In 1902, Georges Méliès directed and produced one of the most influential films of all time, A Trip to the Moon. Despite being under twenty minutes, A Trip to the Moon captured the attention of early cinemagoers with a whimsical view of space travel. The fantastical story mixed with some equally enchanting cinematography proved that space travel could be properly captured to wonderous effect.
Since then, space travel has remained a popular subgenre of the sci-fi umbrella, appealing to humanity's fascination with the stars' limitless potential. The genre received another boost in 1968 when Stanley Kubrick released his much lauded 2001: A Space Odyssey. While A Trip to the Moon proved space travel could exist on screen, Kubrick upped the ante at every level, juxtaposing a sophisticated, modern spacecraft with exceptionally beautiful worlds beyond our own.
The space travel films released after 2001 have striven for a similar realism, while also stretching the limits of what space might behold. With strides of CGI advancement, space travel films have been able to create the most impressive of spaceships, worlds, and creatures waiting for humanity to find them.
Recently, many films have told the space travel story to great effect, so much so that two of the most talked about movies of the past twelve years are incessantly space focused. Of course, those two films are Christopher Nolan's Interstellar (2014) and Phil Lord and Chris Miller's Project Hail Mary (2026).
Unsurprisingly, these two space travel films are quite similar. In each, humanity is forced to traverse the cosmos after realizing that Earth is doomed. They both feature some complex pseudoscience, a wealth of anxiety inducing scenes, some stunning views of inconceivable worlds, and a whole lot of heartstring tugging.
Each film has earned a legendary status, an impressive feat for Hail Mary given that it's only been out for a handful of weeks (if you disagree, Hail Mary is already on IMDB and Letterboxd's lists of great films). But with each film's stellar reputation and great encapsulation of the dramatics of space travel, why not pit them against each other to determine the greatest space travel film of all time?
Now, I understand that not everyone will unequivocally place Interstellar and Project Hail Mary at the top of the proverbial space mountain of film. That's fair, as there's no shortage of brilliant space travel cinema, including Ad Astra (2019), Alien (1979), Sunshine (2007), The Martian (2015), First Man (2018), Apollo 13 (1995), Event Horizon (1997) and even Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (2005).
However, most of these films either don't focus on space travel enough or lack the iconic status of the other two. For instance, Alien is fantastic, but focuses more on the horror of the unknown than space travel itself. Sure, you could argue that any one of those films are better than my top two contenders, but none really have the fans or impact to compete for the crown.
Obviously, Kubrick's 2001: A Space Odyssey would most likely defeat both films, and win the proverbial space crown. Yet, as the predecessor of basically the entire genre, it just didn't seem like a fair fight, so I excluded it.
Instead, I will be crowning the greatest space travel film of all time since 2001 released (i.e. the second greatest space travel film of all time). But how do we do that?
To determine the winner, I will be directly comparing each film in nine different categories and choosing which film does them best. Most of them are basic tenets of cinema such as writing or acting, but a few are more comprehensively and qualitatively driven. Whichever film wins the majority of categories, takes the astral crown.
As a disclaimer, I recognize that there's no objective way to evaluate these films, especially in a grudge match of the century. While there are some objective components in each categories, the winner for each (and overall) really comes down to subjective taste and will differ for each person. My picks are exactly that, what I thought each film did better.
Ultimately, this comparative exercise is more of a fun way to analyze two fantastic space films than it is to definitively name the greatest space flick of our time. With that being said, let's get this fun for fun's sake smackdown going, so we can name the (second) greatest space travel film of all time.
ROUND 1: Cinematography
Movies are inherently a visual medium, so let's start with each film's visual language. The space travel genre relies on cinematography to sell the vast wonder of the stars, and both films do exactly that.
In the first corner, Christopher Nolan calls upon Hoyte van Hoytema to capture his time bending version of space. In Hoytema's first collaboration with Nolan, he offers a sophisticated, yet terrifying encapsulation of space's deepest trenches. Whether it's the anxiety inducing wide shots on Miller's Planet or the oddly beautiful look at the Gargantua black hole, Hoytema emphasizes the wonder and dread the astronauts face.
