Awesome Adaptations is a weekly bookish meme, hosted at Alisa Selene’s books blog, Picturemereading. Anyone can play along! Each week there is a new category of adaptation to blog about. Any format (television series, film, web series, etc.) is acceptable as long as it is based in some form on a book. If you’re playing along on your own blog, just mention Picturemereading in your post and include the banner above. Let them know which film you’d pick and why it is an awesome adaptation worth watching. Oh, and don’t forget to share the link to your own post in the comments for that week’s challenge so that everyone can read your thoughts!
An awesome adaptation of a comic book
Loosely Adapted from X-Men: First Class by Marvel Comics
I'm not a big comic book reader - and I'm only marginally more of a superhero movie watcher, so I can't really speak for what makes this film an awesome adaptation of the comic (I haven't read it), but more about what makes this an awesome film, especially when I think of the previous installments.
First of all, it stars James McAvoy and Michael Fassbender. Win. Win. With comics, I've generally found the character development to be a little vaguer and the plot a little one-dimensional, but this film turns the characters and plot into an intricate and believable origin story for Professor X and Magneto. The gritty and tragic opening scene with a young Erik who is torn away from his mother and forced to exhibit his mutant power already sets up an incredibly compelling and emotional backstory to Magneto's later actions and ideology. Erik's friendship with Charles Xavier is seemingly unlikely as they have such different backgrounds, but ultimately touching - especially to see how much Charles helps Erik. I do so love stories that focus on incredible friendships.
I also really enjoyed the introduction of so many new mutants and the training they went through to control their powers. Stories about kids with special powers in schools are appealing, aren't they? It's difficult to introduce so many new characters in one film, but I felt like most of the characters had a good amount of screen time, and the audience is really invested in their story and when they can work together in the end it's a momentous reveal. Weaving the story into real-life historical events also helps add depth to the story and the characters while also addressing some interesting social issues. Overall, I think this film is so awesome because it is a wonderfully told story with solid, engaging characters and emotional depth.
And they are making a sequel! With McAvoy, Fassbender, Ian McKellan and Patrick Stewart! All in one film!! This could make me a huge X-Men fan. :)
An awesome adaptation of a comic book
Title: X-Men First Class
I'm not a big comic book reader - and I'm only marginally more of a superhero movie watcher, so I can't really speak for what makes this film an awesome adaptation of the comic (I haven't read it), but more about what makes this an awesome film, especially when I think of the previous installments.
First of all, it stars James McAvoy and Michael Fassbender. Win. Win. With comics, I've generally found the character development to be a little vaguer and the plot a little one-dimensional, but this film turns the characters and plot into an intricate and believable origin story for Professor X and Magneto. The gritty and tragic opening scene with a young Erik who is torn away from his mother and forced to exhibit his mutant power already sets up an incredibly compelling and emotional backstory to Magneto's later actions and ideology. Erik's friendship with Charles Xavier is seemingly unlikely as they have such different backgrounds, but ultimately touching - especially to see how much Charles helps Erik. I do so love stories that focus on incredible friendships.
I also really enjoyed the introduction of so many new mutants and the training they went through to control their powers. Stories about kids with special powers in schools are appealing, aren't they? It's difficult to introduce so many new characters in one film, but I felt like most of the characters had a good amount of screen time, and the audience is really invested in their story and when they can work together in the end it's a momentous reveal. Weaving the story into real-life historical events also helps add depth to the story and the characters while also addressing some interesting social issues. Overall, I think this film is so awesome because it is a wonderfully told story with solid, engaging characters and emotional depth.
And they are making a sequel! With McAvoy, Fassbender, Ian McKellan and Patrick Stewart! All in one film!! This could make me a huge X-Men fan. :)
I love this film! I do love the comic books as well..though I think the first three films of the X-men series don't do them justice! I love the Phoenix saga in particular, it is so exciting and sad!
ReplyDeleteAs for Fassbender, he manages to look dignified even when wearing Magneto's stupid helmet LOL I think that says something to his talent as an actor!
I should read the comics- probably out of all the superheroes X-Men appeal to me the most! LOL and Fassbender can definitely work most any outfit. He even looked good dressed in drag in that X-Men deleted scene! :)
Delete