The 5 Worst Examples Of Deviating From The Source Material

The 5 Worst Examples Of Deviating From The Source Material

My second article in the "Source Material Deviation" series Here's my Top 5 Worst. I've decided not to go with the obvious ones (Deadpool in X-Men Origins: Wolverine for example) so some of my picks may just surprise you!

Editorial Opinion
By Woodinator - Apr 04, 2013 08:04 AM EST
Filed Under: Other


When it comes to source material deviations in a CBM there's really only two ways that can turn out; AWESOME! or HORRIBLE.

I have compiled here a list of Top 5 WORST CBM source material deviations. This follow up list should show that changing the content from the comics isn't always a bad thing... but somethings are better left alone.


DISCLAIMER: This article will not showcase those that immediately come to mind (like those shown above). I feel like those are too obvious and to easy of a target. What you will find below is a list of the Top 5 Worst Deviations that occurred in an otherwise descent film... sometimes they ruin the experience completely while other times they are just really bad backwash in the bottom of an otherwise tasty brew. You be the Judge as to which is which.

#1) A VILLAINLESS WANTED


The Source: In the comics we get to see the indoctrination of Wesley into a secret society of Super-villains... He revels in the experience and loves being a bad guy.


The Film Deviation: In the film we get to see the indoctrination of Wesley into a secret society of necessary assassins who are keeping the balance of the world via some secret loom of fate... Wesley enjoys it until he figures out that they are corrupt at which time he blows them up with rats.


Where It Fails: One of the only things that Millar's work has going for it is that he looks at the flip side of things (i.e. - A loser with no backbone or skills becomes a hero [KICKASS], What if Batman was a villain? [NEMESIS], ETC...). that's what made WANTED so awesome. It gave its readers a chance to delve into our dark side and dream about what we would do if we were the badguys. The changes in the film stole the entire point of the book.

Still A Good Flick?: Wanted was a good film it just failed to capture the point of the source material. I try not to think about the book when watching the film, I think it hurts the enjoyment of the movie.
Descent film... Bad Adaption

#2) I AM... SURVIVOR?!


The Source: The ending of the comic was dramatic and deep. It explains the Title. the lead character sits alone in his house as the creatures begin to attack... he begins to realize that there will never be a cure. He realizes that these creatures are the new normal. He remembers pulling them from their homes and running tests on them... He remembers the fear in their eyes... and he realizes that he has become the boogeyman, these creatures will tell scary stories about him to their children and their children's children... he realizes that he has become a legend.

...and then he blows his own head off.


The Film Deviation: In the film we get a plain old hollywood ending where the main character isn't even really "the last" human and he escapes to continue to look for a cure.


Where It Fails: Ummm... It completely robs the story of its meaning as well as nullifying the title itself.

Still A Good Flick?: Not really. It was an intriguing film... all the way up to the end. If you are going to have a slow paced film that gradually sucks in your audience you'd better pay up with a great ending. I really believe that the proper ending could have saved the film but instead we got a slow paced pointless popcorn flick and the popcorn was stale.

#3) KICKASS GETS THE GIRL?!


The Source: A lowly nerd puts on a costume and decides to be a super hero. While said superhero is not in costume he can be found fawning over a hot girl that is waaaay out of his league. During this adventure he takes on another disguise; a gay guy. He does so in hoping that it will allow him to get closer to the girl. For all of his handwork he gets B!+C# slapped after revealing his true identity to the girl.


The Film Deviation: A lowly nerd puts on a costume and decides to be a super hero. While said superhero is not in costume he can be found fawning over a hot girl that is waaaay out of his league. During this adventure he takes on another disguise; a gay guy. He does so in hoping that it will allow him to get closer to the girl. For all of his hard work he gets bang her repeatedly after revealing his true identity to the girl (and apparently after she FORGETS how FRICKIN' creepy his tactics really were!).

Where It Fails: KickAss is a loser. He doesn't win. He gets hospitalized, busted up, treated like dirt, and in the end when the day is saved (by HitGirl); he's still a loser who ends his story by going home only to walk in on his Dad banging some large black woman on the sofa.

