Film review: The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (PG)

THE LONG wait for the film version of the late Douglas Adams' cult book is over and the burning question is, was it worth it?

The answer is yes, because debut director Garth Jennings has delivered a witty take on the film which is often beautiful to look at.

The movie does momentarily lose the plot in the second half with the sheer volume of story strands.

But to be fair, The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy is almost unfilmable and Jennings, a veteran of the famous Blur Coffee and TV video and the Johnny Vegas and a Monkey ads, pulls it off.

There is plenty to keep Adams aficionados happy as well as bring in a new generation of Hitchhikers to the box office.

The Office star Tim, aka Martin Freeman, is good as the weary Arthur Dent much put upon after losing his home twice in the space of a few seconds - firstly to the local council to make way for a by-pass and then to the bureaucratic Vogons who have destroyed his planet by mistake.

The film version of this quintessentially British tale has not remained completely untainted by influences from across the Ocean.

While the American accents of some cast members may grate and jar the ears of dyed-in-the-wool Adams fans, they have enough charm - Zooey Deschanel in particular - to allow you to forgive them.

Don't Panic as the Guide (voiced by Stephen Fry) says.

You are in for a fairly enjoyable, weird and wonderful ride.