However, Hoytema also proves himself capable of capturing the emotions crucial to Nolan's story. For instance, there's no forgetting the close up of Cooper's (Matthew McConoughey) face as he begs his past self not to make the mistake of abandoning his daughter. This scene is just as uncomfortable as facing a mountain sized wave, as it puts you right next to a man reeling with his own failures. Hoytema's cinematography isn't just varied, it's shifting to the scale of each moment, including the epic frontiers of space and the barriers of our fears and desires.
In the other corner (last boxing reference, I swear), there stands Project Hail Mary, featuring the cinematography of Greig Fraser. Like Hoytema, Fraser is an incredibly talented, Oscar winning cinematographer who also has an incredible vision of space. While Fraser focuses less on the dread of space, he really delves into the colorful worlds space might harbor. Most of the planets that Grace (Ryan Gosling) and Rocky (James Ortiz) visit are filled with color, including the bright green world, Adrian.
Of course, there's then the Petrova Line scene, where Grace floats in the midst of radiated astrophage. The glittery, red effects, achieved entirely without CGI, are as otherworldly as one could expect from space. You simply have to see the scene yourself, as words don't attest to the dazzling cinematography that Fraser pulls together.
Obviously, both films have a spectacular visual language that does one thing above all else: demand that space be wonderful. While Hoytema's varied shots capture the scale and emotional devastation of Nolan's story, Fraser's ability to paint space with imaginative streaks of beauty creates the more memorable universe. Hoytema is no slouch, but Fraser's camera does just a bit more whimsical world building.
First point, Project Hail Mary.
ROUND 2: Production Design
Let's keep things visual for now and shift our attention to the next category, production design. Production design is crucial for any film, but for the space travel genre, it entails the physical actualization of starships and far out worlds.
Both films obviously make great use of their sets, including Hail Mary's impressive space compound and Interstellar's endless array of corn that was reportedly grown by Nolan. However, I'd be lying to myself if I didn't admit that this category really comes down to the spaceships.
For Interstellar, Nolan focuses on three spacecraft, but it's the Endurance that absorbs the most screentime. Partially based off of the International Space Station, the Endurance is a circular structure with twelve separate compartments. In addition to being a sleek and modern design, the overall look is reminiscent of a clock, playing off of the film's central theme of time.
In addition, the other ships, the ranger and lander, feel like sensible extensions for any space mission. The robots CASE and TARS are also well designed, feeling like actual computers with purpose instead of androids that resemble humans.
For Hail Mary, there's really one ship that matters, the eponymous Hail Mary. It's also incredibly well designed, including a component for generating gravity that leads to one of the film's tenser moments. In addition, the spacecraft feels far more lived in, showing signs of what a lonely human headed to their death might exhibit. It's not as adventurous a design as Interstellar's, but the practicality makes it enduring.
Then, of course, there's Rocky, a mostly practical character that captured the hearts of millions. The puppetry not only looks amazing, but gives a crucial dose of realism to one of the film's stranger facets. Having to adapt Rocky from only a literary description only makes him that more impressive of a figure.
With that being said, the production design from Interstellar feels just a bit more imaginative and cohesive. Nolan's grey tones work to his advantage here, blending sleek, futuristic ships with scientifically innovative designs that still feel plausible. Hail Mary has no drab designs, but sometimes planting your own corn just gives you the edge.
Point goes to the Endurance.
ROUND 3: Sound: Sound Design, Score, and Soundtrack
While the visual splendor of each film has become quite apparent, it's time to focus on how each film audially transports us to the cosmos. For this category, I will be including each film's sound design, score, and soundtrack (though Interstellar lacks the latter, making this a bit tricky).
Let's start with sound design though, a component instrumental in selling the dangers in space. Both films take a similar approach, leaning into the overwhelming noise that comes with spaceships launching and crashing. However, those intense moments of action are juxtaposed against the pure silence that exists in outer space. The results are not only impressive, but make great use of the in theater speaker equipment. This feels like a bit of a cop out, but the sound design is so well done on each that I'm calling it a tie.
