[Review originally appeared
in The Herald-Sun in April 2005.]
Don't Panic...
"The Hitchhiker's
Guide to the Galaxy" movie is a fun addition to Douglas Adams'
comedic creation
By J.P. Trostle
Don't panic.
Much.
First, if you're
a long-time fan of Douglas Adams' multimedia creation -- which includes
radio and TV shows, bestselling books, a play and computer games --
know that they made a couple of major changes in bringing the epic
science fiction comedy to the big screen.
Second, if this
is the first time you've ever heard of "The Hitchhiker's Guide,"
don't let the words "epic science fiction comedy" scare
you away. Even if you know nothing about Vogons, infinite improbability
drives, the importance of the number "42" or why you should
always know where your towel is, you will find this movie easy to
enjoy-- even wildly entertaining.
In fact, it is
the hardcore fans who will have to make the most adjustments, suspend
the most belief, while watching this big screen tale about "life,
the universe and everything."
A number of Adams'
best jokes and situations from the original storyline are missing
from the movie. Don't panic, just keep moving: Viewers unfamiliar
with the original won't miss them, and true Hitchhiker fans know each
version is different from the last (see sidebar).
Besides, most
of the new material is hilarious.
What's important
is that the dry British wit and insightful humour that made the books
and broadcasts such an enduring pop culture hit are still here. (As
when our hero, Arthur Dent, finding himself stuck on a planet of bureaucrats,
charges into the DMV from Hell crying "I'm English! *I* know
how to queue!" )
The casting is
dead on for most of the characters, especially Sam Rockwell as party
animal Zaphod Beeblebrox (who also happens to be President of the
Galaxy), and Alan Rickman as the voice of Marvin, a perpetually depressed
robot.
Some things don't,
unfortunately, work as well. The Vogon poetry scene which, on paper,
is one of the funniest things ever written, falls flat in the film,
and a strange performance by John Malkovich as Zaphod's rival Humma
Kavula (a new character created for the movie) is a real show stopper
... and I don't mean that in the good way.
Finally, for a
film that often does a great job in making fun of blockbuster movie
conceits, it falls prey to the biggest one of all in a forced romance
between Arthur and Trillian, an earth girl with extreme wanderlust.
The awkward moments
are mostly harmless though, and are never enough to derail the fun.
Best of all, this movie is just a fraction of the droll insanity Douglas
Adams' served up in five books and a dozen hours of radio and TV episodes.
If you like what you see on the screen, there's lots more where that
came from.