If you like English comedy, you just might love Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy! The many twists and turns in this film are well laid out! The characters are as rich as they are hilarious! This film is a keeper!

English version plays well!

"Why are we here?" is the constant question of existentialism that often nourishes further curiosity in regards the meaning of life and life's place in the universe. Monty Python's The Meaning of Life (1983) touched this philosophical notion with a devastating amount of humor and parody. The same question, in the light of humor, will be asked in the cinematic adaptation of Douglas Adams' Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. What is more important, director Garth Jennings accomplishes in conveying a refreshing existential comedy that exploits human error, ineptness, and pride in a radically amusing parody. This is also expressed in the opening where the audience learns that dolphins are far more intelligent that human beings.

Heavy philosophical notions are blended into a diverging comic brew where both bellyaching and dry humor softens the audience's guard and makes them more receptive to the insightful hypotheses. However, it is easy for an audience member to get lost within the absurdity of the film, but for those who allow themselves to reflectively drift along with the silly storyline will discover a cinematic gem. Amusingly, Jennings adapts Adams' literary work that visualizes an intergalactic society that encompasses strange religions, corporate power, political bureaucracy, and scientific progress among many other aspects of the universe.

The film opens a Thursday morning when the story's protagonist Arthur Dent (Martin Freeman) discovers that the government has decided to build a bypass through his house. The location for a bypass is outrageously comical in a cerebral way. There are no other houses in miles, yet they want to tear down Arthur's house and build a bypass. What Arthur does not know is that Earth is facing a similar fate, as the galactic government has decided to build an intergalactic freeway through Earth. Luckily, Arthur's friend Ford Prefect (Mos Def) has discovered Earths apocalyptic destiny, as he reveals for Arthur that he is an alien (not the kind from foreign soil) and he can save them both. Ford's visit to Earth was one in countless celestial visits through the galaxy, as he is currently working on a guide for intergalactic hitchhikers.

What do you do when you only have 12 minutes left to exist on Earth? Ford takes Arthur to the pub where they slam 3 pints of beer while he explains the situation for a slightly perplexed Arthur. It is an incredible tale, a tale most humans would disregard, as ignorance sometimes is bliss. However, what is to come after these 12 minutes will baffle Arthur even more when a spaceship materializes in the sky. In disbelief, Arthur exclaims, "What the hell are those things?" This scene, despite its amusing approach, presents an impression that awareness can shake the very foundation of personal wisdom.

Through a thumb ring, far beyond the technological advances on Earth, Ford and Arthur hitch a ride with a spaceship. It brings them on a fantastic journey through space, dimensions, and metamorphosis, as they encounter the Intergalactic President Zaphod Beeblebrox (Sam Rockwell) who has kidnapped himself, the adventurous woman Trillian (Zooey Deschanel), and the robot Marvin (body performed by Warwick Davis and the voice of Alan Rickman) who suffers from clinical depression as a consequence of his human like personality programming. Together these five venture through space on board the starship, whose name has some witty symbolic connotations, Heart of Gold, as they seek the ultimate answer to all.

The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy employs playful mise-en-scene that brings Star Trek and other science fiction films, which help create an alien atmosphere. Together with clever camera framing there are terrific performances by several actors such as Martin Freeman, Mos Def, Sam Rockwell, Zooey Deschanel, Warwick Davis, Alan Rickman, John Malkowich, Helen Mirren among many others. The script was initiated by Douglas Adams and later finished by Karey Kirkpatrick after Adams' death, which Jennings gave terrific adaptation. An adaptation that at first look emerges like a light comedy, but offers something much more profound for a more reflective audience.

Visual tidbits, fragments, and other remnants of ideas begin to wander aimlessly from the opening scene until the end in the film . Within these diverging ideas the storyline follows a rather straight pattern, which generates additional comic nonsense. The chaotic presentation of the many concepts brings different notions to light. The idea is that life emerges out of chaos. After all, this is true if the audience considers the big bang, or evolution theory, where life surfaced through chaos. Jennings creates an atmosphere of chaos that converge in a reflective state of mind the way a bouquet of wild flowers creates a pattern. In this potpourri of ideas the audience will discover a truly intelligent comedy that hides underneath the surface of blockbuster vanity.