As for the musical selection, that's a bit tougher to compare. For Interstellar, Nolan makes the bold choice of allowing Hans Zimmer to score his film. Zimmer did not disappoint, using a four manual organ in the Temple Church of London to create his complex, but swelling score. Zimmer's work has become a favorite among cinephiles, not just for being a dazzling accompaniment to the stars, but for marking every emotional beat as being just as epic as space travel.
In contrast, Project Hail Mary relies far more heavily on its soundtrack. Lord and Miller assembled an array of tracks that makes Grace's astral journey seem more like a fantastical road trip. Some of the soundtrack's highlights are Neil Diamond's "Stargazer," The Beatles' "Two Of Us," and Harry Styles' "Sign of the Times." It's the latter that gained prominent recognition online, becoming synonymous with the film for its emotional use in the film. Lord and Miller's film does use a score, contributed by Daniel Pemberton, but it really takes a backseat to Styles and company.
I really hate having to pick a winner here as both films do wonderful and different things with their musical accompaniments. Each story would feel incomplete without their musical backdrop, as they complete the epic and intimate moments of each film.
That being said, Project Hail Mary's score just isn't on the same level as its soundtrack or Interstellar's score. Perhaps my opinion will change with a rewatch/relisten, but as of right now, Zimmer's instrumental underlining remains ahead of the totality of Project Hail Mary's soundtrack.
Interstellar pulls ahead, 2-1.
ROUND 4: Acting
We're getting into the broader categories now, the ones that matter in just about every film no matter the genre. Of course, that includes acting. In these films, acting is not just crying and yelling (though both of those are present). The acting here also fills in the human details, making us believe that a corn farmer and school teacher could in fact save the human race.
For Interstellar, Nolan employs the strategy of adding as many big stars as he can, an approach that would work quite well on later Oscar winning films. Some of the higher profile actors include Matthew McConaughey, Anne Hathaway, Jessica Chastain, John Lithgow, Casey Affleck, Timothée Chalamet, Matt Damon, and, as always, Michael Caine.
Pretty much everyone here gives a solid performance, capturing the panic, pain, and resilience of a humanity trying to save themselves. In particular, Chastain and Hathaway bring great emotional vulnerability to their roles, while Damon and Caine play against their usual selves to portray complicated, struggling humans.
However, there's no one as instrumental to this cast as McConaughey's turn as Cooper. Obviously, he nails every emotional moment he gets, crying his soul out on multiple occasions. More than that though, McConaughey sells Cooper as a believer in both the stars and humanity. He relays exposition passionately, brings intensity to the film's most dramatic moments, and feels like a real father before anything else.
As for Project Hail Mary, there's far less actors contributing to the story. There is, of course, Ryan Gosling playing the film's school teacher turned astronaut, Ryland Grace. He's joined by Sandra Huller, Ken Leung, Lionel Boyce, and James Oritz, who portrays the lovable Rocky.
Although this cast has far less A-listers, they do an ample job of playing a variety of roles. Huller is the supporting standout, playing a stoic woman in charge of saving the world. She comes off as a villain at times, but Huller injects just enough humanity into her character to show that she's not doing this by choice, but by necessity.
Of course, Gosling is the main star and he gives a career defining performance here. Rarely acting against humans, Gosling plays Grace as a human grappling with purpose, identity, and an impending demise. Grace's humanity comes off in two parts, a scientific genius capable of saving humanity and a fear to live up to that level of greatness. Both sides are at constant pull with each other, and Gosling ensures that we see the pain and loneliness his struggles entail. Sure, Gosling does add some goofy charm to the role, but he never shies away from showing the vulnerable, scared human inside that must now be humanity's savior.
Like the sound round, this feels like another impossible choice. One film features two incredible performances, while the other showcases an assortment of strong acting. If I was choosing this based off just the finest performance, then Gosling would take the win for Project Hail Mary.
However, the sheer number of great actors doing great work just pushes Interstellar ahead here. It's not that more is more, but there are more actors giving some of their finest work and that's enough to surpass Gosling's mesmerizing turn.
