The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (Widescreen Edition)
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Movie Reviews of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (Widescreen Edition)
Movie Review: The Hitchiker's Guide to the Galaxy
Summary: 5 Stars
Great movie. You will want to watch it more than once. So many things are going on that you see new things you missed the first time around. A must have for your DVD collectionMovie Review: Solid
Summary: 3 Stars
The Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy is one of those films that seems a lot better if one has not read the source material it's based upon- in this case the series of Hitchhiker books by Douglas Adams, the BBC radio shows, or the 1970s BBC television series of the same name. This was manifest immediately to me, as one who'd seen the repeats of the tv show on PBS, but never read the books. In just briefly skimming the online critical consensus this seems confirmed, for rarely does a film elicit such widely divergent reactions. Those critics who came to this film fresh invariably thought it was very good, while those with prior Hitchhiker bonafides thought this new version, by first time director Garth Jennings, who made his name in music videos, was horrible. Oddly, even though I fall into the latter camp, I thought it was a mildly amusing film, in the tradition of Mel Brooks' Spaceballs, and it was scripted by Karey Kirkpatrick, who wrote the delightful claymation comedy Chicken Run, with help from Adams, before he died in 2000. This enjoyment I felt may have been due to the fact that although I enjoyed the old BBC series it's been at least twenty years since I saw the show.
The problem with the film is not really the film's problem, but that the books have such a devoted cult following that even the slightest deviations from the canon seem to be taken personally by fans and critics alike, even though all basic tales must adapt to whatever medium they are in. As long as they capture the essence of the work, that's all that is required. And the essence is a work of humor somewhere between Jonathan Swift and Kurt Vonnegut.... Overall, even if one is not too thrilled with the film, the DVD extras make the effort a little more worthwhile. This zeitgeist may explain the many cameos in the film, by the likes of Jason Schwartzman and John Malkovich, although they are really given nothing to work with. Yet, Slartibartfast's philosophy, `I'd rather be happy than right,' is the sort that, if applied to the film's many disappointed cultist detractors, is hard not to find some resonance with, even if, like him, real happiness has not been reached. Somehow, though, I think Douglas Adams would find their circumstance a hoot.
Movie Review: So Long and Thanks for Almost Getting It Right
Summary: 3 Stars
The uninitiated to the Hitchhiker's Guide universe probably won't get this movie, and those of us who have followed the series for the past thirty years or so will feel let down.
The biggest problem this movie faces is that characters were already created for the BBC TV series, which was pretty much cast from the original radio production. Because we know and like the characters just the way they are, casting new actors is not an easy task. We also know and love the original story, and it takes a Disneyian effort to completely redo the intent and outcome of an established story. Just look at what they did to Pocahontas and The Little Mermaid. (Historically, things didn't turn out so well for Pocahontas, and The Little Mermaid turns into sea foam in the original story.)
Some other problems with the movie:
1 - Zaphod Beeblebrox has 2 heads! Not a flip-top head, he has two heads! Other than that, Sam Rockwell was a good Zaphod.
2 - There is no love story between Arthur and Trillian. In the books, she stays with Zaphod until she gets sick of him, then hooks up with the god Thor at a party. Her interest in Arthur...and Arthur's interest in her, for the most part is just friendly. This is what was so great about the books. Arthur was an "everyman" whose mediocrity managed to get him along in life and save the universe a couple of times. He met a girl at a party who wasn't interested in him, and runs into her after the Earth has been destroyed and she's still not interested. Arthur didn't seem to care because he was more interested in where he could get a good cup of tea. Come on Disney, not EVERY movie needs to revolve around a love story!!
3 - Marvin is depressed, not sad. Big difference. He is also tall and metal, not a small, plastic, and cute.
4 - The Heart of Gold is supposed to look like a sleek running shoe, not a eyeball.
5 - Every character pretty much mumbles their way through this movie. Between Zooey and Mos Def, you need subtitles to finish it.
6 - Mos Def is not a good Ford Prefect. He's good in other things, but not in this.
I guess the biggest problem this movie has going for it is that it isn't based on a book, it's based on a BBC TV series that is based on a book which is based on a radio play. It would be different if we didn't already know all of the characters and how they're supposed to act, but we do. It would be a bit like reforming Led Zeppelin with kids from American Idol. Sure they're talented, but it's not the same.
If you can put all of that aside, and think of it as "A Funny Space Adventure Movie" and not "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy", it is a fun show. Three stars.
Movie Review: Here's info most viewers did not know
Summary: 4 Stars
Douglas Adams did indeed write almost all of this script, people who are not aware of Mr. Adams general character may not be aware that he has INTENTIONALLY made every version of Hitchhikers different. The Radio series was first and is different from the books which in turn is different than the BBC TV mini seires and so on and so on. He did this on purpose he has been quoted as saying he did not want to keep retelling the same story he wanted to change things and add new things each time he did the story.
And for most people that may not work for you, for me as a looong time Adams fan I appreciate his desire. I mean who wants to keep telling the same story over and over again? SO he plays with it, he always has and were he still alive I feel sure he would still be making changes, just to piss so called purists off. Since there truely is no one pure version of Hitchhikers.
So enjoy, or not that's your choice but don't assume Adams had little to do with this film because you would be wrong.
Movie Review: HiLaRiOuS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1!!!1!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1!!!!!!!!!!!1!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Summary: 5 Stars
THIS IZ PROBABLY ONE UV THEE BEST MOOVIEZ I HAV EVR SEEN!
MY FAVORITE PART IS WHEN A WHALE STARTS FALLING AFTER THE SHIP GOES AT LIGHT SPEED OR SOMTIN. THEN HES NAMING STUFF LIKE A TAIL, WIND AND THEN HE SAYS, "WHAT IS THIS HARD SURFACE FLYING TOWARD ME VERY, VERY FAST.
I THINK I'LL CALL IT OU...OUND...ROUND...GROUND! YES THAT'S IT! GROUND!
I WONDER IF IT WILL BE FRIENDS WITH ME. HELLO GROUND!" AND THEN HE HITS THE GROUND VERY HARD. WHILE THAT IS HAPPENING ALL THAT THE FLOWERPOT IS
THINKING IS, "OH, NOT AGAIN." YOU'D HAVE 2 C DA MOOVIE THOUGH. IN OTHER WORDS IT IS HILARIOUS!