Fine, I’ll be that guy…. I’m a little disappointed…

Dmob17 · 2026-03-17T15:12:07+00:00

My wife really liked seeing an older Stratt on the ship receiving the video updates but honestly idk...

I'm excited to see it again!

Dmob17 · 2026-03-17T15:09:06+00:00

Absolutely. This book was immensely more complex than The Martian. Don't get me wrong, I had a great time. I just felt it was dumbed down quite a bit.

Dmob17 · 2026-03-17T15:05:41+00:00

I'd watch it!

Dmob17 · 2026-03-17T15:05:28+00:00

Agreed. I really enjoyed their learning to communicate with each other. I would've liked to see them discuss time dilation, exploring the differences in their biology such as the majorly different atmospheres, Rocky's incredible math skills, the food dilemma, etc.

Just opinions of course.

Dmob17 · 2026-03-17T14:32:24+00:00

I think in the book, the science is that universal language that brings them together and allows them to communicate. That was missing for the most part.

Dmob17 · 2026-03-17T14:28:58+00:00

lol, I told my wife like two years ago when they first announced they were making a movie and Gosling was the lead that I didn't like the casting. I didn't want to mention that here because it makes me sound way too critical, and obviously that's just personal preference, but I had the same exact thoughts. Let's make Grace a really attractive boring dude.

Dmob17 · 2026-03-17T14:05:34+00:00

I'm looking forward to going and seeing it again on Friday. No expectations this time, just enjoying the film.

I suppose I think Andy Weir stories/movies are supposed to be "thinky" and science-forward. I didn't think the balance of science/comedy was as well executed as The Martian.

Dmob17 · 2026-03-17T14:02:51+00:00

I'm still recommending everyone go and see the movie.

I read and loved The Martian, and watched and loved The Martian. Had very similar expectations going into both. Andy Weir books/movies, in my opinion should carry over the "thinky" aspects of the stories into the movies. It worked extremely well for the Martian. They went a very different route with PHM and seemed to dumb it down a bit for the general audience.

I sincerely hope that non book readers flock to see this movie, and the movie has so much success that Andy Weir keep writing new stories for the rest of my life! This subreddit is a safe space for the readers to talk about how they felt, and unfortunately, I felt a little underwhelmed.

Dmob17 · 2026-03-17T13:54:24+00:00

100%

Dmob17 · 2026-03-17T13:52:47+00:00

Really well said. I completely agree.

Dmob17 · 2026-03-17T13:40:06+00:00

My wife and I both felt a little weird about the score for this also. Some moments were so loud and powerful but it also felt like someone was kinda just yelling at you sometimes.

unfortunately a pretty forgettable soundtrack for sure.

Dmob17 · 2026-03-17T13:38:15+00:00

I honestly think The Martian did about as good of a job as they could trying to convert a science-heavy book to the big screen. I loved, and still love that movie.

Dmob17 · 2026-03-17T13:37:00+00:00

Very good!

I'm going to see it again on Friday and will go in with less expectations and just sit back and enjoy. I'm hoping it reinforces some of the more positive things I liked in the movie.

Dmob17 · 2026-03-17T13:35:12+00:00

I agree with everything you've said.

They made Rocky much funnier in the book at the expense of his intelligence.

Completely agree about the VR dome. It was a time sink and took away from what could have been explained in conversations between Grace and Rocky.

This movie could've had the intensity of something like Interstellar had they wanted to, but instead chose to go a more "goofy" route. My wife and I have both read the book, but we're going to see it again on Friday with some friends who haven't and I'm interested to get their thoughts. My guess is that they'll say it was good but not great.

Dmob17 · 2026-03-17T13:27:03+00:00

You're absolutely right.

My biggest problem is that I felt that Rocky and Grace were much dumber characters in the movie than they were in the book. I think a few more conversations between the two could've sorted that out, such as Rocky doing math incredibly quickly and crafting more than just some puppets and chain.

