Worst Comic Book/Short story/novel movie adaptation

[lsgreg]

So I was wondering. What is the worst sci fi/fantasy adaptation you have ever seen? Mine would be I, Robot with Will Smith. I know it was hard to adapt the collection of short stories, but the movie doesn't really even follow the tone of the book. I enjoy some of the movie, but I don't really see it as a good adaptation.

[SlackerinDeNile]

I have no idea what I think the worst one is so far, several have come close.

Many of the current DC universe films have been pretty horrible in my opinion, particularly Man of Steel and Batman vs Superman. There's loads of bad adaptations from the 90's and early 2000's but most of them were at least hilarious like Steel and The Phantom.

If I had to pick one it would probably be the 2003 Cat in the Hat adaptation.

Also, before anyone says Starship Troopers, keep in mind that it was a satire of fascism and state-sponsored violence. I know the book played it all straight and is a fascinating piece of sci-fi in its own ballpark and that the film is incredibly cheesy and schlocky compared to it, but as far as 90's sci-fi movies go I think it's pretty damn good, many aspects of it still hold up today.

[ChiggyvonRichthofen]

I actually like the first one and I don't think any of them are horrible movies, but the Hobbit trilogy stands out to me as obviously wrong-headed adaptations that take a very poor approach in how to translate the book to the screen. After The Lord of the Rings trilogy got the tone of the book almost exactly right, it was pretty disappointing that they got The Hobbit so wrong.

[TGLS]

I, Robot was barely an adaptation of its source material. You had the Three Laws, and that's it.

[Darth Wedgius]

I didn't like Starship Troopers as an adaptation or as a movie, so that would be my top pick for a failure as an adaptation of a specific book or comic. I know a lot of people liked it as a satire. I thought it was serious (and horrible) when I first saw it, and that probably still colors my opinion.

If we're considering comic or novel characters movies in a broader sense, I'd say Superman IV. Embracing camp after serious films can backfire, and this isn't the only film to do that. But to go both camp and simultaneously try to seriously embrace the threat of nuclear war, and then even do that clumsily, for me, put this past Batman & Robin or Catwoman. Kryptonite had nothing on the power of Superman IV.

[SlackerinDeNile]

If we're talking DC adaptations I think Catwoman is just plain terrible, it's watchable but you might break your face cringing. Batman Forever and Batman and Robin have a lot of camp charm and ridiculously cartoonish acting and mugging so they're kind of fun if you don't take them seriously at all. You're right that Superman IV is a colossal mess but I like a lot of bad movies so I found it fun and campy as well.

Off topic, I honestly wouldn't mind seeing Joel Schumacher do another super hero or comic-book movie.

[Mad-Man-with-a-Box]

For me, World War Z was a terrible adaption. It sort of tries to work in the multiple stories/angles of the book but then it all falls flat. Plus the many changes from the nature of the zombies, to losing the global retrospective, and the lack luster and I mean LACK LUSTER ending; it's nothing like the book. Compare that to two of the best adaptations I know, The Hunt for Red October and Jurassic Park, WWZ shares only the name.

[lsgreg]

Yeah, there are rare categories where it is a bad adaptation but it is a good movie. The first movie that comes to mind is the Studio Ghibli film "Howls moving castle". The movie is great but it pretty much alters the entire third act from the book including changing the antagonists.

[Independent George]

So... what did you lot think of Adaptation?

[lsgreg]

I actually loved that movie. I like any movie with Chris Cooper. I never read the book it is based on though.