Book to Movies

So recently, the Fallen movie has been brought to my attention by Punk Farie (check out her awesome blog here!). The first time I heard about it was through Twitter. I was scrolling through Twitter when I saw some stuff about the Fallen movie. I was filled with such disbelief that I’m gonna write a rant about this. The backstory: there is a book called Fallen by Lauren Kate. There is a love triangle, angels and some past life stuff. Would I like it to be turned into a movie? Well, it wouldn’t be my first choice or anywhere on my book to movie list to be honest. I’ve come to think of book to movie adaptations as fitting into three categories:

• The Twilight Movies
• The Hunger Games Wannabes
• The Percy Jacksons

Fallen definitely fits into the Twilight category. If you take out the angels and the past life crap it’s the exact same. You have a weak, damsel in distress female lead who we’re gonna have to pretend is somehow even part of the plot and a love triangle which is technically all Twilight is about. I think I am so annoyed by this because I feel like the movie companies are just like “Ok! Twilight was successful so let’s make another… but make it seem like it’s not a ripoff”. I know how these movies are gonna be. Boring, lifeless characters in a semi to non exciting world. And I will be like:

However, I will still watch it which might surprise a few of you. Why will I watch it? Because it’s probably gonna be so bad it’s funny and come on, comedy movies are the best.

Now onto the Hunger Games wannabes. What is a great example of this? Oh I wonder what it… Divergent. I know it’s not a bad movie but it’s definitely not an awesome one. It felt like it was trying to imitate Hunger Games in it’s atmosphere and message but it really doesn’t bring it across. The actors were great but I had a big problem with the editing. It was cut so fast you don’t what’s happening.  And then there was the teen pop music which was… ugh. I was sitting in the cinema, literally going “Stop the Ellie Goulding!!!”.

Then lastly, there’s the really crappy ones that fail as a movie and as a book adaptation aka The Percy Jacksons. I remember watching Percy Jackson the first time and just laughing so hard at how bad it was. The script was horrible, the fighting scenes were just too choreographed and they didn’t stick to the book. How hard is it to read the book and make the plot for the movie EXACTLY the same?? Somehow, they turned Percy Jackson into a kids movie. I can’t even say anything good about it… even the actors were crap and I know they’re not bad actors.

This happened with The Host as well. Yeah, remember that movie, guys? That horrible movie that put way too much emphasis on the love triangle. Seriously, I’m gonna have to write a letter to them…FREAKING LOVE TRIANGLES.

The one I can’t really fit into a category is Vampire Academy. I’ve thought about it a lot and, while it was a pretty bad movie, I kind of enjoyed it. I think I might be a little biased towards it because I loved the books.

So I’d love to hear your thoughts on book adaptations. What is your favourite one? What is your least favourite one? And why do you think book adaptations are never as good as the actual books? Comment down below!