bus' and 'Sinners'. 

The Academy Honorary Awards were presented to Debbie Allen, Tom Cruise and Wynn Thomas with the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award going to Dolly Parton. 

For the full low down on all the winners, the nominees and a whole lot of other good stuff, you can visit the official website at : http://www.oscars.org

This week then we have five new movie offerings to tease you out to your local Odeon, kicking off with a Sci-Fi adventure that has a science teacher waking up alone on a spaceship light-years from Earth, and as his memory returns, he uncovers a mission to stop a mysterious substance killing the sun, and save Earth, with an unexpected friendship that might just be the key to his success. This is followed by a comedy horror in which after surviving one deadly game, Grace and her sister Faith must now outrun four rival families competing for a powerful throne and their respective family fortunes - winner takes all. Next up is an Aussie horror film that sees a grieving, recovering addict who returns to her hometown, rekindles a romance, and battles a demonic presence. Then we turn to an Italian drama where the widowed Italian President faces moral crises over euthanasia legislation and pardoning killers while grappling with his late wife's infidelity during his final months in office. And closing out the week we have another horror offering that has two codependent best friends become addicted to the heroin-like touch of an alien narcissist who may or may not be trying to take over the world.

Whatever your taste in big screen film entertainment is this week - be it any of the five latest release new films as Previewed below, or those doing the rounds currently on general release or as Reviewed and Previewed in previous Blog Posts here at Odeon Online, you are most welcome to share your movie going thoughts, opinions and observations by leaving your relevant, succinct and appropriate views in the Comments section below this or any other Post. We'd love to hear from you, and in the meantime, enjoy your big screen Odeon outing during the coming week.

'PROJECT HAIL MARY' (Rated M) - this American Sci-Fi adventure film is Co-Produced and Directed by Phil Lord and Christopher Miller whose previous Co-Directing credits are 'Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs' in 2009, '21 Jump Street' in 2012, 'The Lego Movie' in 2014 and '22 Jump Street' also in 2014. The film is based on the 2021 novel of the same name by Andy Weir. It saw its Premiere showcasing in London earlier this month, and is released world wide this week, having garnered generally favourable critical reviews. The film cost US$200M net to produce. 

Science teacher Ryland Grace (Ryan Gosling, who also Co-Produces here) wakes up on a spaceship light years from home, having been placed into a medically induced coma, with no recollection of who he is or how he got there. As his memory gradually returns, he begins to uncover his mission - solve the riddle of the mysterious substance causing the sun to die out. He must call on his scientific knowledge and unorthodox ideas to save everything on Earth from extinction in about thirty years time, but an unexpected friendship means he may not have to do it alone. Also starring Sandra Huller, Ken Leung, Lionel Boyce, Liz Kingsman and Milana Vayntrub. 

'READY OR NOT : HERE I COME' (Rated MA15+) - is an American comedy horror film that serves as a direct sequel to 2019's 'Ready or Not' and is once again Directed by Matt Bittinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett. The first film collected US$58M at the Box Office from a US$6M production budget and garnered positive critical reviews. Here then, Grace MacCaullay (Samara Weaving), the sole survivor of a brutal 'game' that resulted in the deaths of her husband and in-laws, learns that her victory came with a price, and now, the wealthiest and most influential families on Earth have to kill her in a new game - or risk losing their power and fortunes. Grace refuses to participate at first but is left with no choice when she learns that her estranged younger sister, Faith (Kathryn Newton), has also been marked for death and must protect her at all costs. Also starring Sarah Michelle Gellar, Shawn Hatosy, David Cronenberg, Elijah Wood and Kevin Durand. The film saw its Premiere at the SXSW Film & TV Festival last week before its release Stateside and here in Australia this week. It has generated positive critical press. 

'PROCLIVITAS' (Rated M) - this Australian horror thriller film is Written, Executive Produced and Directed by Miley Tunnecliffe in her debut feature film offering. Here, Clare (Rose Riley) is an addict in recovery when her mother's sudden death turns her carefully measured world upside down. Returning to her hometown, she reconnects with teenage sweetheart Jerry (George Mason). He's the one Clare could never stop thinking about. It's been fifteen years since a tragic accident tore them apart. Now they have a second chance at happiness. But as their love returns, so do the ghosts of the past, threatening Clare's sobriety and triggering a powerful demonic presence determined to control her. The film had its World Premiere screening at SXSW Sydney in October last year.

'LA GRAZIA' (Rated M) - is an Italian drama film Written, Co-Produced and Directed by Paolo Sorrentino, who made his feature film making debut in 2001 with 'One Man Up', and which he would follow up with the likes of 'Il divo' in 2009, 'The Great Beauty' in 2013, 'The Hand of God' in 2021 and 'Parthenope' in 2024. The film had its World Premiere showcasing as the opening film of last years Venice International Film Festival in late August, before its release in Italy in mid-January this year. Recently widowed President of Italy Mariano De Santis (Toni Servillo), a staunch Catholic and experienced jurist, begins his white semester (an Italian legislative term referring to the last six months of the President of Italy's seven-year term of office. According to the Italian Constitution, the President cannot dissolve the Italian Parliament and call a new election during the last six months of their term), and is conflicted about whether he should sign into law a bill legalising euthanasia, and at the same time has to consider the pardon petitions of two individuals who murdered their partners before the end of his term. The film has generated largely favourable critical reviews and has so far grossed US$3.2M.

'TOUCH ME' (Rated CTC) - this American Sci-Fi body horror comedy film is Written, Co-Produced and Directed by Addison Heimann in his second feature film offering following 'Hypochondriac' in 2022. Following a series of unfortunate events which leaves their house uninhabitable and stinking of shit, two co-dependent friends, Joey (Olivia Taylor Dudley) and Craig (Jordan Gavaris), find themselves homeless, lacking options and all out of luck. That's when Joey's mysterious ex resurfaces. He wants her back. Along with being hot, Brian (Lou Taylor Pucci) also happens to be an alien whose touch makes anxiety and depression disappear. The two venture to his compound for the weekend with the hope of being healed from past traumas, but underneath Brian’s veneer of healing is a sinister plot filled with murder, mayhem, and blood. The film has generated positive critical acclaim, and is released in the USA this week too. 

With five new release movie offerings this week to tempt you out to your local Odeon, remember to share your movie going thoughts with your other like minded cinephile friends afterwards here at Odeon Online. In the meantime, I'll see you sometime somewhere at your local Odeon in the week ahead.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-