Considering Douglas Adam’s hugely-cult-followed novel The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy has had many adaptations, even under Adam’s direction, and there have always been inconsistencies and shifts, I still have to say that the film of 2005, directed by Garth Jennings, isn’t as good as the book. And here are some reasons....
As far as the main characters were concerned, I was relatively pleased. I thought Sam Rockwell performed a good Zaphod Beeblebrox. He definitely had his attitude down pat, though he had more of that bravado I associate with the American West than the book did for me. I also loved our favorite alien travel-writer, Ford. Who wouldn’t like seeing Ford Prefect played by Mos Def? I sure did. I think he played some of the awkwardness of the character very well. Alan Rickman’s deadpan voice was well-chosen for Marvin, the archetypal paranoid android, though I did imagine the voice more “robotic”. It was hard for me to disassociate Marvin with all the other character’s I link with Rickman’s voice, and that made the experience poorer for me. I also didn’t mind the choice for Arthur Dent, though he wasn’t at all what I pictured. Arthur of the novel is a little dopier to me, or at least less endearingly dopey.
I have to say the love story with Trillian, played by Zooey Deschanel, brought the film down. It was over-done. I was completely shocked with the cheesy galaxy where they decided to bring that sub-plot. This was one of my main contentions with the movie. I know that Hollywood is in a constant quest to insert love stories into every single film they make (thankfully they don’t always get their way), and the book has one baked-in, but I wish they wouldn’t turn the love stories, especially the ones that are already well-written, into unbelievable, dopey, goo-dripping, blah blah blah. Can you thumb me back onto another ship please? Get me away from those sappy eye-gazers. Please!
Also, why were the Vogons so pivotal in the movie’s plot. It has been a while since I read the book, though I read it often, but I definitely don’t recall that sort of Vogon presence. Of course, they appear throughout the series of books, but not so much in the first book. But I guess that was a byproduct of the plot being completely redone and merged with elements from the other books of the “Trilogy”. This was so out-of-whack with the book that I can’t really comment without a lot of boring words. Pick up a good copy of the book and read it as written to see what I mean.
One thing I really loved in the movie was the Vogon eradication of Earth. I always love to see a good Earth-destruction scene and this one was as good as I expected. I loved it. Zap, poof, gone. Perfect.
Now, I know this wasn’t a very deep-delving post, and I may get many comments elucidating my shallow treatment of such a large subject, and I apologize. I may try and thicken the post later on. But for now, this will have to suffice.
Oh yeah, don’t forget your towel!
Purchase these titles from Amazon
- The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, 25th Anniversary Edition (Hardcover)
- The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy (Widescreen Edition) (2005)