Now, I could ignore Nic Cage's horrible interpretation of BigDAddy's character. I could even forget that the BigDaddy backstory was raped of its true purpose. Hell, I could even get over that stupid freaking jetpack... But when the loser hero gets the girl in the end, I just feel like the movie over "Hollywood-ized" the story to make people feel good at the end which totally misses the point of the story!

Still A Good Flick?: I have to admit, the movie is still a fun watch (and I am looking forward to the sequel). However, (much like Wanted) it lacks the message and "ride" that you got as you read the book.

#4) BANE WHO?


The Source: Bane is an incredibly intelligent, powerful, manipulative, calculated, overwhelmingly strong, venom fueled, back breaking, shot caller who single handedly removed Gotham's beloved Batman from the superhero game for almost a year!


The Film Deviation: Bane is a seemingly smart (but really a puppet), seemingly powerful (but really he just has powerful friends), manipulated, able to orchestrate someone else's calculated plan, pretty strong guy with a morphine drip gas mask, back breaking, yes man followed orders from a chick who used him to remove Gotham's beloved Batman from the superhero game for about 15 minutes! (OK, that last part was an exaggeration.)


Where It Fails: If you remove Bane's name from the character that Tom Hardy played in TDKR, there would be nothing left of the Bane character. Nolan's Bane is "Bane" in name only. Bane's appearance is changed for the film. Bane's back-story is changed for the film. His role in "breaking the Bat" is changed for the film. His "powers" or "abilities" are changed for the film. Where I come from that makes him a totally different character.

Nolan's "Bane" should have had a name change. If he had just named him something else I would be crediting him with creating a really good original character instead of fuming over the robbing of my favorite Batman villain's name.


Still A Good Flick?: Despite the plot holes and the improperly named original character... the movie is still a great watch. i personally don't think it attained the beauty of TDK but it was and is a good movie.

#5) WATCHMEN ENDING ISSUES


The Source: Oz's underlying plan is to save humanity from impending Atomic war between the United States and Soviet Union by faking an alien invasion in New York City using his bio engineered monster, which then annihilates half the city's population. He hopes this will unite the nations against a perceived common enemy. Part of this plan included using tachyons to limit Dr Manhattan's powers so that his plan would not unravel.


The Film Deviation: Oz decides to not just limit Manhattan's ability to thwart his plan but instead frames him for New York's destruction.


Where It Fails: By eliminating the bio engineering aspect of the story there is one very big tiger shaped hole in the story. Bumbastis (Oz's bio engineered pet tiger like creature) makes no sense in the story! Why did they even include him?!?!! If Oz never delves into bio engineering then who created this bizarre creature?

Still A Good Flick?: It is still a masterpiece. The problem I have is not (necessarily) the changes to who the perceived "common enemy is but more so on the fact that if you are going to make such a drastic change at least take the time to see what other elements of the story your change affects.
Would I have prefered the book ending? Yes (especially in a film that is almost translated panel for panel)
Does it ruin the film? I don't think so.


Well, that's my list, what's yours?

Be sure to check out the first article in this series: Click Here for The Top 5 BEST Source Material Deviations

Until next time, Woodinator
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fortycals
fortycals - 4/4/2013, 9:04 AM
In kickass I think the bigger deviation from the story was the rapage of Big daddy's origin. Dave getting the girl was different but ok in my book, because it makes for the whole, regular guy turning hero, and the hero gets the girl. Big Daddies true origin went along with the overall theme(in the book) of the fanboys becoming heroes. In the book it makes BD look just plain crazy, and kind of like a bad guy himself. Lets face it, in the book, after the reveal, big daddy looked like a big ass crazy tool, who abused his daughter. In the movie his motivations are somewhat justified, and it takes away from the character without adding anything else. I still love the movie but Big Daddy's origin change was more hurtfull, than Dave getting the girl.
whoa123
whoa123 - 4/4/2013, 9:09 AM
I agree with @LEVI, if Bane had his venom, no one would be complaining, and why is everybody assuming that Bane was just a puppet? What if Bane helped Talia to construct the plan?

