I went to see Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy tonight.
I liked it. I liked it a lot. I thought it was fun, if not always funny.
Okay, some of the great scenes from the book are missing. No Arthur convincing the foreman to lie down in the mud and take his place while he goes down to the pub with Ford. But what the film has works.
And what the film created new is downright fun.
I loved Marvin’s look, though I thought Alan Rickman could have done a better job with the voice.
And Zooey Deschanel! Zooey Deschanel! Zooey Deschanel took Trillian, who is probably the least interesting character in the books, and made her endlessly fascinating. You understood why Arthur developed feelings for her. You understood how dejected she felt when she learned what happened to Earth and who was responsible. I love you, Zooey. 🙂
I always liked Ford Prefect in the novels. Mos Def did a nice job, though I wonder what another actor would have made of the role. Thinking back on the remake of The Time Machine, I think Orlando Jones would have made a better Ford than Mos Def. Def wasn’t bad, just merely adequate.
Zaphod wasn’t right, though. It’s no fault of Sam Rockwell. He brought manic energy to the role, though I wonder why he decided on approaching Zaphod as though he were a stoned-out George W. Bush.
Martin Freeman’s Arthur Dent was pretty much as expected. He’s an Everyman who becomes an accidental tourist. It’s basically his movie to lose, and I think he shows some real growth as the movie progresses, becoming more comfortable with his situation to the point where when Slartibartfast shows Earth, Mk. II you see real joy and a sense of wonder taking hold.
So, I liked the Hitchhiker’s film. I’m hopeful for a sequel, but if it doesn’t happen I won’t mind terribly. Don’t panic, that’s what the book always says. 🙂