McConaughey and crew advance, 3-1.
ROUND 5: Writing
Moving backwards from acting, it's time to judge those things actors read, the screenplays. In reality, a film's writing can be broken up into three elements: plot, character development, and dialogue. As such, I feel obliged to judge each area briefly and then go from there.
Starting with plot, Interstellar features a pretty impressive story about a former pilot embarking on a secret mission to save humanity. There are some brilliant moments in this story such as Professor Brand's deathbed reveal and Dr. Mann's betrayal, each one pushing the story to new dramatic heights.
However, the film's final act kind of loses me by focusing too much on love and less on science. I don't think it's a necessarily bad ending, but it seems like a curveball that doesn't really amplify the story.
On the other hand, Hail Mary features a pretty strong plot from start to finish. Told in flashbacks, Grace intermittently recalls being part of the mission on Earth, while he struggles to survive in space. The film also adds logical obstacles to intensify the story, up until the moment that Grace decides to leave Earth behind to live with Rocky. While the plot is perhaps less ambitious than Interstellar, Hail Mary's story is not only more interesting, but more consistent.
As for character development, Interstellar does a better job of maintaining Cooper's arc. He goes from a former pilot trying to be a good father to a man intent on saving the earth before regressing to a father who just wants to see his kids again. Though he regresses, Cooper's character development is not weak, but an encapsulation of realizing what matters in life only when it's too late
In Hail Mary, Grace's character arc follows a similar path to the film's plot. Like Grace, we slowly learn who he was, why he's in space, and why he can't return. It's a brilliant approach that informs us of the layers of our lovable goofball protagonist. Grace has an arc too, as he grows to accept his fate and destiny as humanity's savior. However, Grace's arc just isn't as impressive as Cooper's, giving Interstellar the edge in character.
So it all comes down to everyone's favorite element, dialogue. For Interstellar, the dialogue is a bit of a mixed bag. We do get some brilliant moments from Cooper and others introspecting on the beauty and possibility of the stars. However, there's also a ton of exposition crammed into characters' mouths. Obviously, the story needs some expositive dialogue, but there's far too much here and the story suffers for it.
As for Hail Mary, the dialogue feels far simpler. There's expositive dialogue here too, but just enough to keep the story rolling. In addition, the dialogue between Grace and Rocky remains one of the film's standout parts. Their friendship forms over syntactic discrepancies and mistranslations, resulting in some humorous, yet heart warming moments. Rocky's quotes are the perfect mixture of goofy and endearing meaning they'll likely become classic lines eventually. In fact, astronauts aboard the recently launched Artemis II quoted Rocky during their flight, saying, "Amaze, Amaze, Amaze" as they approached the Moon.
Although the quotes are less ambitious, Hail Mary's dialogue finds humor without trying too hard, taking the win from Interstellar. Hail Mary's writing as a whole proves to be more consistent, and for that, they win this round.
Rocky cuts the lead to 3-2. AMAZE AMAZE AMAZE.
ROUND 6: Direction
Alas, we have reached the last structural component of this battle, direction. This is perhaps one of the harder facets of film to judge in general, but it's also one of the most important.
For Interstellar, there's no mistaking that this is 100% Christopher Nolan's film. From the time dilating plot to the array of practically made ships, every component screams Nolan. That being said, this ultimately works to Interstellar's advantage. Nolan takes the source material seriously, perfectly portraying a failing dour world and the realistic spaceships that might save it. There's a lot of grey coloring and over the top sound design, but it all results in this journey that feels both realistic and technologically imminent.
In addition, Nolan brings a grounded creativity that gives his worlds an exciting look. For instance, his water planet is not whimsical, but covered in massive waves that mirror our own oceans. It's not fantastical like a planet in Star Wars, but it amazes to a scary extent.
Lastly, Nolan emphasizes the emotional elements of his film when he needs to. For instance, when Cooper looks back at his past self, Nolan excludes any extent of space travel. Instead, the moment succeeds by focusing on the relationship between a father and daughter and the mistake that has defined it. Nolan pays this off by reuniting the pair eventually, showing that the emotional toll of this journey matters just as much as the physical one.
