As a longstanding fan of the late Douglas Adams' book/TV series/radio serial/album The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, I'm used to the concept of canon being flexible. No two incarnations have ever followed the precise same trajectory, and I liked that; you've got to respect a creator who keeps his fandom on its toes. When the movie version was finally released, therefore, several decades after the original source material, I went in with an open mind, prepared to roll with whatever was thrown at me.
At the time, I remember being deliriously happy that director Garth Jennings hadn't fucked it up entirely. The visuals were cute and inventive, and his version of Trillian (aka The Love Interest) was more interesting than Adams' own interpretation ever was.
This was ten years ago, however; I'm older now, grumpier and I've definitely soured on it. Zooey Deschanel might be good as Trillian but she's still Zooey Deschanel, and I cannot be doing with that sort of relentless cutesiness. Likewise, I'm glad to see Sam Rockwell having matured since his performance as Zaphod, where he succeeds in turning one of modern literature's most enjoyable irritants into something nigh-on unwatchable.
As for the expected plot deviations? Much as I hate to admit it, I'm not sure they work. The Vogons are joke characters, they don't need more than a cursory backstory, and the whole thing with John Malkovich as Humma Kavula is way, way too laboured to justify the eventual punchline.
With all that said, there are compensations, most of which come in the form of Bill Nighy's world-weary worldbuilder Slartibartfast. His sheer affability is a joy to behold. He features largely, too, in the Magrathea scenes, where we see a factory floor where planets are being built, and the images on screen are as graceful and awe-inspiring as pretty much anything I've ever seen.
Adams' dialogue remains as lively as ever, but honestly? If I hadn't been familiar with the setting I don't think I'd have had a clue what was going on. I really wish the film could have brought the author's work to a whole new generation, but as epitaphs go, this one is mediocre at best.
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