Comic to Movie - best/worst/general chat

[Spac3Monkey]

I've just returned home from watching 'The Dark Knight' which was awesome and it got me thinking what everyone elses thoughts on the matter were.

Let everyone know your thoughts on any of the comic to movie adaptations, ones you would recommend, ones you wouldn't, how true they are to their comic roots, which characters do you think should have a movie and....why not.....be a critic, how would you improve them?

I'll start - recently watched 'Dark Knight' which I thought was brilliant, Heath Ledgers Joker was a perfect transformation from paper to screen, his manerisms were every bit they should have been. Me being picky though, I thought it was a tad to long.

Want to watch next- Wanted

Worst movie - The first Hulk film, Also wasn't best impressed with Punisher.....both the Thomas Jane version and the painful viewing of Dolph Lundrum. Warzone looks OK but again casting may have failed the film

 

[Marcus15]

I think the made for tv Captain America films were the worst. In one film they actually put a motorcycle helmet on the guy!
The uniform was wrong and it looked like something they did in their backyard

 

[Perpetual Man]

Looks around to make sure his wife isn't looking, well the last Batman movie, the one with George Clooney I cringed all the way through it... (Mrs PM loves it though!)

The best? Well there's plenty of good one's out there to choose from - The Dark Knight is magnificent, Iron Man was superb but I think the one that stands out for me is Superman 2. It's not going to be everyones choise, but even given it's age I still think it was one of the best super powered fights put on the screen.

 

[The Procrastinator]

I love those first two Superman movies, who cares about the effects, those were just great stories and I doubt they'll be bettered (for Superman, anyway). I still love watching Terence Stamp as Zod.

Haven't yet had a chance to see The Dark Knight, but really enjoyed Batman Begins and I thought Iron Man was very groovy. The fight at the end was just stupid, but the rest of the film was a ride.

I really like the X-Men movies (and not just because of the Wolverine in the cage scene, hmmm, though it helped). I think the second one was probably the best of those.

I watched the Punisher against my better judgement and my judgement said "I told you so".

 

[Hilarious Joke]

Spiderman is one of my favourites, I think the trilogy is great.

 

[Spac3Monkey]

Really disliked the new superman, and I hope they dont mess up the Justice League movie

 

[Highlander II]

You know, it's a lot harder to go the other way. I read a few comics and graphic novels, but not tons, so I don't know the Batman stories or the X-Men stories, so I just see the movies (I got dragged to the first X-Men by a comic book friend, but I did enjoy the movie).

Sometimes I backtrack and read the comics, sometimes not.

Iron Man I wasn't entirely impressed with, but I don't really get a thrill out of lots of CGI and little in the way of plot (tho, admittedly, I was distracted when I watched it, so maybe I'll try again later). I wasn't impressed at all with Batman Begins b/c I kept being distracted by Christian Bale's protruding chin.

I liked all of the X-Men movies, thought Spiderman was okay, but the 2nd one bored me. And I'm trying to stay away from The Hulk. *g*

 

[sffhound]

I have a huge soft spot for the superman movies because it's childhood nostalgia, but I'd say my favourite comic to film experience would be the Hellboy movies. My favourite one is The Golden Army because I think it has a very touching story and I am fascinated by the dynamic between the elven twins.

 

[dask]

I really liked the first two Spider-man movies. Haven't seen the third yet.

 

[Shadow Trooper]

Loved the Spiderman trilogy; thought X-men trilogy and Iron man was up there too!

Of course the SFX don't match up to those films above, but I too believe that the Christopher Reeve Superman and Superman 2 films were excellent. In fact I bought them to re-live my childhood through my son (tear comes to the eye when he remembers his son trying to fly whilst watching the film ......just like his dad did!)

 

[sffhound]

I am such a huge fan of Christopher Reeve. That man could actually make it BELIEVABLE that no one realises that Clark is Superman. Such a brilliant actor.

