ROTTEN TOMATOES: Critical Consensus: Long Awaited "Hitchhiker's Guide" Gets Mixed Reaction

Critical Consensus: Long Awaited "Hitchhiker's Guide" Gets Mixed Reaction

by Senh Duong | April 28, 2005

This weekend, two big-budget, special effects extravaganzas will battle for the love of the Tomatometer. In one corner, opening in over 3000 theaters, is a film adaptation of Douglas Adams' beloved novel "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy." In the other corner, opening in over 3300 theaters, is "XXX: State of the Union," the sequel to the 2002 Vin Diesel hit "XXX." Which one will win the battle of the Tomatometer?

A movie said to be "twenty years in the making," author Douglas Adams' much anticipated sci-fi, action-comedy "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy" will finally make its big screen debut this Friday. Adams was closely involved with the project until his tragic death due to a heart attack. With a cast of mostly unknowns, the cinematic version follows the adventure Earthman Arthur Dent (Martin Freeman) embarks on when he escapes a soon-to-be demolished Earth by hitching a ride on a passing spacecraft. During his galactic journey, he discovers that nothing is as it seems, and everything he needs to know to survive can be found in a book -- "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy." As of this writing, critics' reactions to this mixture of science fiction, comedy, adventure and philosophy are mixed. While this lavish, visually magnificent and action-packed film captures the whimsical fun of the novel, critics think the movie will leave people who haven't read the novel wondering what all the fuss is about. It has a Tomatometer of 54%.

Vin Diesel didn't return for "XXX: State of the Union," the sequel 2002's $141M hit "XXX," but he is replaced by the always reliable box office performer, Ice Cube. Samuel L. Jackson reprises his role as NSA agent Augustus Gibbons who recruits Ice Cube to track down a dangerous military splinter group that is conspiring to overthrow the U.S. Government in the nation's capital. With a Tomatometer of 45%, the original didn't capture the hearts of many critics, but the sequel is far worst. They think the sequel is even more brainless and preposterous than the original. The explosive sequel scored an imploding 20% on the Tomatometer. That's less than half of Ice Cube's average Tomatometer of 44%.

Unsurprisingly, the film to win this week's Tomatometer battle is the eagerly awaited, if slightly bruised, "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy."

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(1-20 of 44 posts) | Reply

ieatfood54491 writes:
on Apr 28 2005 05:48 PM

hitchhikers better win

(Reply to this)

VML writes:
on Apr 28 2005 05:53 PM

I'm not sure if Hitchhiker's Guide is confusing to people who are new to the series. I've read the book but I haven't seen the movie yet.

(Reply to this)

the_game writes:
on Apr 28 2005 07:44 PM

5th Element was a top movie, I've never read Hitchhikers either so probably won't bother with the movie either

(Reply to this)

Ophiuchus writes:
on Apr 28 2005 07:49 PM

I liked 5th Element too. It's one of my all-time faves, in fact. I can't understand why people say it's lousy- sure it's cliched and whatnot, but it doesn't take itself very seriously so it's very funny in places. As for Hitchhiker's Guide... haven't seen it yet, but I'm determined to like it and ignore what crabby critics say.

(Reply to this)

VML writes:
on Apr 29 2005 07:38 AM

In reply to this comment (#821721)
Same thing with me.

I love the 5th Element! Its one of my favorite movies!

(Reply to this)

Now it's dark writes:
on Apr 29 2005 08:41 AM

I liked Fifth Element too, but I think this is a Disney movie. It's G rated in Canada. Least I can take my kid to it, but my expectations are low.

(Reply to this)

Senh Duong writes:
on Apr 29 2005 11:57 AM

It's getting really close to 60%...

(Reply to this)

puablo writes:
on Apr 29 2005 01:14 PM

[b]Fifth Element - good analogy[/b]
I like the Fifth Element analogy. Most critics panned it, but some adored it, and there's definitely a love/hate schism about it in the movie-going community (one of my all time favorites).

I am not at all surprised that H2G2 is getting the reviews that it is getting, even having not seen it yet. For one, there are unusual people out there that don't think the book is funny. So in turn, there will be a lot more people who see the movie and don't get it at all. But what I like is the majority of "rotten" reviews say the movie is exactly what we fans want it to be, and they complain it doesn't "conform" to a normal movie story. And those that say fans will be disappointed claim it "conforms too much". Please. If it's even 50% like the book, I'll be a happy happy man. My only worry is that without making a lot of money, there won't be any sequels. And I want sequels, darn it!

(Reply to this)

amamamy writes:
on Apr 29 2005 02:37 PM

In reply to this comment (#821725)
[b]Huh?[/b]
Sorry...I mean no offense, but where did you get the abbreviation H2G2?

(Reply to this)

Senh Duong writes:
on Apr 29 2005 02:57 PM

In reply to this comment (#821726)
Good catch, I think it's:

Hitch
Hiker's
Guide (to the)
Galaxy

(Reply to this)

Ophiuchus writes:
on Apr 29 2005 03:13 PM

In reply to this comment (#821725)
It *is* pretty silly that some people are saying it conforms too much and some saying it doesn't conform enough. I mean, it should be one or the other, shouldn't it?

