In the book-lover community, a favorite pastime is critiquing the screen adaptations of fan-favorite books. Often readers find themselves comparing the book to the film, and ending up somewhere in the middle trying to figure out if it meets the criteria for a good or bad adaptation.
To say that a screen adaptation is controversial is an understatement, which is why this list of 10 worst book-to-movie adaptations in the last 10 years hit the mark on the head. Sometimes, no matter how highly anticipated, there is just something off about the adaptation, making it hard to watch. Some of these films on the list were even difficult to get to the end of. But the pace is not the only thing that has landed these films on the list of worst adaptations, it could also be a lack of central chemistry between the cast, or difficulty to understand as a viewer.
Surely any book lover is happy to make their own list of worst adaptations, so consider this inspiration for your own with what Fully Booked considers to be 10 of the worst book-to-screen adaptions in the last 10 years.
10. Death On The Nile By Agatha Christie
One of Agatha Chistie’s most beloved books of all time was butchered in the 2022 film adaptation. It doesn’t make a lot of sense as the cinematography is perfect, the accuracy of the plot is spot on and it even features an all-star cast; what went wrong?
In an attempt to create a 1930s vibe, actors’ performances came off as staged and fake which most likely reflected a directorial creative choice gone bad. While they were clearly aiming for the cultural attitudes reflected in similar time-piece films such as The Great Gatsby, it just didn’t work and made the film feel very rigid.
9. The Perfect Find by Tia Williams
Tia Williams is a viral author, first with The Perfect Find and then with 7 Days in June, which made Reese Witherspoon’s Book Club list. Unfortunately, this highly anticipated Netflix release was a total flop. The central romance is between a woman in her 40s and her much young co-worker (who happens to be her boss’s son), lacks utter internet and chemistry.
It is a sham, that the star Gabrielle Union is a hotshot actor but she nor her co-lead Keith Powers were able to fill the shoes of passion that their literary characters stand in. This film was essentially impossible to finish.
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8. Where The Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens
One of the best books of 2018, Where The Crawdads Sing was a highly anticipated film adaption in 2022. It is hard to explain what happened, but the film just lacks the sense of excitement that the book embodies. There is nothing essentially wrong with the film, except it is boring and does not do justice to the riveting and heart-strings-pulling novel.
Another flaw is the casting. Aside from a few well-cast characters, many of the actors are not convincing in their roles, making it hard to feel convinced by the plot.
7. Bones And All By Camille DeAngelis
Just about anything that Timonthee Chalamet does gets a lot of media attention, but if you will remember this film quickly disappeared after its release in 2023. You may not have even known that it is based on a book, and from what critics are saying, this is a situation where one should read the book and not bother with the film.
The main reason this movie didn’t do well is essentially nothing happened from start to finish, except two young people (who are cannibals…) have a passionate and wild joyride – but that is about it. The film lacks the art of storytelling that is captured in the novel.
6. Blonde by Joyce Carol Oates
While Ana De Armas’s depiction of Marilyn Monroe was without a doubt phenomenal, this movie should never have seen the light of day. When watching the trailer, one thinks that it will be incredible – the costumes, the sets, and the cast, all make for a journey into the past and a sneak peek into an idol’s dark side.
However, the director Andrew Dominik made some “creative” cinematic choices to put it nicely that destroyed what the film stands for. Not to mention misogynistic lines, scenes, and overall portrayal of Marilyn Monroe in a negative light. Defendants of the film say it was made with feminist intentions, but it is received as completely the opposite and just cringy to watch.
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5. Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer
Artemis Fowl as a character is loved by his fans for being an antihero. In the films, his character is so diluted that he doesn’t stand out as the main character. The plot of the saga reflects his character development, which is completely lacking in the film adaptation.
On top of poor character development, the film changed essential elements of the book that make it what it is. This combination of mistakes is pretty much the worst possible one for a film adaptation.
4. The Gray Man by Mark Greaney
The Gray Man is another film you may not have known is based on a novel of the same name. This is a situation where the action in the book makes a lot more sense than the movie. Action and adventure as a genre don’t have a reputation for being easy to follow, but The Gray Man just leaves viewers confused and trying to remember who is fighting who.
However, the novel is a fun action read, and definitely worth a spot on your reading list.
3. The Stars At Noon by Denis Johnson
The Stars At Noon is a riveting romance-thriller, set in Nicaragua in 1984. A stranded American journalist and a British businessman find themselves on the run from the same people, as they try to escape a war-torn country.
The film modernizes this conflict, putting the characters in mid-pandemic Nicaragua. While Margaret Quallley’s performance is excellent, her romantic counterpart played by Joe Alwyn lacks excitement. As the exciting and chaotic romance is the center of the film and the actors just lack chemistry, it is hard to believe the storyline and overall messaging.
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2. Enola Holmes by Nancy Springer
Enola Holmes might be less famous than the Sherlock Holmes series, which is a central aspect of the films, but the books were just better. These stories have so much to offer for young adult sleuthing as well as positive young female representation in the mystery genre for modern young people, but the plot of the films is incredibly slow.
It is so slow, it makes you want to turn it off. It is a shame, considering the great weight this character and story hold in many people’s hearts as well as the all-star cast of not one, but two Netflix orginals.
1. Percy Jackson And The Olympians by Rick Riordan
As with any major saga, it is almost impossible to please the fans when making a screen adaptation, but this film seemed to completely flop with its followers. Book lovers and the author alike all claimed the movies did not properly represent the books. From making major changes to the plot, as well as misrepresenting the characters, it was like watching a completely different story.
If all of that wasn’t bad enough, the overall tone of the film series was just not catching the essence so beloved by Percey Jackson fans. If you were even considering getting into this saga, just stick to the books and your own vivid imagination.
