I LOVE Alfonso Cuarón’s sci-fi action movie Children of Men. I’ve watched maybe six times and every time, the ending always almost brings me to tears. So when I learned it was adapted from P.D. James’ book of the same name, it was a no-brainer deciding what my next book would be.
After finishing the book, it wasn’t difficult to reach to the conclusion that I enjoyed the movie better.
While James’ book gives a more in-depth look at how human infertility and humanity’s slow death march towards extinction affects the sexual dynamic between men and women and almost demented ways humans try to cope with a world without children or a race of dead men walking, I feel the book dedicates WAY too much time describing the failing of human civilization and the Regrets and guilt of Theo Faron. It’s not even until after 2/3 through the book where it feels like the plot and story are properly paced and stuff of consequence actually begin to happen.
The film’s adaptation by, comparison, feels consistent in its pacing and the world building and woe-is-mes of Theo feel more compact a take up less of the audience’s time.
What books do you feel were worse than its film adaptation and why?
While I liked both, I liked The Hunt for Red October in movie form a lot more than I liked the book.
Agreed. And it’s the ONLY Clancy property that’s true of, as the books for Patriot Games, Clear and Present Danger, etc are fine but the books are better.
But Red October the film is a masterpiece. I watch it at least twice a year.
I will say this for the movie Clear And Present Danger, the rooftop assault scene that was added to the movie is still one of my top most tense action scenes!!