"I'd rather be happy than right any day."
That's a little nugget of wisdom offered by Slartibartfast (Bill Nighy), an alien planet-designer who created Earth as part of a contract with Hyper-Dimensional Sentient Super-Beings. In fact, "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy," based on the first novel in British writer Douglas Adams' highly adored series, is designed for those of us who, like Slartibartfast, would rather be entertained than provoked any day. I wager that many of us fit this bill.
Right off the bat, I will admit that I am not intimately familiar with Adams' creation. I have only read the first book in the "Hitchhiker's" series, and I found that experience to be quite enjoyable. Unlike some others, I did not go into the film with sky-high expectations. I am just an admirer, not a devotee.
As entertainment, "Hitchhiker's" is a breezy affair with likable characters, great comedy and state-of-the-art special effects. It's not a complete triumph by any means; narrative potential is squandered in favor of SFX-laden action sequences, and the ending proves to be anticlimactic. However, the film serves adequately as an introduction to Adams' richly inventive universe, retaining the book's quirky atmosphere.
The story involves Arthur Dent (Martin Freeman), a rather ordinary Englishman who wakes up one day to discover that his house is being demolished in order to make room for an expressway. His best friend, Ford Prefect (Mos Def), informs him over a pint of beer that he shouldn't be worried because Earth will soon be destroyed by a group of dull aliens called the Vogons who are making room for an intergalactic freeway. Armed with a towel, a flashing ring and a copy of the titular "Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy," Arthur and Ford bum a ride aboard a Vogon constructor vehicle in order to escape annihilation.
After being thrown into space by their unkind hosts, the two find themselves inside the Heart of Gold, a remarkable spacecraft piloted by Zaphod Beeblerox (Sam Rockwell), president of the galaxy and Ford's cousin, and Trillian (Zooey Deschanel), a girl Arthur once tried to hook up with during an Earth party. A chronically depressed robot named Marvin and a cheery onboard computer round out the motley crew.
The plot is inane and feels disjointed at times, but that doesn't really detract from the film; the story is merely a springboard for the gags, of which there are many. The humor in the film can best be described as an odd mixture of Wes Anderson-like visual zaniness and dry British wit in the mold of Monty Python. It's a heady combination -- the uninitiated will almost certainly be confused in the beginning -- but it works better as the plot advances and we learn more about the characters. The movie is not side-splittingly hilarious, but it's creative, witty and charming -- the kind of humor that elicits a chuckle when you think about it after the fact.
For "Hitchhiker's" aficionados, there are number of in-jokes and references to other parts of the universe. Some additions -- like John Malkovich's multiple-legged politician -- may disgruntle purists, but even they would be hard-pressed to argue that the first book could have sustained a 70-minute runtime by itself. Also, any criticisms regarding potential posthumous wrangling by studio executives can be put to rest, as Adams himself had refined the script over 20 years, always intending for the series to be brought to the big screen.
It was likely a formidable task distilling the spirit of the book into the film, but first-time director Garth Jennings, for the most part, proves to be up to the challenge. Rumor has it that Spike Jonze ("Being John Malkovich," "Adaptation") was once attached to the project and personally recommended Jennings as a replacement when he himself had to drop out.
Unfortunately, the sound seems to be slightly off, as it's often hard to hear the dialogue amid the explosions, alien poetry, loud soundtrack and creatures whose sole purpose is to make ridiculous sounds. Fans probably won't care -- most will already be familiar with the proceedings and be able to recite the dialogue verbatim "-- but those uninitiated to the galaxy may have some trouble following our heroes around. I am surprised the filmmakers did not notice this problem during the editing process. Not all of us have a Babelfish in our heads.
The casting is absolutely perfect. In particular, getting Alan Rickman to voice Marvin was a masterstroke; I cannot imagine anyone more suitable for the role. It's also refreshing to see Zooey Deschanel take on more commercial roles. She flirted with big-budget Hollywood in 2003's "Elf" and did an admirable job. Hopefully, commercial success will find this talented actress and provide her with the recognition she deserves.
Don't miss the opening credits, since it may very well be the best sequence in the entire film. And luckily, that's not an insult. "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy" won't change your life, but there are enough laughs present to make it a worthwhile use of your 110 minutes.
