What film adaptation of a book has annoyed you the most?

[Blogg10]

Since Justice Shades has already mentioned HP, I'll go with Eragon of The Inheritence Cycle by Christopher Paolini.
Change the plot at almost every turn? Check. Neglect to introduce several important characters? Check. Make all-in-all lame depictions of pretty much every character that actually gets some screen time? Check.

The only redeeming factor is Jeremy Irons, but even he can't make up for the rest of it.

Good god yes, a thousand times yes. Shitty, shitty, SHITTY. I really like the books, despite being a bit over-descriptive at times and various other minor faults, but the film was FUCKING AWFUL (sorry for teh sware). The dwarf wasn't even a dwarf. He was just an average man kneeling down with his shoes on his knees. And Arya? This might sound really, really shallow, but I was honestly expecting her to be a LOT prettier than that. In the books she's touted as a cross between Angelina Jolie and Arwen so I was expecting the film to at least hit that hot button (clever puns, oho). Just sigh. And to the LOTR guy, I agree with you on some counts, except that overall I think that LOTR films are the greatest book-film adaptation ever and Tom Bombadil was the most obvious section to cut out of the film because he's at best a side story. He has no relevance whatsoever in the main plot. Also, if they made a true film adaptation of LOTR it would be over seventeen hours long ._.

Rant over, back to lurking

 

[Canadamus Prime]

Edit: Comment retracted

 

[Godavari]

Eragon, hands down.
They cut out the middle part of the plot, basically shooting themselves in the foot and negating any possibility of creating a sequel, because so much was left out. It was and remains the worst book to film adaptation I've ever had the displeasure to experience.

EDIT: after reading through the thread, I'm also adding I, Robot to my list. It was a good film, it just had nothing to do with the book at all.

 

[Lambi]

Eragon.

I REALLY like the books, but the movie seemed rushed, alot of the scenes missing and too much happening at once.

 

[Gomithrus]

The Bourne series by Robert Ludlum, the movies would have been much more exciting and with a much better story had they followed the books. Totally second the I, Robot and Hitchhiker's Guide as also being done poorly.

 

[Aesir23]

Eragon. The book was great, but the movie was mediocre at best. And the game was just HORRIBLE.

(Though I have to admit, I loved how Jeremy Irons played Brom. I don't think there was a better actor to play the character. )

 

[Eliam_Dar]

I have to agree with Eragon, I mean, that was like an entirely alternative universe

 

[IrishBerserker]

snip

Oh no, you misunderstood me, the Watchmen cast was awsome.

What I meant was some other comic book movies could have been better with different actors. Not to metion better storylines. For example the 1990 Captain America movie, it was crap.

 

[Circus Ascendant]

Amazed to see Starship Troopers hasn't been mentioned.

 

[Eclectic Dreck]

Although as a whole I really enjoyed the movie Watchmen annoyed because I left like i was being rushed through the whole movie and everything was compressed. Also how they changed the ending although really good and an interesting take I still prefer the books ending.

For me at least I would have liked to have seen this in maybe a two part so they could add so much more in instead of compressing it down to one movie

The tragedy of the watchmen is that nothing new was really brought to the table. It was nearly a line for line, shot for panel recreation of the book. The trouble for me at least, was the fact that entire thing ends up seeming rushed and taken by itself, none of the characters really demonstrate why they do what they do and whatnot. I still enjoyed the movie that was presented, so I can't say it was a total failure by any stretch. Unlike Battlefield Earth, which ranks as one of the greatest crimes against literature AND humanity in recorded history. The book was a sweeping epic, and one of the class examples of great science fiction. The film on the other hand had no merit - just an intense, underlying malevolence that sought to seek out and destroy any potential joy that may inadvertantly made it past the hack screenplay, the amature direction and the utterly lackluster acting.

