Whenever you get a project that is based on a beloved book (such as The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy), you get the advantage of a built in audience for the film… but at the same time fanatics of the book will be harsh and cruel if you screw it up! I remember how a lot of Lord of the Rings fans were excited about the films coming out… but they were also ready to riot in the streets if Jackson messed them up. Thankfully it wasn’t necessary to call out the SWAT teams.

Well… the wait for Hitchhiker fans is over in a few days… and the reviews are coming in… the consensus? Not great.

Some of the reviews look promising… but almost half the critics are giving it a negative review… and some of them are known Hitchhiker fans… not a good sign. I’ll still be catching it no matter what, but my expectations just got lowered a bit. Here’s what some of the critics have to say:

“Director Garth Jennings doesn’t sustain any momentum in Hitchhiker’s Guide because everything that happens is completely arbitrary…and zany!”
- Jeremiah Kipp, SLANT MAGAZINE

“It’s not good enough for an audience that doesn’t know anything about Douglas Adams, and it’s most certainly not good enough for an audience that does.”
- Walter Chaw, FILM FREAK CENTRAL

“Inheriting baggy source material, talky pic remains more smile-inducing than laugh-aloud funny and has pacing and coherence problems. Thankfully, strong visuals and sight gags punch up the package.”
- Leslie Felperin, VARIETY

Not exactly what I was hoping to hear… but I guess it could be worse right? If you want to read more early reviews you can head over here. What are your expectations going into this one?