 

[cheesemiester1]

Spiderman trilogy is amazing, new superman...not so much

 

[nj1]

I'm not big into comics but have to add Sly Stallones version of Judge Dread was shocking, the man should have been shot for ruining such a great character!
The thing with Dread was you don't see his face, also he just didn't come across a tough/hard enough for Dread.

 

[HoopyFrood]

I really, really enjoyed the Watchman. I watched the film first, then read the graphic novel, then watched the film again, all in a week. It adhered very closely to the novel, with only some minor changes (and the big one at the end, which probably suited the film version better, anyway). The characters were portrayed well, and although not having the very deep depths of their paper counterparts, were still very engaging. And it has the best line ever, when Dan and Walter try to stop Ozymandias going through with his plan. "Don't do it!" says they, and Ozymandias replies "Do it?...I did it 35 minutes ago". That's how you should do it. Villains and anti-heroes take note.

 

[MattyB]

I really, really enjoyed the Watchman. I watched the film first, then read the graphic novel, then watched the film again, all in a week. It adhered very closely to the novel, with only some minor changes (and the big one at the end, which probably suited the film version better, anyway). The characters were portrayed well, and although not having the very deep depths of their paper counterparts, were still very engaging. And it has the best line ever, when Dan and Walter try to stop Ozymandias going through with his plan. "Don't do it!" says they, and Ozymandias replies "Do it?...I did it 35 minutes ago". That's how you should do it. Villains and anti-heroes take note.

I agree, I read the graphic novel first and went in with high expectations and they were all met.

 

[HoopyFrood]

Watchman? What on earth's Watchman?

I meant Watchmen, of course. A curse on all typos.

But yes, re-he-he-heally looking forward to that being released on DVD. Apparently they filmed pretty much all of the graphic novel, with the missing bits appearing on the DVD. I don't know how far this is true.

 

[dustinzgirl]

Watchmen is better as a graphic novel IMO because I can flip through it faster than the movie can move.

Wolverine Origins the movie has nothing to do with Wolverine Origins the comic, so anyone who, like me, was naive enough to expect that the movie would represent the comic...you will be very, very disappointed. But, if you never read the comic Origins, as a stand alone flick its pretty good, actually.

The Dark Night---sorry, just couldn't sit through it. Actually I can't stand any of the Batman flicks except for the first one with Michael Keaton. I don't like what they've been doing over the last decade with the Bat in cinematic representation, but I'll survive it I guess. I love the cartoon version tho. Go figure.

 

[Duchessprozac]

Watchman? What on earth's Watchman?

I meant Watchmen, of course. A curse on all typos.

But yes, re-he-he-heally looking forward to that being released on DVD. Apparently they filmed pretty much all of the graphic novel, with the missing bits appearing on the DVD. I don't know how far this is true.

From what I understand there is about 20 minutes of footage removed from the theatrical release,mainly concerning Hollis Mason's death, which Snyder will be putting back in, as well as the animated Curse of the Black Frieghter and footage leading into and out of it to make it blend it seamlessly with the film. IIRC the runtime of the DVD will be about 3 and half hours long.

And I cannot wait for this version to come out. I just wish I had a Blu-Ray player to be able to watch it in full HD glory

 

[HoopyFrood]

I think there might be a bit more about the newstand owner and the kid reading the comic book, perhaps, seeing as you see them briefly, hugging each other, when the blast hits.

 

[Robert Bleasdale]

Watchmen is better as a graphic novel IMO because I can flip through it faster than the movie can move.

Wolverine Origins the movie has nothing to do with Wolverine Origins the comic, so anyone who, like me, was naive enough to expect that the movie would represent the comic...you will be very, very disappointed. But, if you never read the comic Origins, as a stand alone flick its pretty good, actually.

The Dark Night---sorry, just couldn't sit through it. Actually I can't stand any of the Batman flicks except for the first one with Michael Keaton. I don't like what they've been doing over the last decade with the Bat in cinematic representation, but I'll survive it I guess. I love the cartoon version tho. Go figure.

Aren't the movie reboots a direct knock-on from the comic reboots. The re-imaginings by Miller and Moore (and others?) that made the bat more human, more complex, more fragile and much darker?