I can't hate this movie because it is far more faithful to classic Douglas Adams than I was expecting, but I also can't get too excited because it has been Americanised (or maybe Hollywoodised) just that bit too much. A lot of the understated British humour is gone and the "more believable explanations" utterly miss the point in most cases.

The TV cast were almost entirely superior to the movie cast, in particular David Dixon as Ford (Mos Def is utterly devoid of acting talent), Mark Wing-Davey as Zaphod (although Sam Rockwell is passable), and Alan Rickman just did Alan Rickman and could not live up to Stephen Moore's Marvin. Martin Freeman gave us a slightly different type of Arthur - a good performance ruined by the love interest plot that Hollywood ran away with. Bill Bailey was a pretty good whale, and Stephen Fry can do no wrong (but was no better than Peter Jones, who will always be the definitive Guide).

So, the love interest. NO! This was in no way Adams. I'll bet this is the bit that was holding up production until Adam's untimely demise. The Arthur/Trillian love interest was the main plot line for the movie, and that is just wrong.

I think the fundamental problem is that this material simply doesn't translate well into a 110 minute movie format. There is a certain relaxed pace to the madness in the radio and TV series that has to be sacrificed if the little kiddies are not to become bored (not that kids seemed to think much of it anyway judging from the constant chattering coming from the back of the cinema).

Rob

PS Yes I know it was a British made movie, but only in the same way Star Wars was.