“Project Hail Mary” released a week ago and has been receiving copious amounts of praise for its heartfelt storytelling and stunning visuals. This has led some fans of the movie, including myself, to believe that it has overtaken the throne of another Sci-Fi classic, “Interstellar.”

The movie was adapted from a book authored by Andy Weir, who also wrote “The Martian,” which is another space classic about a botanist trapped on Mars. This was also adapted into a beloved film starring Matt Damon, so people’s expectations were very high.

“Project Hail Mary” is about a middle school science teacher, Ryland Grace, and his epic journey through space as he tries to find a way to save earth.

The film opens up with him in the spaceship, and he has no idea who or where he is. Through flashbacks and other clues he eventually remembers that there is a red line connecting the sun to Venus. They name it the “Petrova line” and find out it is full of astrophage, a cell-like bacteria that eats energy from the sun, dimming its output, which meant that the world would freeze over in 30 years.

He realizes that he is on a spaceship that is travelling to a star that isn’t dimming. This is the only star near our solar system that doesn’t have a Petrova line, and he has to find out why. On his journey, he meets an unlikely friend, Rocky, who is a five-legged alien rock.

This may sound pretty out-of-this-world, but the whole movie feels so rooted in real science that the idea of finding an alien like this doesn’t feel crazy when watching the movie.

Coincidentally, Rocky is on the same journey as Grace, so both of them team up to save their stars. They have to figure out how to communicate, interact and live with each other as two very different species, but even though Rocky looks like a weird animal, his brain is much more powerful than Grace’s so making it work wasn’t too hard.

This story of space, friendship and science is a must-see. It is so good that I believe that it is better than what most people consider to be the best space movie of all time, “Interstellar.”

When I say that, I know people cringe. How could anyone say that? “Interstellar” is an amazing film that has your attention the entire duration of the film. The only thing more captivating than the story is the visuals, and both come together to make the pinnacle of space epics.

I still believe that “Interstellar” is a great film, but after watching “Project Hail Mary” I have to say, I think we have a new champ.

To make sure I accurately compared the two films, I came up with a couple similarities between them. I did this because at their cores, they are two different movies. Both are space operas that deal with journeys to different stars, but “Interstellar” has a more dramatic, brooding tone while “Project Hail Mary” is happier and more comedic.

That being said, we can still compare the movies based on a few core pieces that sci-fi movies have. 

Production

The first piece was the production. Both movies are beautifully shot with incredible scores that take you through the stars when you hear them, but which one is more impressive?

The cinematography in “Interstellar” is wonderful, especially the scenes when they are on the water planet. Christoper Nolan loves bragging about his lack of CGI usage, but who wouldn’t? Planting 500 acres of corn for a movie about space is very impressive, even if it does sound pointless. 

However, a lot of the “Project Hail Mary” praise comes from how directors Phil Lord and Christopher Miller didn’t use a single green screen during filming. 

This may sound small, but there are multiple scenes that feel like it would be impossible to film without a green screen. The scene when Grace goes into the Petrova line of Tau Ceti, the star he visits in the film, is the most beautiful scene I have ever seen in a movie theater. It was so captivating, it brought tears to my eyes.

Additionally, Rocky, the five-legged alien rock with no eyes, was shot using a puppet that had to be operated by six different puppeteers. They used a little CGI to get rid of the puppeteers in post, but this level of practicality is unheard of these days.

In today’s day of CGI racoons, alien trees and big green monsters, people wouldn’t give a second thought if they used CGI to make Rocky, but Lord and Miller wanted to be practical, even after a 12-year hiatus from live-action movies.

Both movies are magnificent when you watch them, but if I had to choose one, I would have to choose “Project Hail Mary.”

Accuracy

Another part of the movies that we can compare is the accuracy. Both are rooted in science, so which one gets it more right?

The science in “Interstellar” isn’t the main focus of its movie, but it is definitely a huge part of why people like it. Interstellar travel is something humans have always wanted to achieve, and both of these movies showcase realistic versions of that. 

Additionally, the black hole in “Interstellar” has always been praised for its accuracy, which is crazy because the only reference we have is a blurry yellow and black dot. 

The thing about the film’s science is that it is mostly theoretical. Interstellar travel, different dimensions and cryo-sleep are all things that are in “Interstellar.” They are done well, but they can be confusing to a general audience. These things are hard to comprehend, which is why I think “Project Hail Mary” has an edge.

The science in “Project Hail Mary” is very complex as well, but it is explained using basic science. 

Astrophage is what the scientific term would be for an organism that eats light from the sun. Rocky is a rock with no eyes, but he sees using echolocation like whales do. We breathe oxygen on earth, but Rocky breathes ammonia, and his atmosphere is 29 times that of Earth’s, which makes sense as to why he would evolve to have rocky skin that doesn’t react much to heat.

Grace uses the scientific method to figure out a lot of things in the movie, including how to communicate with Rocky.

In fact, writer Andy Weir said that the only non-accuracy was the fact that astrophage could use neutrinos to move. No organism on earth can do that, but this movie still makes you think that it could exist out there in the stars. 

Even the realism of how the ship was made in “Project Hail Mary” was better than “Interstellar.” In “Project Hail Mary,” the ship is made using the collective effort of the entire world. It isn’t easy. In “Interstellar,” it’s underexplained as a secret government project.

“Project Hail Mary” demolishes the accuracy of “Interstellar” simply because it is easier to understand, and more based in actual, proven science and realism.

Story

The third and final comparison I will make is the story.

I love the story “Interstellar” tells, and when you understand the theoretical science it uses, it makes the story much more captivating. However, I think it can be confusing at times, especially with relativity and the different dimensions. 

The twist in “Interstellar”  is much better than the one in “Project Hail Mary” though. When I found out that he gave the clues to his daughter in the past, my jaw wasn’t just dropped, it was on the floor. “Project Hail Mary’s” twist is also great, but it doesn’t compare to dimensional time travel.

When it comes to the story of “Project Hail Mary,” I think it takes the cake by a slim margin. The essence of friendship and hope in this movie is some of the best I’ve ever seen, and the chemistry between Rocky and Grace is in a league of its own.

Because of how easy it is to understand, you aren’t just involved, you feel like you are taking the journey with them. They do such a great job at making you feel the weight of the entire situation while simultaneously giving a light-hearted, comedic adventure that leaves you with a sense of unbridled joy.

So yes, “Project Hail Mary” is better than “Interstellar.” It isn’t by a large margin, but its pin-point accuracy, wholesome storytelling and out-of-this-world visuals are enough to make you race to the theater at light speed to see the new, best space movie of the century.