In contrast, Phil Lord and Chris Miller don't necessarily have the same reputation as Nolan. However, the pair has earned success making goofy, but thoughtful projects and that's exactly what they bring to Hail Mary.
Though this film is far less goofy than their past meatball and LEGO filled works, there's still a ton of fun to be found. Rocky, an inherently goofy concept, lightens a story filled with impending doom. His relationship with Grace makes for moments that are not only funny, but reaffirming of the life that each astronaut is fighting for.
However, Miller and Lord ensure that Hail Mary becomes more than a comedy by fully playing into the creative landscape of space. In contrast to Nolan, Miller and Lord offer an array of planets and ships that test the limits of creativity. Their worlds are not only fun, but rife with vibrant color. Their ships are not only cool looking, but they feel practical in their own laws of science. In other words, Miller and Lord imbue their story with fantastical visuals, not for fun's sake, but because space might just have limitless fun.
Once again, we seem to be comparing two vastly different approaches, Nolan's grounded future against Lord and Miller's whimsically vibrant space. This is another tough choice, but it ultimately comes down to which director/s tell their story in a way that only they could.
Although I feel that nobody could direct Interstellar as well as Christopher Nolan, someone could tell this story competently. Project Hail Mary, however, could not amaze on any level if Lord and Miller didn't bring their penchant for practical filmmaking, visual flare, and fun tone that they're known for. Thus, I'm giving the win to Miller and Lord, though their choice to shoot everything practically must make Nolan happy on the inside.
The dynamic duo tie the score, 3-3.
ROUND 7: Emotional Appeal
Moving away from the more familiar components of film, we've reached the rounds that focus on the comprehensive traits of film. The next two categories are things that I greatly value in film, the first being emotional appeal. We've been tiptoeing around emotion for the past couple of categories, but it's time to fully examine why we care about these silly space films at all.
For Interstellar, Nolan does an incredibly apt job at injecting emotion into his often procedural view of space travel. I've already talked copiously about Cooper's emotional journey, which is fair given the intensity of his breakdowns.
Instead, I'll focus on a few other areas that Nolan pulls at starting with fear. In the beginning of the film, Nolan portrays Earth in a similar light to our reality. However, he soon hints at a dying planet, developing an existential fear within the characters.
From there, Nolan shows how fear has affected certain characters. For instance, the esteemed Professor Brand fears failure so much that he sends Cooper and his own daughter off to die in space. Then there's Dr. Mann (Matt Damon), who's characterized as the most altruistic of the astronauts. However, he's transformed by the time that Cooper and crew find him, as his fear terrifies him into trying to kill the rest of his crew to save himself. Although it doesn't affect everyone, fear is a crippling agent that pushes humanity to the lowest of lows.
In stark contrast, Nolan also focuses on hope. Despite painting a grim future for humanity, Nolan posits that this is no end. After Murph (Jessica Chastain) finds a temporary solution for humanity, Cooper sets off to look for a planet that could permanently house us. While the ending is a bittersweet goodbye, it also affirms the idea that humans can overcome the most epic of issues and will always strive to do so.
As for Project Hail Mary, we get a similar array of emotions. Earth is dying here too, so there's a genuine fear developed. In this film though, we see a wide range of people from young kids to world leaders grappling with the eminent demise of the Earth. Protagonist Grace doesn't really succumb to fear, at least not until he's coerced into going on a one-way mission to save the Earth. From there, Grace struggles with his own mortality, mourning the life he'll never get to live.
In addition, Lord and Miller portray the wide spectrum of emotions worth living and fighting for. Of course, there's the well developed friendship between Grace and Rocky, one that proves to be life saving to both parts. The film posits this relationship as a truly profound one, eventually giving Grace purpose and inspiring him to complete his mission.
Each film exhibits a strong emotional pull, especially regarding the main characters. However, Hail Mary does not reach the emotional rawness that Interstellar often hits. Grace's journey though depression and self discovery is quite captivating, but it's not nearly as moving as McConaughey's breakdown for the ages.
Interstellar regains the lead, 4-3.