Anyways great article I really enjoyed reading this one and the first one. :)
TheLokey1
TheLokey1 - 4/4/2013, 9:18 AM
How about Dr. Doom being the black sheep member of the fantastic five? Or Galactus cloud? Or Super Skrull Torch? That whole franchise has been an epic fail of a deviation to the source material.
Spideyguy94
Spideyguy94 - 4/4/2013, 9:18 AM
Here's the thing about why the watchmen movie ending works. What matters more, the giant squid? Or ozymandias killing millions of people and getting away with it?
EdgyOutsider
EdgyOutsider - 4/4/2013, 10:31 AM
I really enjoyed Tom Hardy's portrayal of Bane, I'm gonna catch flack but even though Ledger's Joker is phenomenal, I preferred Hardy's Bane. More engaging to watch, IMO. Also, Watchmen is a very good movie but, a masterpiece? Snyder had a good script to work with. That's why it worked, that's also why Dawn of the Dead worked. Snyder is 98 percent crap with nothing but impressive visuals.
Woodinator
Woodinator - 4/4/2013, 10:40 AM
And this is why I led with my Top 5 best deviations. I knew I'd catch hell for my top 5 worst. LOL


As far as why any of the crazy FF stuff, Bane from Batman and Robin, etc...
Like I said at the beginning of the article: I didn't want to pick easy targets. I wanted to look at big mistakes made in pretty good movies. (Besides, I would need waaay more than a top 5 if I included Fox's abominations)
Woodinator
Woodinator - 4/4/2013, 10:50 AM
Levitikuz: Bane would need more than just Venom to be true to character... "To quote you: he needs to be smarter and stronger than batman". Nolan's Bane was neither.

Nolan's Bane was less true to his original character than Origin's Deadpool was to his source.

N. Bane - similarities: name, broke the bat (sort of). TOTAL: 2 (1 1/2 really)
O. Deadpool - similarities: name, has swords (sort of), was a smart mouth (first half of the film), teleported (even though it wasn't because of his belt as it should have been. TOTAL: 4 (2 1/2 really)

N.Bane was a good character, he just wasn't Bane.
Ocelot
Ocelot - 4/4/2013, 11:21 AM
@Woodinator he was stronger than batman, in the first fight between the two he manhandled batman, Batman was repeatedly punching him to no avail, Bane knocked off batman of the railings with one kick, he was also repeatedly throwing him about with one hand.

He was pretty smart aswell, the whole thing the nuclear physician, using that daggert guy for the bombs, the stock exchange plot etc
Jolt17
Jolt17 - 4/4/2013, 11:41 AM
Wow, this is quite a great write-up. To put it simply, there are well-thought, detailed valid points made above, and quite honestly there's some sort of depth in those points that I've never thought about before.

However; true, there are far worse deviations than Nolan's incarnation of Bane. I personally am able to tolerate the deviations made for the character, because I understand that Bane is not an easy character to be adapted to the big screen, and it's the universe's version of the character which at the very core - as LEVITIKUZ pointed above - remains fairly faithful to the material source. The makers' interpretation of the character's back-story and motive has a lot to do with their creativity in adapting the character, and by today, with the cinematic standard, creative decisions, plot necessity, et cetera, it has perhaps become rather inevitable to make radical changes toward characters. We've arguably seen one with the Joker in The Dark Knight (and it very well worked), and also Whiplash in Iron Man 2; we'll see another one with the Mandarin in Iron Man 3 (and it's just as drastic as Bane's), and I believe we'll see a lot more in the future. Also, about Bane's physical appearance...I don't know, really, but as an aspiring artist/designer, I'd say the changes are very well creative. Luchador mask, tubes, wrestling vest; they clearly aren't "friendly" materials to be implemented to a serious character on the big screen, and I'm glad that the creative team decides to depart from that for more intricate designs that actually work on screen.

