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Telegraph Reviews Hitchhiker Movie, Approves

LPetrazickis writes "The Telegraph has reviewed the movie adaptation of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. The review notes that the film is every bit as much a loving tribute to Douglas Adams as it is a joyous comedy. American actors acquit themselves well, and the sense of intelligent wonder transfers well to the technicolour screen. The many incarnations of The Guide are summarized at the end."

11 of 293 comments (clear)

  1. Must Watch by StratoChief66 · · Score: 4, Insightful

    I don't have a choice, I must see it to either enjoy it or to hack it to pieces in person with my friends. Not watching it is not an option, no matter how bad it is.

    --
    Frylock: "We should have cloned twenties, Jackson wouldn't have given a fuck."
  2. Re:So does it suck, or not? by metlin · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Unfortunately, I will not be.

    I've seen the BBC series and it simply rocks.

    I've had every other favorite book of mine trashed - Lord of the Rings, Dune, I, Robot and a quintillion others.

    I'm not ready to watch the movie and destroy what I've treasured all this while. And most importantly, when I re-read the book, the images from the movie will stick in my mind - something I really do not want to happen.

    I'll go with the earlier review -- I'm a purist of sorts in this regard, and I'm fairly certain I'll hate the movie. :-)

  3. Cake is for eating by nakly · · Score: 5, Insightful
    What's sad is how unfair criticism of this movie is inevitable, rather it turns out to be any good or not. When you get something that's so ridiculously popular with such a devout fanbase, there's going to be a gigantor contingent of those who aren't capable of understanding that this is not the book. Can anyone say LotR?

    I, for one, look forward to the movie. I have confidence that it will incredibly funny, while still staying true to the spirit of the books. I ask all those who demand a carbon copy to please bellyache out of my earshot.

  4. I wish I could believe him, but... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Sounds rather bought-and-paid-for to me. Puff piece. Astroturf, even.

    And what's with nonsense like:
    Zooey Deschanel as Trillian, a minor character in Adams's book

    or

    and a towel, a manic-depressive android and a whale falling from the sky all make important appearances.

    I'm sorry, Trillian is a "minor character"? Marvin is lumped in with the whale as a character who makes "important appearances"? Important appearances? The reviewer doesn't even give his name? If the movie slashes his role that much, there is serious trouble.

    My Joo Janta peril-sensitive sunglasses are strangely opaque. I suspect this movie will suck, and will only do slightly better than if every theater showing it was blanketed in an SEP field.

  5. I just don't understand by Nate53085 · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Has it gotten to the point where we don't even watch a movie to figure out if we like it? How often are critics wrong? Watch the movie for yourself and make up your own mind.

    --
    So put that in your pipe and grep it
    1. Re:I just don't understand by GeorgeMcBay · · Score: 4, Insightful


      Has it gotten to the point where we don't even watch a movie to figure out if we like it?


      Considering the rather high cost of movie tickets these days (~$10 in many areas of the US), I can understand why people like to hear what others are saying about a film before plunking down their hard-earned cash.


      How often are critics wrong?


      Fairly often, but I find looking to places like rottentomatoes helps because it is rare that all the critics will be wrong about all the movies. Taking a wide sample of critics' views on a movie really seems to weed out the occasional critic who just "didn't get it" or was too far removed from the intended audience.

      Of course, the best reviews are always from people we know with similar tastes in movies, so those are preferred, but not always available...

  6. Re:So does it suck, or not? by sisukapalli1 · · Score: 4, Insightful

    I've had every other favorite book of mine trashed - Lord of the Rings...

    If you think the LOTR movies "trashed" the books, then you would probably not like *any adaptation* of a book. As you said, if you don't want "images from the movie to stick" in your mind, the best bet is to not watch it. So, you don't really need to go with any review -- you seem to have an issue with the visual medium itself.

    S

  7. Thank god by RealBeanDip · · Score: 4, Insightful

    A positive review, now we can all go see the movie...

    Please, as if we weren't going to see it anyway.

    I've yet to find a movie critic with whom I agree with often enough to actually avoid a movie based on their review.

    See the damn movie, make up your own mind 'eh.

    --

    You know you're a geek if you've ever replied to a tagline.

  8. Horses for courses by TintinX · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Let's face it - whoever made this movie, whoever produced it, whoever starred in it - it was always, *always* going to be either loved or hated. Such is the sentiment and legacy towards DNA.
    As is made clear in just about every item one reads about Douglas (including TFA), he saw each incarnation of H2G2 as a different entity in its own right and felt no compunction to translate perfectly between mediums.
    The sad fact is that Douglas is dead. So we can either have no movie ever, or hand it over to someone else. The latter was always the best idea, IMO. Let's stop whining and celebrate the fact that the geek's favourite book has finally made it to film. Films are practically never as good as the books they follow (one or two exceptions like 2001 and, for me, Fear & Loathing (thanks to Johnny Depp, but I digress) spring to mind). H2G2 is the best example of this as it fires the imagination like nothing else.
    I, for one, am all too happy to see both negative and positive reviews.
    It's indifference I don't like.

  9. Re: Film VS Book, just let it go already... by EvilCabbage · · Score: 4, Insightful

    When I came out of the first Lord Of The Rings screening, I actually heard a pack of hardcore nerdlingers arguing over the way some of the characters sat down to eat and how it wasn't portrayed in the film.

    If you're that tied up that you cannot live with a story being adapted as best possible to suit the film media, please don't ever leave your house again. The rest of us cinema-goers don't want you there.

    The story may not follow the book to the letter, but can't you see a little beyond that and maybe judge it on its own merits? For fucks sake...

  10. Re:So does it suck, or not? by E+IS+mC(Square) · · Score: 4, Insightful

    When the hell people would understand that book is what characters THINK, and movie is what your characters SPEAK!!

    Writer writes a book, not script/screenplay of a movie. So, a movie based on the book can not be SAME AS THE BOOK EVER!!! It is a completely different medium - to tell the same story.

    A book leaves it to the reader to imagine how characters, places look. Hence it is a very personalized product for the reader. Movie leaves little left to imagination (in this context). It can not be as personal as the book might have been.

    That is the reason why most of the movies based on very popular/cult books have been largely disappointing to the fanboys - just because it is not what THEY imagined/visualized it. And they are never going to be satisfied with the movie based on their favorite book. If one can not figure how great (and also faithful) LOTR movies have been to the book, well, H2G2 is a far cry.