Good art makes me long for great art. So I enjoyed "Project Hail Mary," but I couldn't help wishing for the great, science-inspired movie it could have been.
My review for American Scientist (warning: contains mild spoilers if you haven't seen the trailer).
https://www.americanscientist.org/blog/science-culture/a-mission-to-rescue-earth #science #culture #projecthailmary
Project Hail Mary celebrates curiosity and exploration; I really appreciate that. But it is fundamentally the tale of a solitary science hero who succeeds despite a useless (or worse) larger scientific community.
Interesting how different your opinion is versus astrophysicist Dr. Becky Smethurst, who's been heaping praise on the movie, even though some of the science has been disproven since the book was published.
It seems she focused on how good the science is, overall, rather than the portrayal of those on Earth.
I understand how a negative portrayal of the scientific community in general can lessen enjoyment of the movie for many, especially now.
I think a lot of people are understandably excited to see a popular movie built around a curious, problem-solving scientist hero. I felt that too!
My issue is that, to get there, the movie implies that the rest of the science world consists of fools and villains. That part left a sour taste.
Yeah, I get how that can easily be a very negative aspect.
Corey S Powell
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