I'd suggest some other ideas, such as Green Lantern's attempt to stick so close to the material sources it ended up deviating so far instead, Fantastic Four's Doctor Doom whose back-story and core of the character are completely taken away (despite his fairly faithful looks), and perhaps some others, but...well, this is your opinion after all, and even with my disagreement, I can still understand your way of view. And most of all, I can't complain so much anymore, as once again, this is a great read. Well done, and I hope you've got more editorials ready to come in the future!
Odin
Odin - 4/4/2013, 1:18 PM
If Bane had been named something else, everyone would just complaining that why isn't character named Bane when he could be.
RidiculousFanBoyDemands
RidiculousFanBoyDemands - 4/4/2013, 2:21 PM
I love how nobody bitches about how the Walking Dead and Game of Thrones deviates from its source material. Bottom line, is deviation can be a great thing, if I wanted everything to be exactly like the freaking comic book, I would read one.
marvel72
marvel72 - 4/4/2013, 3:15 PM
@ batmaniac

in the comics,the most recent whiplash anton vanko shared the same name as the original crimson dynamo,but the aren't related.

maybe that is why whiplash/crimson dynamo was in iron man 2.

@ RidiculousFanBoyDemands

i haven't read the books of game of thrones so i can't complain about game of thrones,but as for the walking dead i've been trying to catch up with the walking dead comic & i've just finished the prison story.

the thing i found with that story some of the shit that went down during it i don't think would be suitable for tv,they may of lost viewers if they did a straight adaption.
Woodinator
Woodinator - 4/4/2013, 3:21 PM
@Knight3000 I Agree

N. Bane was a better character than Baracapool, BY FAR!

I was simply stated from a deviation from source material Deadpool was closer to his source (which is comical since he is one of the WORST character adaptions to hit the screen)
superbatspiderman
superbatspiderman - 4/4/2013, 4:16 PM
I think that if they made a sequel to Wanted they can make it more comic book accurate by having the first movie be Wesley's origin and then the sequel could have more of the comic book characters in it.

I actually liked the movie ending to I am Legend better than the book's because the book's was kind of lame and strange. I mean in the book there was no hope for the world so he just kills himself. I find that to be kind of anti-climactic.

If you are going to put Bane in this list then you should put the Joker and every other Nolan character in this list because all of them deviate at least a little. I thought Bane was a brilliant character and they never really said he was just a lackey. I think that he led his men into Gotham to to create a plan then led the way for Talia to come in his the League of Shadows. I believe Bane was always separate from the league of shadows but he said he was with them to trick Batman so they wouldn't suspect Talia.

Again I kind of liked the ending of the movie Watchmen a little bit better than the book's because a faked alien invasion would not work well on screen. I liked the way it was on the movie.
MJPETTY7
MJPETTY7 - 4/4/2013, 4:36 PM
I really don't have a problem with TDKR's Bane, with the one issue being he was a "puppet" and not the main villain. That was upsetting.

As for Watchmen, I actually like the movie ending a lot better quite honestly. I always thought the ending to the book was a bit ridiculous for the story Moore was trying to tell... But that's just me.
CavEl
CavEl - 4/4/2013, 4:39 PM
You know, I'm starting to suspect that people don't know what plot holes are...
NewNameWhoDis
NewNameWhoDis - 4/4/2013, 4:54 PM
*decent
unknownfacts
unknownfacts - 4/4/2013, 4:54 PM
I believe the comic book deviations in Watchmen and Kick-Ass were for the general audience.It would be harder to explain being afraid of aliens invaders when you have a powerhouse like Dr. Manhattan to protect you. With Kick-Ass people respond better to boy gets girls after half baked plan fails instead of boy loses girl and gets explicit pic text from girl of her with her new boyfriend.I know it a big screw you to the fans but at the end of the day it all done to make money at the box office.
ArtisticErotic
ArtisticErotic - 4/4/2013, 5:35 PM
Kick-Ass the movie was better than Kick-Ass the comic.

