The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy (PG)
Posted by Nade on Thu, 05 May 2005.
Starring: Martin Freeman, Mos Def, Zooey Deschanel, Sam Rockwell, Warwick Davis, Alan Rickman, Bill Bailey, John Malkovich and Stephen Fry
“DON’T PANIC”, is the motto for the Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy, and it is one that serves Arthur Dent (Freeman) well. After all, what can you do when your home planet is to be destroyed to make way for a galactic bypass? Arthur is rescued by his friend Ford Prefect (Def) who proves he is not quite the humanoid out of work actor from Guildford he always claimed to be. Beamed aboard the Vogon ship responsible for the destruction of Earth, the pair are subjected to a recital of Vogon poetry (the third worst in the universe) and then thrown off the spaceship.
Luckily for them, they are picked up by a passing craft. It is there that they meet up with Marvin the Paranoid Android (played by Davis, voiced by Rickman), Trillian (Deschanel) and Zaphod (Rockwell). And then, as you do, they shoot off to find a mythical planet...only to discover something shocking about the Earth, and who is actually in control.
I must admit, when I first walked in, and heard Stephen Fry begin the narration, I wasn’t overly impressed. But then the opening song to provide the background started up and washed away the doubts. I’ve got to say, there’s a lot of attention to detail. But, like most book to film transitions, bits and pieces have been cut, and other bits added in. In saying this, the film is still crammed full of references that only those who had read the book would be able to spot.
Considering Hitchhiker is following on from the radio and television adaptations, it has managed pretty well, not needing the viewer to have any knowledge of the book beforehand, though it is an added bonus.
Unfortunately, the writer of the book, Douglas Adams passed away in early 2001, unable to see his screenplay on the big screen. It is only fitting that the film be dedicated to his memory.
My final verdict? A brilliant film, though I found it more entertaining to sit there and pick out all the obscure references that I could. I’ll leave you with one thing: 42? What can *the* ultimate question to this answer be? Questions on a postcard please…
We would also like to thank the Odeon Cinema at Freeman’s for allowing us to review this film.