I'm a Douglas Adams fan from way, way back: read all the books in the Hitchhiker's series as well as everything else he wrote, watched the TV show, listened to the radio program. I love the Hitchhiker's Guide best, read it in high school and I am such a nerdy gal that I had to get me a towel, which I carried in my backpack all times (but then, I also carried a Tribble key ring and a Dr. Who - Tom Baker scarf that I knitted myself ... ). So, let's take it as read that I couldn't wait to see the movie. I was excited when I heard it was in the works, read the updates and production notes, and actually went to the theatre, in a snowstorm in upstate New York, the night it opened. I watch it on video whenever I can, and I've gotten my kids hooked on it, they think it's really funny, too.

Highlights: Sam Rockwell was absolutely over the top as Zaphod Veeblebrox, Mos Def as Ford Prefect was just crazy enough to telegraph alien, as in 'not from around here', and Alan Rickman as Marvin the Paranoid Android was SOOO pained and put out ... I felt the movie was more like how I imagined the characters and their interactions when I read the books; but then, the budget for the movie was much better, so that Mr. Adams could do things the way he wanted. I didn't care for Zoey Deschanel as Trillian, but she always comes across to me like someone stoned out of her head, even when she's excited.

I know there are lot of people out there who didn't care for the movie because the story wasn't exactly like the television program (also have heard it described as dumb, disjointed, confusing), but they don't know the history of how the story was revised and rewritten over the years to change the emphasis, that it was all meant to (in whatever version you may have first experienced it) point out some of the more absurd, small everyday things in British life (like the die-hard daytripper - Ford - for example) or maybe it's a simple as, they don't get British humor. It can be an acquired taste, after all.

In any case, Doug Adams didn't intend for the movie to be just like the book or the TV show, or the radio programs, rather, he wanted the viewer to see the same story from a different viewpoint than the last retellng. He developed the movie concept and wrote the script himself, before he died, and interviews he gave, he stated that he wanted to focus on parts of the story he felt were glossed over or left out in the radio and tv versions, details that were important to him and to many of the long-time fans. He also stated that he especially did not want to cover well-worn ground. I'd say he did a good job on that score.

I have been a fan of the Hitchhiker's Guide series since the original publication of the book and the original, brilliant BBC television series. I know that Douglas Adams very much wanted this movie to be made, and I hope in the end that he would approve. I must admit that the first two books of the series contain the majority of the magic for me, and the television series is irreplaceable, so I realize that I have set a very high standard for the movie.

In general, the movie largely measures up to my expectations, though some of the casting and directorial choices would not have been my preferences. I think that Martin Freeman as Arthur Dent does an outstanding job with a difficult role; I was likewise delighted with the appearance of Zooey Deschanel, who brought the Trillian character to life. Although I am a fan of Sam Rockwell's work, I was not particularly pleased with the overacting (over-directing, I would actually guess, as Rockwell is a very nuanced actor) involved with Zaphod Beeblebrox; I particularly disliked the execution of the "two headed" effect. Even though the TV series was far cheesier from a special effects point of view, I believe that the Beeblebrox character on the small screen was more true to Adams' vision. I am generally neutral on the casting of Mos Def as Ford Prefect. I think that he does a good job with the role, yet I am still somewhat uncertain that he was the best actor for the job.

The general outline of the film (which is mostly, though not entirely, taken from the series of books) is fast-paced and entertaining. The special effects are near-perfect and the actors generally do well in their roles. I was especially fond of the subplot involving Slartibartfast and Arthur. I was a bit surprised with the construction of Marvin, and I still prefer the original from the TV series, though I was delighted that the original Marvin had a cameo appearance.

It is a given that with such a devoted and established fan base that no Hitchhiker's movie could please everyone, but while I was not totally satisfied overall, I think it is a good effort and definitely recommend seeing it, though I will always prefer the lower budget TV series. The thing I miss most from the TV series is the loss of much of the sly British humor of the original, with corresponding increase in slapstick, which to me seems largely contrary to the vision and intent of Douglas Adams.

The DVD comes with numerous extras which really enhance the appeal of the package. I particularly enjoyed the outtakes and deleted scenes; I also found the audio commentaries interesting, enlightening, and informative.

Fans of the series can nitpick this film to death, but I recommend a different approach: accept it for what it is, sit back, and enjoy the ride.