FlixMentallo21
FlixMentallo21 - 4/4/2013, 5:52 PM
There is only one thing to blame for I Am Legend's ending--PHILLIPS-VISION (start at 4:42):
QuestionDAnswer
QuestionDAnswer - 4/4/2013, 5:56 PM
In the comics Bane stops using venom for a while, and is still an effective destroying machine.
writerguy1976
writerguy1976 - 4/4/2013, 6:55 PM
I agree with what many are saying, I didn't have a problem with the Bane in the movie. But I didn't like how the League of Shadows thing took away from Bane instead of added to his character. And I know Nolan wanted to make a more realistic character but there should have been a venom explanation in the movie.

I will ad one more adaptation that I didn't like and that was Lizard Man in Amazing Spider-Man. The character just didn't work. Kind of made him seem like a troll. I liked the Curt Connors parts of the movie but though Lizard Man was weak.

And just to ad my two cents Deadpool was horrible in the movie.
ATrueHero1987
ATrueHero1987 - 4/4/2013, 7:59 PM
When it comes to adapting a comic, do I expect it to be 100% faithful? No. That being said, it should be 85%-90% faithful.
yagami88
yagami88 - 4/4/2013, 8:07 PM
I disagree with Kick-Ass on the list. It actually made the film more like a superhero movie. Although the intention of the comic was "real-life" superhero tale, I liked the underdog got the girl. My List:

1. "Eragon" - Where to begin, Book series=AMAZING! Movie= why the hell did I waste an hour and a half of my life? EVERYTHING WAS WRONG! Oh, and the obvious, IT WAS MADE (and mande PG instead of PG13)

2. Deadpool in "Origins Wolverine" - Miscast and not enough screen time; needs to be more controversial and a badass.

3. "Hunger Games" - Movie overall was good, but would have been better with Hit-Girl or Saorsie(?) Ronan. Should have just made "Battle Royale"

4. "Batman and Robin" - Clooney as Bruce Wayne =FAIL, Nipples on BatSuits = FAIL (excpetion Batgirl, at least Alicia Silverstone was actually hot back then)

5. "Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance" Overall, OK film. Nevaldine/Taylor mangled the movie up bad. "Blackout was based ofgf the comic in looks only" WTF?! Oh, and Nicholas Cage=FAIL

I would LOVE to see a "Ghost Rider" reboot with, I don't know, JOSH DALLAS as JOHNNY BLAZE. If you don't know who he was, Fandral in the first "Thor" movie
churchgriff
churchgriff - 4/4/2013, 9:07 PM
Didn't I am Legend end with him blowing himself up with a hand grenade?
lucio7lopez
lucio7lopez - 4/4/2013, 9:21 PM
Bane was perfect in DKR.
GoddamnBatman
GoddamnBatman - 4/4/2013, 11:04 PM
I like the look of Whiplash in Iron Man2 but why was Anton Vanko dead within the first couple minutes and not Crimson Dynamo (arguably Starks arch-enemy).
DeadpoolVSPunisher
DeadpoolVSPunisher - 4/5/2013, 2:35 AM
I think it's funny to argue about I am Legend deviating from the "source" when you're talking about the comic and not the actual story (a masterpiece) that the comic deviated from. Food for thought.
EdgyOutsider
EdgyOutsider - 4/5/2013, 5:20 AM
KryptonianAbominationClone: You're right so, why do people attack Marc Webb then? It's his job translate what's on the script to the screen, why must people attack him? I'll make you a deal, when Snyder stops getting all the undeserved praise he gets is the day I stop attacking him. Not trying to be a dick but, it's true.
CRUSH
CRUSH - 4/5/2013, 5:34 AM
TANK GIRL....the whole movie.
AshleyWilliams
AshleyWilliams - 4/5/2013, 8:00 AM
I like it but the last two were better than the source material IMO.

The comic Kick-Ass tried too hard to be different. Millar tried to make it the opposite of the normal story. Not a fan of trying too hard.

The Giant Squid was always stupid.
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