(Reply to this)

ChickenWing89 writes:
on Apr 29 2005 06:23 PM

Its at 63 percent now. Fresh 8-).

(Reply to this)

jeremyd4 writes:
on Apr 29 2005 10:16 PM

Hitchhiker's Guide was fantastic - I hadn't read the book yet but am certainly considering picking it up now.
One of the reviews said, "...anyone truly interested in Arthur and Ford and the gang -- anyone who wants to laugh a lot, anyway -- needs to migrate back to the books."
........is there more than one book?

(Reply to this)

Questy writes:
on Apr 29 2005 11:10 PM

In reply to this comment (#821726)
[b]RE: >> where did you get the abbreviation H2G2?[/b]
It's what the BBC calls it -->> http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/

(Reply to this)

Count_Vertigo writes:
on Apr 30 2005 02:46 AM

In reply to this comment (#821730)
Actually, there are quite a few. The best advice I could give would be to pick up the collected novels in "The Ultimate Hitchhiker's Guide." Much better (and cheaper) than buying each individual novel.

(Reply to this)

Ophiuchus writes:
on Apr 30 2005 04:47 AM

Okay, *now* I've watched the movie and can happily report that it's screamingly funny, visually spectacular, fast-paced and perfectly casted. The additions to the plot worked well and stopped me getting bored- always a hazard when the viewer (that is, me) can recite about 3/4 of the original radio series off by heart. If it'd slavishly followed the exact plot of the novels and radio play, I would've spent the whole thing patiently waiting for the next line lifted verbatim from the original. As it was, I didn't know what to expect. That kept it fresh.
I did think some of the new stuff was a little too sentimental and playing up the romance may have been a bad idea- one of Adams' features was that he was a very cynical and unsentimental person who, when he wrote romance, wrote it rather unconvincingly, as if he didn't quite believe what he was writing.
But I still loved the movie very much, and if I were Douglas Adams I would be in tears from sheer pride. My only regret about the movie is that our beloved Douglas didn't live to see it. It's a cruel thing, life.
Oh, and one other thing... I could've sworn those mice were really rats. Well, rats are easier to train.

(Reply to this)

t-joint writes:
on Apr 30 2005 03:03 PM

[b]Consensus? What Consensus?!?!?[/b]
A consensus strongly implies (if not downright screams) agreement, and, as we can all see, there IS no general consensus in this film...at least regarding the critics. The fans seem to all love it.

Lemme tell you something, I've read all the books, I've seen the TV mini-series, I've even listened to the BBC radio broadcast. And, lastly, I've seen the film.

The 38% negative reviewers are wrong, just dead wrong. Simple as that.

There is nothing to NOT like about this film. It's wonderfully clever and funny, the plot makes more sense than certain more rambling parts of the book, and the acting is excellent, with several very likeable characters. Also, HELLLLLOOOOO!!!!, the changes from the book were written by Mr. Adams, himself! Anyone claiming deviation from the books is going against the will of the ORIGINAL FREAKIN' AUTHOR! Don't EVEN use that as an excuse.

(Reply to this)

ieatfood54491 writes:
on Apr 30 2005 04:55 PM

DONT SEE THIS MOVIE, i was counting down for it and it came up way short. it cut out many hillarious parts. Dont waste your money, go buy the book, U CANT BEAT DOUGLAS ADAMS, not possiable. They added a whole new story line which appsalotly killed the whole thing, there was no love story line in the novel, no retarted gun and no guy who doesnt have legs, god they killed The Guide

(Reply to this)

Now it's dark writes:
on Apr 30 2005 06:44 PM

I saw the movie today, which is G rated here in Canada. I see a lot of movies, and this is the worst I've seen in a long time. The worst I've seen in the theatre in years. People were walking out. Lucky people.

I couldn't believe how flat the characters were. And they all love eachother for some reason, even though the only words they ever speak to eachother are to move the plot(?!) along. Zero character developement = zero drama. Was that robot supposed to be funny? The audience was silent, except for a couple lame sight gags. It seemed almost like Americans trying to do British humour. It came off so smug. I haven't read the books, and they might be good, but this was a truly typical Disney movie.

(Reply to this)

Ophiuchus writes:
on Apr 30 2005 09:00 PM

In reply to this comment (#821736)
Really? That wasn't the response over here in Australia. No-one walked out, and everyone laughed. Of course, everyone has different ideas about what's funny. I wrote a humorous fantasy book and tried to sell it to publishers- everyone agreed it was hilarious, but an American agent whom my agent showed the book to came back and said 'I'm sorry but this book just isn't funny. I didn't laugh once.'
My agent and I were nonplussed. So it just goes to show humour is subjective. But I wouldn't slag this movie off out of hand if I were you. You might be at a disadvantage if you haven't read the books- it is a tad obscure and hard to follow for non-readers, which excludes a lot of people, but it sure as hell seems to have pleased most of the fans I know. And that includes me.
As for changing Trillian's character, I have it on good authority (Douglas Adams') that she was never a very well-developed character. He used to say he could never quite get a handle on how to write her- she never quite 'came to life' for him, which is why he dropped her character for the second radio series. So in all fairness to the filmmakers, they had to give her a more well-rounded character. Maybe some people didn't like it, but it had to be done.

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