For those who may not know, I am a full-blown bookworm.Â
I always have my nose buried in a book, whether it’s a cheesy romance novel or a philosophical memoir that explores life’s meaning. I’m really not picky.Â
What I am picky about, though, is book-to-movie adaptations. Adaptations can be an excellent way to make stories accessible to a wide audience. However, they have to be done right.Â
Books have certain aspects that aren’t always translatable on-screen: the characters’ inner monologues and the side plots that are too small to fit in a limited timeframe. Sometimes, even the main plot is adjusted to make it more visually appropriate for the big screen, leading to significant changes in character development and thematic depth compared to the original book.Â
Occasionally, the movies just don’t hit the same as the books. Different readers have different interpretations of the same story, and sometimes the movie doesn’t match the way I imagined.Â
One of the most prominent adaptation fails I have seen is Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief from 2010. Starring Logan Lerman as Percy and modeling Rick Riordan’s book The Lightning Thief, this movie made major changes to the overall plot and characters.Â
Fans of the series complained that the movie’s vibes just didn’t match the book’s. Rick Riordan had little say in the production of this movie, which explains the disconnect from page to screen. The film received a 48% on Rotten Tomatoes, highlighting just how unsuccessful the adaptation was.
If I had my way, every book-based movie would be at least five hours long and follow the story’s plotline word-for-word. Sadly, that’s just not feasible.
Movies often cut out key details from the book in the name of cinematic appeal. Personally, I think it’s stupid. Any avid reader will tell you they’d rather see an accurate screen depiction of their favorite book than a shortened version created to entertain the non-readers of the world.Â
Don’t get me wrong — plenty of adaptations are great.Â
I have been waiting ages for Project Hail Mary to hit theaters. After reading the Andy Weir sci-fi novel in high school, I couldn’t wait to see the adaptation. I had high hopes for the film, and the results were out of this world —pun intended.
The visuals were exactly how I pictured them, from the spaceships to the astrophage and even planet Adrian. Ryan Gosling’s portrayal of Ryland Grace was so accurate to the character I grew to love throughout the novel, and his dynamic with Rocky was authentic and hilarious.Â
This is one of the best adaptations I have seen in a long time. However, I still argue that the book is better. Besides the details that didn’t make the final cut, the book provides hidden insights into each character, giving them a depth that is easily missed on the big screen.Â
If you’re not a big reader, these criticisms may seem fussy. But this debate goes past pure preference.Â
Reading is education; it builds strong literacy skills, fosters imagination, and provides a creative outlet for stress management. Reading also develops empathy by encouraging readers to see the world through different perspectives.Â
Not only does reading cultivate these skills, but it’s also fun to do. One of my favorite screen-free pastimes is dedicating a whole afternoon to discovering a new coffee shop and getting immersed in my book. My friends and I love gossiping about the latest books we’ve read (and watching their movie adaptations, of course).Â
Yes, movies are fun and entertaining, but reading the books fulfills me in a way the Hollywood aesthetic just can’t. I fully support these adaptations — and you will see me at the release of Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping —but I advise you all to at least look into the paper versions of the stories first.Â
After all, who doesn’t want to be excessively educated?Â
Want to keep up with HCBU? Make sure to like us on Facebook, follow us on Instagram, check out our Pinterest board, watch us on TikTok, and read our latest Tweets!