03rd April 05 : My uncensored review of the Hitchhiker's Movie !

The 22th February 05, a few others (including the guys from h2g2.com, MJ Simspon and Jenz) and I got a strange email from our contacts at Digital Outlook (which works with Disney on the promotion of the movie). The title of the mail was quite exciting : "Invitation to see a rough cut of the film THIS THURSDAY". Well, it was already Tuesday when we got this mail, so i just assumed it was a good joke. But it wasn't and despite the fact that it was very difficult for me to be in London at 12:00 two days later, Digital Outlook and Disney were very helpful and did everything to make it happen. The only drawback being that we weren´t to mention online that we had seen the movie before they told us it's ok to "lift the lid". I was quite excited when I arrived in London, this fabulous Thursday, and miraculously found the BAFTA at Picadilly on time. After a quick brunch, and the happiness to meet again my dear Jenz, and being introduced to some nice ladies (Louise and Emma from Digital Outlook), we and about forty other lucky dudes were invited to see Hitchhiker's on the big screen. Garth was ill and could not be there to introduce the movie. I've been told that Martin Freeman was to be there but could not see him (he was certainly hiding somewhere in case we didn't like the movie !) Of course I was a bit nervous because I would have been so depressed if the movie was bad. But it wasn't ! So, if you are still anxious about the movie, here is what you need to know. I don't think there any spoilers in this review so don't be afraid. This is just my point of view about the movie : - The guide entries are great. Nice voice from Stephen Fry and nice graphics. The guide entries give a personality to the movie, make it something different from other movies but remain very close from the Hitchhikers books and radio series' spirit. - ALL the actors are terrific. Mos is a perfect Ford, Sam almost steals the show, Zooey is very touching, Martin is very credible as Arthur and Bill Nighy is the best Slartibartfast I’ve ever heard or seen. And John Malkovich makes a short appearance but is incredibly funny. My single regret : I would have loved more lines from Marvin. He's the only character from the books that you could say is underused. He is funny, very depressive but we do not see really that he's got a brain the size of a planet. And, yes, I'm nostalgic for Stephen Moore's voice. - The jokes are very well introduced on the screen. This is a very funny movie. No question about that. Frankly, I had some doubts after the American trailer, but I was wrong. - The choice not to make a whole CGI movie was definitely a good one. Vogons are absolutely terrific on the screen. - There are so many winks to the fans (Douglas` mother, the TV Marvin, Douglas` nose, Simon Jones...) , but I think the movie remains very, very funny even for those who don’t know Hitchhiker´s. – On the whole, they made a very well balanced movie between the necessity to attract a new public to Hitchhiker´s and their wish to respect Douglas` spirit. - The plot is maybe a bit Complicated for a typical Hollywod movies kind of audience. Too many events and things happening as if the Guys who made the Hitchhiker's movie were struggling to put more things in it that they could. And that's obviously the case. It is a smart movie, but is the plot clear enough for everyone? The version I saw seemed to me to be almost perfect even if it was not finished (according to Garth´s message that someone read before the screening, this was just a rough cut : this was not the final music, and the effects were not polished...). The Guide entries don’t slow down the movie at all (in fact I would add ten minutes to the movie I saw because this version is even a little frantic so I think we can add things without slowing it down - why not more guide entries or more lines for Marvin??). Of course I would have loved to hear more from the Prosser/–Arthur dialogue at the beginning, I miss some Narrator bits like the towels to explain why they are so important... But I understand that they can’t do a 3 hours long movie. Well, I wouldn’t mind, but I know it’s not realistic. Ok I was worried about Arthur-Trillian love story but it's not too bad. And I can understand why it has been introduced in the movie even if the idea upset me in the first place. Again, the great acting from Martin and Zooey makes it good. After the screening, the biggest Hitchhiker's fans (including me!) have been asked what they thought of the movie. And the very positive feedback Disney got from us certainly cheered them up. I would have difficulties to understand someone who says that he's a Hitchhiker's fan and hates the movie. This is certainly the best movie we could hope for. From now on, I'm a great fan of Garth Jennings and Nick Goldsmith. They really deserve all our respect. I was more than happy to finish this wonderful day in a London Pub with Jenz, Jim Lynn and the few others who had some spare time before going back home. It was certainly one of the greatest days of my life, along with the movie set visit of course !

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