Māori song in Ryan Gosling's 'Project Hail Mary' movie giving global goosebumps

Ryan Gosling's space blockbuster 'Project Hail Mary' has rocketed to become this year's biggest box office debut - which makes it all the more amazing that a treasured Māori waiata features in a pivotal scene. 

The sci-fi story of space exploration is based on a novel by American writer Andy Weir and directed by Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, who chose to use a 1970s recording of 'Po Atarau (Now is the Hour)' to soundtrack one of the film's most hard-hitting emotional gut-punches. 

I went to see the movie last week and witnessed first hand a cinema full of Kiwi movie-goers have a slow moment of recognition as Turakina Māori Girls' Choir's version of Aotearoa's farewell anthem swelled through the speakers. 

People looked at each other quizzically, did an audio double take and quietly conferred with their neighbours before we all grasped the surreal moment, pleasantly surprised, proud and maybe even a little smug.

The waiata's inclusion in the soundtrack, which also features Ella Fitzgerald, The Beatles and Neil Diamond, is having a profound impact on lots of New Zealanders who were also caught off guard by it. 

"I got goosebumps," Samoan US-based content creator Aynsley Broom told RNZ. 

"I'm sure many others who are more familiar with the song, watching the scene with that song in place, you're going to have such an emotional reaction to it.

One Redditor shared a post on the subject, saying: "It was so awesome to hear Turakina Māori Girls' Choir's version of 'Po Atarau' (Now is the Hour) during one of the very pivotal scenes. 

"Music can evoke so much emotion, but even more so when it is music from your whenua!"

Another agreed: "Beautiful scene and perfect music for it." 

George FM's Kaitūhono Māori Tīpare Ngā understands the attraction for filmmakers in choosing te reo Māori songs as a vehicle of expression. 

"We are so lucky to have such a beautiful, deep, resonating language available to us everywhere here in Aotearoa. Even when people don't necessarily know what is being said or sung, they can feel the emotion and uniqueness of our Te Ao Māori perspective. 

"I believe this is why so many American filmmakers, such as Ava DuVernay with Stan Walker and others, are beginning to tap into our culture and reo. 

"How blessed are we that we live within!"

Couldn't agree more.