The Unseen Movie Review

The Hichhiker's Guide to the Galaxy

This film has been longed for now for nearly a quarter of a century. First optioned as far back as 1982, with Bill Murray and Dan Ackroyd mentioned as possible stars, it has only finally made it to the screen four years after the premature death of Douglas Adams, the man whose hilarious brainchild it was.

First a hit radio series, then a record album, a bestselling novel, a cult television series, a classic text-based computer game, a stage show and a comic book, every version to date has seen both subtle and major alterations to the overall storyline of a reserved Englishman who finds himself the last survivor of the planet Earth, following its destruction to make room for an intergalactic bypass. This movie is no exception, with several major additions to the storyline, not least John Malkovich’s religious leader Humma Kavula, all of which were added by Adams before his death.

Here, the reserved Englishman in question, a part which has been linked to everyone from Hugh Laurie to Jack Davenport over the years, has gone to Martin Freeman, best known as the hapless, unlucky-in-love Tim from the insanely popular Ricky Gervais sitcom The Office. As Ford Prefect, Arthur’s best friend who just happens to be an alien (hence his being mistaken for an American), they’ve got in hip hop hero Mos Def. An odd choice at first, especially for those used to the television version, but one which works surprisingly well.

Freeman and Mos Def in turn are backed up by a superb cast which ranges from Bill Nighy and Alan Rickman to the absolutely perfect Stephen Fry as the voice of the Guide itself. To direct, after flirtations with the likes of Spike Jonze, pop promo helmer Garth Jennings, best known for Blur’s brilliant milk carton-based video for hit Coffee and TV, has been brought in for his first major project.

The trouble with any new version of something as loved as Hitchhikers is that it won’t live up to the expectations of long-term fans. But, unlike most movie adaptations, this is not one where fans of the original have any grounds for complaints that their cherished plot has been tampered with. In fact, it’s a fairly safe bet that people who consider themselves fans of the original won’t even be able to agree on what the “original” actually means, so many different versions have there been since the story’s first appearance on BBC radio way back in 1978.

In other words, this film should be judged entirely on its own merits – and its merits are manifold. For newcomers to the world of the Guide, a whole wealth of additional material and different versions are awaiting you. For those of us who have listened to, read about and watched the adventures of Arthur Dent and his companions many times over the years, we still have our favourite old versions. We now also have a big budget and accomplished new take on Douglas Adams’ vision, and one of which he would fully have approved. Don’t Panic. They haven’t ruined it. Sit back and enjoy.

posted by Nosemonkey @ 12:00 AM