Project Hail Mary the movie > Likes and Comments

I really like Andy Weir’s writing and I’ve read The Martian, Artemis, and PHM. Just saw the movie and I liked it very much and would recommend seeing it. I thought the dialogue was realistic and sometimes funny and the music was great. Anyone else?

I haven't seen it yet, but is is very high on my list of what to watch next. I'm glad you enjoyed both the book and the movie

Saw the movie last week and was somewhat disappointed, where the Martian movie hit the style of the novel spot on, this one was slightly off. First of Gosling seems wrong for the role and his clowning around is very far from the kick ass science nerd in the novel, secondly, even though I love rocky, there far to much emphasis on their time together, some of it downright silly like the scenes in the video hall.

Would you recommend to someone who hasn't read the novel?

(I'm not a purist; in fact, since novels can structurally go more in depth, I sometimes find it advisable to use the movie version as an introduction).

I think it was a faithful adaptation, showing the most essential. Of course somethings were cut, and the science factor was reduced. Still, the acting, scenes and production was amazing. 5 out of 5 stars, just like the book, even if it's not as perfect as the book.

The choice of actor kinda puts me off though. I'm not sure I'm going to go see it.

We saw it the other night and really enjoyed it. It’s long, but I didn’t know how long going in and was surprised what time it finished, because it hadn’t seemed long at all. A good sign.

I liked Gosling as Grace. I remember kind of a lot of clowning around in the book too, so was not put off. I would’ve expected more science though. This is what makes Weir’s books so interesting. He makes science fun and thrilling even. Action packed science! And they missed including the best quote from the entire book (after “Fist My Bump” and “Amaze!”): “I’m gonna science the shit out of this!”

one of the best movies I've seen in a long time. it was what movies should be ...feelings and connections
there was a part in the movie where they cut the music and everything is silent...you can drop a needle in the theater and hear it ring..on a carpet
and this is when you know the movie is amazing

I haven’t seen the movie yet, but I’m really curious about how they handled the balance between science and emotion.

That’s what made the book stand out for me, it wasn’t just “hard sci-fi,” it had this strange warmth underneath all the problem-solving.

From what you all are saying, it sounds like the movie leans a bit more into the emotional side than the scientific one. Not necessarily a bad thing, just a different kind of experience.

Do you feel like it changes the tone of the story, or just shifts the focus?

I haven't seen it, and I'm not sure I want to. I liked it well enough but had some pretty big criticisms of the type that I think the movie will play up, not improve, for me. Plus I'm just not a huge Ryan Gosling fan.

But on that note, my husband asked me this morning why "Someone named 'Something Goslinger' is all over his feed today??!" And I had a good chuckle at that before I explained it's because of this movie.

Saw it last night. Pretty much a one man show for Gosling. He pulled it off with humor. It had all the main plot elements from the book to the best I remember. My wife who had not read the book enjoyed it so it may be accessible to regular people. It’s really about relationships.

I haven't read the book yet but it's on my TBR list. I'm wondering should I hold off seeing the movie until I've read the book first? Now that I think about it, from previous experience with having read a book first and then seeing the movie I'm usually disappointed because I keep noticing things that have been changed or left out from the book, even when the movie is actually great (Examples include Jurassic Park, Lord of the Rings). So I'll probably just go see the movie first. I just answered my own question!

I liked the book and haven't seen the movie yet, but was disappointed when the trailer had spoilers for the book.

Liked both book and movie. Book is better an explaining and feeling. Movie is better al showing... specially at the end.

That “book explains vs movie shows” contrast is interesting.

I always feel adaptations end up choosing what kind of story they want to be, rather than trying to translate the original.

Sometimes the science gets reduced not because it doesn’t matter, but because the emotional thread becomes the real anchor on screen.

Makes me wonder if stories like this are less about the problem-solving itself… and more about the fact that someone is still trying to solve something in a universe that doesn’t really care.

I have not read the book, not sure why, I really enjoyed The Martian.
I did go see Project Hail Mary, yesterday I enjoyed it. My mom who read the book, said the movie followed it pretty well.
So I think if you have not read the book, you will like the movie. I will watch it again when it comes out. I would even buy the dvd. Yes I still do that.

Movie was honestly great, probably one of the best movies I’ve watched. I listened to the audiobook last year, I think the main thing they missed out on is how badass Eva Stratt was (the court scene in particular) and a few of the scenes from the book that I don’t want to spoil. Definitely feel they captured the emotion from the book too.

Just saw the movie. I harangued my nephew into going with me. I feel like I was laughing out loud more than anyone else in the theater. It's probably them, not me. The movie was good ... but the book was better.

PS: Check out this podcast about the puppeteer behind Rocky!
https://www.imaginaryworldspodcast.or...

I also just go back from seeing it and loved it! I loved the book also. I think the book gets the edge just for being slightly more emotional than the movie, but the movie almost got me there. It’s been a few years since I read it but I felt like it was a fairly faithful adaptation. I think there was only one small difference I noticed but I didn’t miss it all that much.

Saw it with my mom, brother, and daughter. Mom and brother have not read the book, but both enjoyed. My daughter was trapped in a long car ride with me while I listened to this so she had some familiarity with the story. The kiddo (13) loved it.

I think for being 3 hours long it’s pretty impressive it never felt that long to me. I also just want to say for those who aren’t huge fans of Gosling- I also had my doubts. I’m not really his biggest fan either, but I think he was great in this role.

I would recommend. For those debating book or movie first, I think if you have time read the book first but definitely don’t miss seeing this in theatres if it’s one you want to see. It’s worth seeing on the big screen.

I really enjoyed it. I read the book last year, since I never read the Martin, and it still haunts me to this day. I noticed all of the things they left out. but somehow it works. And if you ask me, the last 65% of the movie is better than the book.

I enjoyed the book, so I'm quite looking forward to seeing the movie. Particularly given the good rap it's getting here and elsewhere.

Melanie wrote: "The movie was good ... but the book was better..."
Totally agreed!
But that's pretty normal for me. I tend to prefer books to movies and TV shows, even if they’re really good. Maybe I just enjoy imagining written stories more than watching them on screen.

I'm on the fence about the film because I didn't really like the book, especially the blatant stereotypes. Is the film better at least on that part?

Olga - the stereotypes bother me too. Weir builds such a specific kind of protagonist: hyper-competent, self-deprecating, saves the world with duct tape and dad jokes. It works as a formula, but it is a formula.

What I find interesting is that the movie version of that formula actually plays better on screen than it does on the page, because Gosling's physicality gives Grace some weight the prose couldn't quite land. The book's interiority is funnier, but the film's silences are more earned.

That said, if the stereotypes were the issue for you with the book, I don't think the film fixes that. It just makes them more watchable.

I've read the book when it first came out. Liked it, didn't love it. Then watched the movie and the two work very well together, I think. The screen adaptation is excellent. If you read the book first. I honestly don't know how someone who hasn't read the book first can understand half of what's even going on in the movie. So this may be a rare case of "read first, then watch" and it's better in the sum. At least IMHO.

Is the book better then the movie or vice versa?!?