ROUND 8: Entertainment
At the end of the day, movies are here to entertain us and space travel films are no exception. Films can certainly be more than entertainment, but if they don't strive to captivate us, then what's really the point?
Unsurprisingly, both films do a pretty solid job of ensuring that the cosmos are thoroughly exciting. It is a tougher task than it seems, as both films are over two and a half hours long, but the overall entertainment factor soars during each film's best moments.
For Interstellar, there are a handful of moments early on that stray to the boring side. They're crucial to the story, developing the state of the world and humanity's acceptance of their situation. However, many of the expository scenes are slightly dull, especially upon rewatch.
However, that might just be because the rest of the film is such a tense journey. For much of Cooper's astral voyage, there's always an immediate obstacle, amplifying the intensity of nearly every scene. Whether it's trying to survive a freezing cold planet or coming to terms with devastating truths, Nolan constantly pushes his story into exciting and unexpected territory.
Perhaps the best example of this tension comes when Dr. Mann betrays Cooper. Though the moment is built up to, it still comes as a shock when Mann pushes Cooper to his intended death. What follows is gasp after gasp from a panicked Cooper, trying his best to survive the harsh atmosphere. Even after he does, we still get the scene where Mann tries to dock his ship, a tense moment that results in a sudden explosion, as Dr Mann is blown into space.
Throughout most of his film, Nolan strives for grand storytelling and emotional turmoil. Add in his penchant for encapsulating sound and epic visuals, and the bulk of Interstellar acts as a tantalizing survival thriller.
As for Project Hail Mary, Lord and Miller opt for significantly less tension than Interstellar has. It does feature its share of tense moments, such as Grace going into the Petrova Line and Rocky risking his life to save Grace.
However, Hail Mary opts instead to focus on comedy than tension. Lord and Miller don't overload the film with jokes, but instead use humor to consistently build their characters, as well as their relationships with each other. I've already talked about the humorous friendship between Grace and Rocky a lot, but it's hard not to mention them again when they're such an incredible duo.
In addition to character development, the film's subtle humor also makes the expository scenes far more interesting. The flashbacks already give the film great pacing, but Grace's fish out of water-ness makes his work on Earth far more intriguing than it otherwise would have been.
Lastly, Lord and Miller's humorous tone ensures that we care about the characters when danger comes lurking. For instance, the film's tensest moment, Rocky saving Grace, only works because we love both characters so much. We've already seen Grace struggle to survive and Rocky talk about his beautiful spouse, so when they're both about to die, we care so much more. Humor isn't everything in Hail Mary, but it's a thin line that bolsters the entire story.
Obviously, both films are great pieces of entertainment or they wouldn't really be in this showdown. Interstellar is a tense, captivating tale of survival, while Hail Mary is a funny buddy road trip with some intense moments as well.
However, it ultimately comes down to which film can entertain the most consistently and that's Hail Mary. Interstellar features some incredible moments, but there are too many moments early on I'd be okay skipping. Meanwhile, Hail Mary consistently entertains from start to finish with a penchant for both intensity and comedy. This decision could also change upon rewatching, but for now, Hail Mary takes the cake.
Headed for the final round, we're all tied at 4.
ROUND 9: Scientific Accuracy/Creativity
As everyone expected, we're tied heading into the final round, meaning this category will decide the ultimate space travel film. The previous categories, whether they be structural are more overarching, could all be applied to most films regardless of genre.
However, since we're focusing on space travel, the final category is the scientific accuracy and creativity that each film brings to the genre. In other words, which film is both within the realm of science, while still pushing the edge of fiction?
To rate the scientific accuracy portion, I looked at a pair of articles exploring the accuracy of both Interstellar and Project Hail Mary (you can access the links by clicking on each film). I would've ideally liked to have done a deeper research dive, but I'm not the most science driven man and my time is sadly limited.
Starting with Interstellar, Nolan seems to get a lot right about the science of space and wormholes. To begin, wormholes have been generally accepted to be a plausible phenomenon given the right conditions. While scientists have not proven this, thinking of space as a fabric that could theoretically collapse in on itself has lead many to believe that they are definitely real.
