The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy Both Wicked and Lighthearted

A group of aliens has targeted earth for destruction to make
way for an interstellar highway. Arthur Dent, an ordinary man who coincidentally is trying to keep his house from being bulldozed to the ground, is saved from the fate of blowing up with the rest of the earth by Ford Prefect, his best friend.

Ford is an alien himself, much to the surprise of Arthur. Together they hitch a ride on the ship of Zaphod Beeblebrox, a delightfully manic yet sometimes annoying president of the galaxy. Also on the ship are Trillian, a human Arthur met at a party who is apparently the girlfriend of Beeblebrox, and Marvin, a depressed robot who is extremely smart but is lowered to showing newcomers around the ship.

Beeblebrox is searching for an ancient computer that once answered the meaning of life, which was "42." Knowing the answer, the only thing he needs is the question.

The movie begins at a fast pace, barely utilizing enough time to introduce the characters before launching into the strange and disorienting plot. That's one of the movie's drawbacks. It bombards viewers with so much information so quickly that it's a wonder they can figure out what's going on.

People who have read the book will no doubt follow it with ease but the casual viewer may become a little lost. Some more character development earlier on might have slowed it down enough and allowed the movie to breathe without jumping from one extreme situation to another so quickly.

However, this doesn't mean that the movie isn't entertaining. There's a healthy mix of conceptual humor and slapstick comedy, obviously influenced by Monty Python. A hilarious sequence at the beginning that has the camera pulling away from earth several times in an overdramatic fashion sets the tone perfectly.

I have never read The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy book
by Douglas Adams. Therefore, I don't know how faithful the filmmakers were in adapting it to the screen. I do know that for the most part I enjoyed the movie that was made. However, I was
expecting a little more philosophical depth to be ingrained into the
humor.

I enjoy senseless comedy as much as the next person but I wanted this movie to go a little bit farther with its concepts. It did in some places but not enough. Despite that criticism I can't say that The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy isn't an entertaining way to
spend two hours.