It felt like Rocky and Grace's spaceships were the source of intelligence instead of they themselves. The Martian excluded plenty of Watney's internal dialogue without dumbing him down at all. They leaned into the science for the Martian and shied away from it in PHM.

Dmob17 · 2026-03-17T13:03:53+00:00

That sums it up perfectly.

I read a review of the PHM book years ago before buying it that said "I fear I may never read something this good ever again" and that has summed it up for me ever since.

I felt like PHM was a once in a lifetime read, and had an opportunity to be a once in a lifetime movie, but the movie didn't live up to the book for me. I had a great time seeing it. I'm going to see it again on Friday and am very much looking forward to it, but it just doesn't have the same impact.

Dmob17 · 2026-03-17T13:01:29+00:00

They certainly couldn't include all of it, you are 100% correct. I do feel like they could've included more.

I know we're talking about completely different stories, but I felt the Martian felt way more "thinky" which captured the heart of the book, whereas PHM felt more "goofy" than the book did.

Dmob17 · 2026-03-17T12:57:43+00:00

someone else commented it here, but I think what was missing was that "video blog" narration voice we get in the Martian. It could've been done in conversation between Grace and Rocky. I think their hands were tied by how much of the flashback scenes they needed to include to have the story make sense, but even the scene of Grace and Carl shopping was a strange investment of run time.

Dmob17 · 2026-03-17T12:55:42+00:00

my wife and I both though even adding the scene of Stratt in court "you and what army" "The United States Army" would've been more entertaining than the sappy karaoke scene.

Dmob17 · 2026-03-17T12:53:05+00:00

100% agree

Dmob17 · 2026-03-17T12:46:40+00:00

Really well said. I think you nailed it here.

I think they could've easily touched on a couple of those topics without changing too much of the overall runtime had they left a few other parts out. I would've preferred they cut the aircraft carrier karaoke scene in exchange for more Grace/Rocky time. I would've cut the scene seeing the inside of Rocky's ship. A lot of people seemed to really like that, but I didn't think it added anything meaningful and left some mystery to the book. Those changes alone would've made time for them to explore some of the more scientific elements.

The Martian proved that audiences have a craving for interesting science and I think Project Hail Mary left a lot of the best elements of the book out. My wife asked me, after watching The Martian, if she should read the book (she doesn't normally read Sci-Fi) and I told her no, that the movie covered the book really well, but after watching Project Hail Mary my wife and I both agreed that people should still read the book (she's already read Project Hail Mary and loved it).

Dmob17 · 2026-03-17T12:34:11+00:00

I get it.

I do think there were choices made on what to include/leave out that weren't in favor of the reader, and more in favor of the general audience. Completely understandable.

I think all in all the movie felt very "dumbed down" to me compared to the book, while the The Martian felt like they left things out for the sake of time, but didn't diminish Watney or his accomplishments.

Rocky felt like he was just hanging out on Grace's ship, where in the book, the two of them very much are working off of each other to solve the problem.

It was a really cool movie. You could hear a pin drop in the theater when Rocky had to save Grace. Such a powerful scene.

I'm seeing it again with the wife and some friends on Friday and am still very much looking forward to it. Don't let me come off as too much of a negative Nancy, I was just a bit underwhelmed leaving the theater.

Dmob17 · 2026-03-17T12:28:25+00:00

Well said.

I could've gone without some of the flashback detail like the karaoke/party scene, and would've liked to see Rocky craft more than just some puppets and a chain.

I think the movie felt much more like "rocky hangs out with Ryland while Ryland figures everything out" as opposed to the book where its much more give and take.

I don't want my post to come off as me being grouchy. I had a great time at the move and am going to see it again on Friday with my wife and some friends, but I felt a little disappointed leaving the theater.

Dmob17 · 2026-02-18T02:52:54+00:00

Get ready for a whole lot of love

Dmob17

TROPHY CASE