I have already done a post about my top three favorite book-to-movie adaptations, so today I want to talk about the ones that let me down. These were ones that I was so insanely excited for, but when I sat down to watch them I was confused and angry. I mean, let’s be honest, more often than not, something goes off course when they adapt a book to film. Sometimes it’s something forgivable like an age change, or maybe they cut some scenes/dialog out. However, these are the ones that were so WTF?! that I just can’t keep quiet anymore.
Is it any surprise that Twilight makes this list? I will admit that I fought this franchise so hard. SO HARD! I was not about some teen vampire romance, but a lot of my friends wouldn’t shut up about it, so I decided to give the books a shot. Now, by the time I actually started the series, New Moon (the second book) was about to come out in theaters. So, I was pretty late to the ballgame. When I read the book, my love for reading reignited. I devoured the series in a week. I couldn’t put them down. I saw so much of Bella’s clumsiness in myself. I loved the forbidden romance aspect. While I thought I would roll my eyes at the whole vampires and werewolves bit, I found myself fascinated in it all. However, fascination is not what I would call my reaction when I watched the movie. Awkward and uncomfortable would be a more accurate way to describe what I was feeling. Those god-awful wigs that would make our founding father’s proud, the pasty white foundation they wore, better yet the entire make-up on the actors was atrocious, and don’t get me started on the stilted awkward acting. I mean, I have never felt so uncomfortable while watching a movie before. Granted, the make-up and the cheesy scenes got better as the franchise continued on and they kept rotating directors in for each movie. It still didn’t making Twilight any better for me. It doesn’t matter how many glasses of wine I have before watching it, I still find myself cringing and peeking through my fingers at the sheer awkwardness of it all.
The DUFF was one that really pissed me off. I love the book. Love Love LOVE it. Bianca is this teen who everyone views as overweight because she’s not a size zero. When a popular kid saddles up to her at the teen club and asks her to help him get her hot friend’s number, given that she’s the “DUFF” and all, Bianca is outraged. Who is he to call her the designated ugly fat friend? She owns her look and has no problems telling people to screw off if they don’t like her. She was honest, confident, and didn’t take anyone’s crap. However, the movie portrays none of that. Instead of a girl who goes after what she wants, who doesn’t make excuses, and who really could care less what you think of her… we get your typical Cinderella, Ugly Duckling story. The popular kid calls her a DUFF so she must enlist his help to become pretty so that she can get the guy of her dreams. WHAT?!? Seriously… WTF?! You took a confident-in-her-skin teenager and turned her into some self-conscious twat. I’m sure the movie is great and all, but that was not The DUFF. I honestly don’t know what the heck it was.
It breaks my hears to say this but Vampire Academy was probably my biggest let down of all time. If you know me, you know I have mad love for Richelle Mead’s young adult vampire series. I love the world the author created with the royal Moroi (vampires) attending a school alongside Dhampirs (half vampire, half human) who are training to become the Moroi’s guardian. You know, because there are Strigoi (feral vampires) out there who view the Moroi as the most luxurious vintage wine. I loved getting to watch Rose go through training, watch her go from this loud-mouthed overconfident girl to a young woman. I got to watch her hone her skills and become one of the best guardian’s out there. However, the movie was pretty much Mean Girls: Vampire Edition. I was so excited to sit down and watch this with the Mister. I mean, he’s heard me go on and on about this series. So, here I was able to show him the awesomeness of Vampire Academy, and the whole time I just kept shaking my head. There were even a handful of times where I looked over at the Mister and said, “I have no clue what’s going on. This isn’t my book!” It was as if, like with The DUFF, the writers and directors skimmed the synopsis on the book and went, “Yup. Okay, got it!” and then wrote up the story without actually knowing what was in the book. I was not sad to see it flop and not get picked up for a sequel. While I love the books, I couldn’t watch that heartbreaking monstrosity anymore. Again, maybe to those who haven’t read the books and fallen in love with the characters, you may have thought the movie was fun and quirky. However, for me, I have no idea why they felt the need to change something that was already so amazing and give it the same lame story arc like so many other teen movies out there.
Are there any book-to-movie adaptations that let you down and left you wondering what happened?
In all honesty, I refused to watch Vampire Academy because I was scared of all you said. Soooo, I think I made the right choice *phew* and I’m gonna stick with the books!
My daughter and I were just talking about some of these. I had read The DUFF and felt like so little of the book was incorporated in the film. Was it bad? No, it was your average, entertaining teen flick. I would mention Dangerous Creatures too. The movie was fine, but again, so little of the book could be found in there.
I didn’t read the Twilight books but I liked the movies. lol
I completely agree with you about Twilight. I thought the first movie was so awful that I never watched the rest of them.
I liked the Twilight movie but it was probably because I didn’t read the book until after. (I hadn’t even heard of the books before, I don’t think!)
The Duff, I enjoyed… But I’ve never read the book.
The VA movie is one I have never been able to bring myself to watch as I adored the books and what I’d seen of the movie trailers was enough to enrage me.
After the first Twilight, decided to like it and the rest for its cheesiness. Mostly wanted to see the visual takes of the storyline playout.