Now, Nolan's film doesn't perfectly encapsulate the wormhole as it fails to account for its origin. According to most theories, an object of an incredible mass, plus some negative energy, would be required to open such a tear. The film doesn't specify where it comes from, though it's hinted that the mysterious other beings create it for Cooper. However, any object that could create a wormhole would affect nearby worlds and planets, which of course never happens in the film. Perhaps, the future aliens have a wormhole ray or something, but that's not the most satisfying theory.
Still, Nolan's most accurate concept is how he portrays gravity and time. Though it might seem farfetched, scientists agree that the gravity of an immense object could stretch time like a fabric, causing decades to feel like minutes. I must applaud Nolan, not only for accurately capturing this idea, but for weaving it into the plot in a way that amplifies the action.
As for Hail Mary, Lord and Miller nail most of their scientific ideas. Of course, it's easier to do so when using Peter Weir's novel as a basis, but still, the film is pretty damn accurate.
Starting with the astrophage, those vexatious little microbes feeding off the sun are completely plausible. Scientists note that there's already a trail of particles from Venus to the Sun, so that path is certainly travelable. Though going back to Venus would require more energy, Weir surmises that the astrophage could simply absorb neutrinos for this part of the journey, which are ghost particles that exist throughout the universe.
Next, and perhaps most surprising, the planets from the film, Tau Ceti, 40 Eridani, and Adrian, are all real. Despite the latter not really being named Adrian, they are completely real, lacking any fictional elements.
Hail Mary also deals with gravity, though it's more focused on the artificial gravity aboard Grace's ship. Though it has not been proven in real life, the gravity system should work in theory. The article notes that Drew Feustel, lead astronaut form the space company Vast, intends to implement such a system in the near future, proving that there's some real plausibility to the Hail Mary's design.
Lastly, and this is perhaps the most ridiculous element, there's a school teacher surviving in space on his own. NASA has previously trained a teacher for space, as well as other "payload specialists," though they often receive less training than typical astronauts. Survival is certainly one thing, but the plausibility of NASA sending a well educated schoolteacher to save humanity is definitely within the realm of believability.
With all that being said, Hail Mary seems to have the edge of scientific accuracy. Interstellar has only a few scientific gaps, but they are more glaring than any present in Hail Mary. However, which one does the most with its scientific premise?
In Interstellar, Nolan stretches time as far as it can go, diluting and amplifying it to strain his characters' relationships. Time is everything, especially when the Earth is so clearly numbered in days. Also, Nolan shows us fantastic planets, beautiful wormholes, and the intense indifference of the vastness of space.
In Hail Mary, Lord and Miller offer a version of space that's colored like our dreams. The far away planets are visually rich, as are Rocky's spaceship and the infrared lit Perova Line. Their story is every bit about survival, though it really delves into loneliness, friendship, and the beauty of life.
This might be the hardest choice yet, as both films strenuously capture different versions of space that feel equally and creatively astounding. At the end of the day though, I have to admit that it's newcomer Project Hail Mary that does things a little bit better.
For Interstellar, the creativity that Nolan implements in such a scientifically rigid world is often breathtaking and tense. He knows how to captivate, but there are just a few more plot holes, especially regarding the ethereal "them" aliens. Their lack of exploration and scientific basis does not really enhance the film. I do like them as a nod to Kubrick's unexplained monolith in 2001: A Space Odyssey, but they just need a bit more development to feel really impactful.
That being said, even a perfectly plausible explanation would struggle to compete with the wonder that Lord and Miller imbue into their film. In Project Hail Mary, everything, from the visuals to the tone, create this sense of an imaginative adventure on the grandest scale. Sure, it features some hard to believe elements too like Rocky, but they're all well-written to the point that they feel like fact.
Most of all though, Hail Mary pits the indomitable human spirit against the mercy of space and life, showing that humanity's ingenuity will survive. Exhibiting some breathtaking shots, a friendship that was instantly iconic, and some truly tear jerking moments, Project Hail Mary is the greatest space travel film of all time.