 

[fix-the-spade]

WATCHMEN

What's most annoying about it is that's it's actually quite a good film. But there are so many tiny little details (and some absolute stinkers) that are either tweaked or just plain wrong that the film loses nearly all of it's demands on the audience. It no longer makes you think about it or even pay much attention, which annoys the fuck out of me.

They managed to make a decent movie called Watchmen, but they shouldn't have mentioned Alan Moore, they didn't tell the story he wrote.

 

[Vault boy Eddie]

Lord of the Rings.

Why? I feel like a lot of things weren't done right and despite understanding certain limitations and shall we call them "requirements" in film making it still pisses the hell out of me...

First of all, NO WIGHTS and generic adventures the 4 hobbits had between Shire and Brill. That was an extremely awesome part of the book...

Second of all, and I'm sure a few people will agree with me... No Tom Bombadil or his wife.

Tom Bombadil is awesome, fools! He's got yellow shoes and blue jacket, and he sings the shit out of the wights!

Yeah...

This.

 

[MintyNinja]

*Ahem*

Jumper.

(... and Eragon, HP, LotR, probably The Hobbit too)

 

[CrashBang]

I agree with OP, The Golden Compass was an outrage. Nicole Kidman actually stated in an interview that she didn't believe Pullman wrote it as an atheist book, which is embarrassing for her. His Dark Materials are my favourite books ever and the film tainted them so badly. I did like the casting and the acting though, Dakota Blue Richards (I think) did a brilliant Lyra

 

[neoontime]

Coming out...
Avatar .......Gay

 

[cathou]

I Am Legend and I, Robot

(...) There's no fucking way anyone who's ever read an Asimov robot story could make an AI the bad guy and believe he's made a good adaption..

agreed they miss the point and the caracters are not what they suppose to be (especially Calvin), but considering the zeroth law it make sense actually...

 

[Nouw]

Amazed to see Starship Troopers hasn't been mentioned.

Now it is

This

[http://www.motivatedphotos.com/?id=17183]

Sorry for the size. Just click image.

Supposed to be funny but really true.

OT: Starship Troopers and Harry Potter ( well, some of them)

 

[3rd rung]

Although as a whole I really enjoyed the movie Watchmen annoyed because I left like i was being rushed through the whole movie and everything was compressed. Also how they changed the ending although really good and an interesting take I still prefer the books ending.

For me at least I would have liked to have seen this in maybe a two part so they could add so much more in instead of compressing it down to one movie

The tragedy of the watchmen is that nothing new was really brought to the table. It was nearly a line for line, shot for panel recreation of the book. The trouble for me at least, was the fact that entire thing ends up seeming rushed and taken by itself, none of the characters really demonstrate why they do what they do and whatnot. I still enjoyed the movie that was presented, so I can't say it was a total failure by any stretch. Unlike Battlefield Earth, which ranks as one of the greatest crimes against literature AND humanity in recorded history. The book was a sweeping epic, and one of the class examples of great science fiction. The film on the other hand had no merit - just an intense, underlying malevolence that sought to seek out and destroy any potential joy that may inadvertantly made it past the hack screenplay, the amature direction and the utterly lackluster acting.

No way you can think that it was a line for line so much was cut out from the movie, I mean a huge bit the black frator (to be fair they are adding in in the new Christmas release) and a lot of things were either changed or taken out. Then the obviously the ending. SO I would have rather seen a line for line and that would have made me a lot more happy than what they did

 

[Tri Force95]

Although as a whole I really enjoyed the movie Watchmen annoyed because I left like i was being rushed through the whole movie and everything was compressed. Also how they changed the ending although really good and an interesting take I still prefer the books ending.

For me at least I would have liked to have seen this in maybe a two part so they could add so much more in instead of compressing it down to one movie

Well, your gonna have to wait for the Super Special Omega Deluxe Directors Cut of Watchmen, before they add anything else from the books (newspaper scenes, newspaper stand scenes, and the Black Freighter)

 

[Kloffy]

Close run between the Golden Compass and Stormbreaker.