From mind-bending thriller novellas, to sci-fi books that present a dystopian reality, to a whole new fantasy world, books are a haven from the stress of daily life. When these larger-than-life novels are adapted into movies, readers are excited to see their favorite literature come to life. However, not all movie adaptations live up to the original.
1. Ender’s Game (2013)
- Image Credit: Lionsgate.
Based on the 1985 novel by Orson Scott Card, Ender’s Game was released in 2013 but missed the mark entirely. The story’s plot highlights intellectually gifted children being recruited to stop an interplanetary war by leading a ginormous fleet of ships across space. However, the movie missed some of the book’s best parts, especially the average ending that added fuel to the fire.
2. Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief (2010)
- Image Credit: 20th Century Fox.
With a 49% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, the first movie in the Percy Jackson series just didn’t live up to the phenomenal Greek mythology book series. With such an infamous and loved book, the movie adaptation should’ve focused more on the details.
The rushed character storylines left a bitter taste in viewers’ mouths. Important cornerstones in the book were revealed early, like Luke’s deception, which weakened the plot line.
3. The Book Thief (2013)
- Image Credit: 20th Century Fox.
Markus Zusak’s war novel The Book Thief tells a haunting narrative from the perspective of death itself, leaving readers hooked — waiting for what’s next. However, the movie couldn’t depict the book’s essence in a way that enticed the audience. The entire thing was dragged out, and the gut-wrenching scenes did not create the same feelings as the original narrative.
4. A Wrinkle In Time (2018)
- Image Credit: Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures.
The movie and novel are both adapted from Madeleine L’Engle’s book and made for a younger audience. However, the entire film lacked luster and got some of the worst reviews because of the sub-par rendition. The special effects weren’t able to capture the true spirit of the book, and the plot wasn’t even coherent due to everything being so cluttered and overburdened by bad actors who lack edchemistry.
5. Artemis Fowl (2020)
- Image Credit: Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures.
Fans waited for the release of Artemis Fowl for several years, so when the movie hit cinemas, they had high expectations. The general consensus is that the film itself isn’t that bad, but it’s a terrible adaptation of the original book. With the plot taking random elements from the novel, the movie doesn’t highlight the protagonist as the book does.
6. The Dark Tower (2017)
- Image Credit: Sony Pictures Releasing.
For those who like to sink their teeth into suspense-filled stories, Stephen King novels hold a high place in their hearts. When the movie adaptation of his famous series came out, people weren’t impressed, and rightly so.
According to IMDb, the movie’s creators didn’t put in enough effort to capture the book’s essence, and it all seemed like low-effort cramming of a spectacular novel into a below-average film.
7. The Time Traveler’s Wife (2009)
- Image Credit: Warner Bros. Pictures.
The book is a blend of sci-fi and romance about a man with a unique disorder that causes him to travel through time and how he tries to navigate falling in love. While the movie showcased the events listed in the book, they’re simply dull and weren’t executed in a way that captured the heartfelt moments from the book.
8. The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones (2013)
- Image Credit: Entertainment One.
In The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones, Clary, a seemingly ordinary girl, finds herself in the world of shadow hunters. However, with big novels like these, the movie always seems lackluster. The entire thing feels like a basic fantasy movie, with unimportant parts in the book being given more screen time rather than crucial milestones that should have been highlighted.
9. The Giver (2014)
- Image Credit: The Weinstein Company.
The Giver is a movie rendition of Lois Lowry’s 1993 novel that paints a dystopian world where the underlying meaning is individuality in the conforming world. While the set design was spot-on, the movie’s visuals took away from the characters, who viewers felt were empty shells of what they could’ve been.
10. Eragon (2006)
- Image Credit: 20th Century Fox.
Eragon’s fans hated the corny adaptation of one of their favorite books, with reason. The movie’s ending did not match the book; it poorly represented Arya, who was crucial in the novel, and the terrible acting took away from the entire plot. The budget for the movie was too low for producers to take such a popular book and turn it into something that would do it justice.
11. Love, Rosie (2014)
- Image Credit: Lionsgate.
With a measly 32% Rotten Tomatoes rating, Love, Rosie was just not it. The movie is about two best friends, separated by distance, fighting for love. However, the original book, Where Rainbows End by Cecelia Ahern, reads very differently than the film. The film adaptation missed out on tacky jokes and quirky one-liners that create a specific atmosphere. The end result seems soapy and predictable at best.
12. Vampire Academy (2014)
- Image Credit: The Weinstein Company.
While The Vampire Academy isn’t exactly the most complex book in literature, it’s fun for people who enjoy vampire and fantasy-based storylines. The movie couldn’t do it justice because the visuals were terrible, and the acting was even worse. An hour and 40 minutes long, the film seems more like an informational documentary than an enthralling paranormal romance.
13. Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children (2016)
- Image Credit: 20th Century Fox.
Although the movie was visually spectacular, the random plot changes left fans needing clarification about the decisions. For example, the powers of the magical children Emma and Olivia were swapped, which was entirely unnecessary and didn’t really make much sense. It caused an uproar among the fans who enjoyed the personality these powers brought to the original characters in the novel.
14. The Girl On The Train (2016)
- Image Credit: Universal Pictures.
With a Rotten Tomatoes rating of 44%, The Girl on The Train’s movie adaptation left fans divided. While some enjoyed the film, many quickly pointed out discrepancies from the source material. The original psychological thriller was about a woman who tries to solve a mystery after witnessing a shocking moment on the train. The adaptation didn’t hit the target when trying to capture that feeling
15. Divergent Series: Allegiant (2016)
- Image Credit: Lionsgate.
Even if you haven’t read the Divergent series, you’ve probably seen these books lined up in stores. While the earlier adaptations in the series were much better, this film didn’t live up to its predecessors. It was so bad, in fact, that the second part was scrapped completely. Many believe its hurried release contributed to the lack of a solid plot, making the movie seem like a fragmented rendition of the original novels.
READ MORE FROM US
