This post isn’t a review of Project Hail Mary. It’s not even a review of the trailers. I’m here for a specific and niche reason that is important to me and me alone: ranking the three theatrical trailers based on how well they captured the movie’s vibes.
Project Hail Mary skyrocketed to popularity after its theatrical release on March 20. I could look up and list how much it grossed domestically and internationally, but those aren’t the numbers I care about. Project Hail Mary currently has 15,247 works on AO3 at the time of this writing, and that number will only continue to climb. My Tumblr was nothing but Project Hail Mary for the entire month of April.
If you’ve seen the movie, its success is easy to understand. Project Hail Mary is sincere and brimming with heart, a far cry from the tongue-in-cheek cynicism that’s prevalent in Hollywood movies today. I’ve seen enough reaction videos on YouTube to know that people are frequently surprised by it. My favorites are when the men cry. They don’t expect a big emotional journey. That’s exactly what they get. As an internet friend once said, “The people earn for sincerity.”
Anyway, here are my thoughts on the trailers.
#3 – Trailer 1 – my least favorite
Sitting at almost 3 minutes in length, the first trailer mainly focuses on the events on Earth. It toes the line of what I refer to as the final twist but doesn’t fully give away the plot. One of its strengths is the implication that Ryan Gosling’s character is specifically recruited to go to space, when that is wholly inaccurate. I consider that a win. Someone else might be annoyed, but I like when a movie is not what’s implied in the trailer. So long as a trailer matches the vibes, the specifics don’t much matter.
This trailer’s biggest failure is its attempt to keep Rocky a surprise. Ryan Gosling is on record for saying that keeping Rocky out of the trailer is like saying the movie E.T. Extra Terrestrial is about a boy whose parents are getting divorced. And it’s true! Grace and Rocky are the duo of the decade, just like Elliot and E.T. were in the 1980s.
In my personal opinion, the flashback scenes provide such an impactful surprise to the movie-going experience that focusing on that in the trailer is a detriment. Of the three official trailers for Project Hail Mary, this one is the worst.
#2 – Trailer 3 (Final Trailer) – the emotional core
Where the first trailer keeps its focus to Grace on Earth, the final trailer focuses on Rocky and Grace. Duo of the decade, remember?
Based only on this trailer, I’m left wondering what the movie is actually about. There’s a human/alien buddy comedy in space. But there’s also some nonsense happening on Earth featuring Sandra . How does everything relate to each other?
Overall, this trailer obfuscates the plot by focusing on the movie’s emotional core. It’s good, but it doesn’t quite capture the right vibes.
#1 – Trailer 2 – best in vibes, best in class
I have seen this movie an untold number of times since its theatrical release and this trailer will, without a doubt, rekindle my excitement for watching it again. The vibes are immaculate, starting with the dramatic opening before easing into its stride. We know Ryan Gosling is in space and he’s there to safe the sun. We know he meets an alien whose sun is also dying. We otherwise know nothing else about the plot except that it’s lighthearted and funny. We don’t even get Rocky’s English voice, just his whale-like noises.
This trailer is the closest this movie’s marketing got to the spirit of the movie: feel good, dramatic, hints at intensity, jokes. That’s why it’s my personal favorite of the trailers.
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