The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy

Garth Jennings 2005

“The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy” has to be one of the most eagerly awaited films of this year (if not this decade). Of course most films seem to be marketed as eagerly awaited nowadays. Its like some sinister shortage of films is going on under our noses. Soon we will be queuing in the streets outside cinemas like Russians queuing for bread. But I digress.

THGTTG is one of those books that has a fan base akin to religious fanatics. The kind of fans that would never be happy, unless Douglas Adams came back from the dead and directed an adaptation while playing all the parts himself. I myself have never read the book, or at least I cannot remember reading it. I have however (recently) seen the TV series, which looks like the special effects were done by a Blue Peter presenter with a shortage of sticky back plastic. But once again I digress.

When I first heard the cast choices, they seemed slightly odd to me, but when you see them in action they actually work. Mos Def makes for a suitably strange Ford Prefect, in fact I think he should be the next Doctor Who. Martin Freeman as the irascible Englishman Arthur Dent also manages to do a good job. The best performance of the whole film has to be Sam Rockwell as Zaphod Beeblebrox (this film is giving my spell checker palpitations) he is completely mad and completely perfect, and for those who whine about the second head not being correct, get a life.

The special effects are all very polished and impressive, as always Henson’s Creature Shop creates some truly amazing beast’s, especially the Vogon’s. Everything looks wonderfully futuristic.

The world and his wife have all had an opinion about this film before actually seeing the end product. I enjoyed this film, it was funny and I do recommend it to anyone. My only slight grumble is the fact the film seemed to lean towards a romantic comedy a little too much for my liking. I understand that a lot has been left out of the film, and I understand that many fans of the book will be weeping like a depressed robot over the failure to include their favourite witty retort etc, but for the ordinary viewer what was included in the film flowed nicely and made sense. This is definitely one of the best films of the year so far.