At some point in their life, every person has wondered what
their purpose in life is. Questions involving why humans are on Earth, what
they are supposed to do with their lives and whether there is more to life than
what meets the eye have wandered through many minds without really producing a
definitive answer. But it is likely that a definitive answer does not exist; or
in fact, a definitive answer is not really needed to carry on with life. And
that is the point made in The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy.
Arthur Dent rises one morning to a rude awakening that his
house is to be demolished immediately to make way for a bypass. In denial but
unable to do anything about the situation, Arthur is dragged off to a pub by
his friend Ford Prefect under the pretext of having a pint of beer before the
world comes to an end. Ford confesses to being an alien from a neighbouring planet
and a journalist who is commissioned to complete writing The Hitchhiker’s Guide
to the Galaxy. Reluctant to believe him, Arthur gets dragged along and finds
himself on an alien ship with planet Earth reduced to dust. An altercation with
their host results in them being evacuated and picked up by the Heart of Gold,
a ship stolen by the President of the Universe and Ford’s semi half-brother,
Zaphod Beeblebrox. Also on board are Marvin the Paranoid Android and Tricia McMillian
aka Trillian, a human who Arthur knew from his days back on Earth and who
becomes his love interest. Together the collective travel the galaxy in search
of the true question to life, the universe and everything that will be a
suitable match for the answer 42.
The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy was directed by Garth
Jennings and released in 2005. It is adapted from a novel of the same name
which was written by Douglas Adams, who also co-wrote the screenplay for the
film. The franchise includes the original novel, the film and several other
spinoffs that arose after the original book was published. The film can be
easily identified as science fiction with elements of fantasy spun into it, but
the comedy in the film is a standout which cannot be ignored.
The actors have been cast excellently considering they fit
perfectly into the style of their respective characters. The biggest challenge
for the actors and the director in the film would have been to convey the
deadpan style of humour which is unique to this franchise and incredibly
difficult to recreate. As such, the film is a credit to the franchise and has
been done well. The film does not attempt to raise questions and then solve
them, it pokes fun at the idea of having an answer to everything we do in life
and the constant need to rectify thoughts and actions with an ultimate purpose
to one’s existence.
The tongue-in-cheek jokes that come up every now and then
can be hilarious once understood in context. A constantly depressed robot saves
the lives of a group of people by depressing their attackers, a Vogon’s preferred
form of torture is to read poetry and a whale has just come into existence in
free-fall unaware of what he is supposed to feel; certain moments such as these
are truly hilarious and well done in the film. The superimposing of Arthur’s
house being destroyed to make way for a national bypass and then his entire
planet being destroyed to make way for a galactic bypass blends both tragedy
and comedy, a rare occurrence in any film. Even the misfortune involving the
President of the Galaxy ordering a planet to be destroyed when he thinks he is
signing an autograph is a ridiculous moment which is then exaggerated because
the same planet happens to be the most important in the galaxy that was created
with a purpose of solving the ultimate question.
The film is mostly comedy mixed with science fiction. Few
elements of romance crop up during the course of the film but it is overall a
very good deadpan humour-based comedy film.
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