Words and Pictures

You ever notice how movies based on comics could be a lot better? I know that this isn't really a revelation here, but come on! How hard is it people? It should be the easiest literary source to adapt since comics are written and drawn in a cinematic style. The fact that comics are created in this manner has actually begun to be seen as hindrance by some, and artists such as Chris Ware are trying to push comics into different directions. So you would think that the makers of the movies would turn to the source material and basically use it as a storyboard, right? Nope. In fact, it seems like whoever is behind these movies either has never read the original comics, has disdain for them, or for some reason thinks that they can "improve" them in some way.

There are exceptions, I grant you. Sin City for example was taken straight from the comics. Every shot was a frame from Frank Miller's work. In fact, Robert Rodriguez used the comics so much, he gave Miller a co-director credit. And it looked great. As much as I liked it, though, I think that it went too far in the other direction and actually stayed too close to the source material. Therefore, a lot of the dialogue, which works great on the page, came across a bit cheesy in the movie.

What I'm asking for is a happy medium. Think of it as though you were adapting something else, like a play for instance. Certain things about plays make them great for adapting into movies, but plays are also limited in ways movies are not. For example, a play can't have close-ups or be edited to change a performance, whereas a movie can. So, in general, when adapting a play into a movie, the screenwriter and/or director will take the strengths of the film medium and essentially infuse them into the play (and before anyone brings it up, yes, I've seen Rope, and you know as well as I do it is the exception to the rule.) I just don't understand why comic book movies can't be made this way, taking what is good about both mediums and creating something that transcends both.

Now, before everyone starts saying that I hate comic book movies, I just want to say that that couldn't be farther from the truth. I really like several comic book movies. I greatly enjoyed Spider -Man I & II, X-Men I & II, Superman I & II, The Hulk, Sin City, and Batman Begins. Hell, I own most of them. But they're not great movies. Superman I comes the closest, but it's still not a great movie. As much as I like Batman Begins, does anyone want to argue that it's in same league with Nolan's previous two movies, Memento and Insomnia? Didn't think so. There is no reason that the filmmakers or the audience should feel that we should lower our expectations because it's based on a comic book. If a kung fu flick can grow up enough to be nominated for Best Picture, why not a comic book movie? Watch Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon and tell me that their kung fu isn't essentially a super power.

There are seriously only two movies that came close to doing what I'm talking about. The first is actually one my all-time favorite movies, and that's American Splendor. It's really a great movie that uses the full potential of the film medium. The movie presents the protagonist, Harvey Pekar, to the audience through an actor, an animated version, and even documentary-style footage of the actual Harvey Pekar. Absolute genius. However, this movie doesn't count, because it's not really a comic book movie. The comic American Splendor is autobiographical, and therefore based on real life, which means that's what the movie is based on. This probably would have also disqualified From Hell, had that actually been a good movie.

The second movie is Sam Mendes' Road To Perdition. The movie looked great, had a couple of great performances, and was pretty well received. The problem is, it just didn't do it for me. And I'll have to make the same argument I did for Nolan, and say that as good as Perdition may have been, it's no American Beauty. And besides that, the movie almost tried to hide that it was based on a comic book, therefore lending no more respect or recognition to the art form.

My big fear with all of this is that there will never be a great comic book movie. Since there seems to be a new one coming out every week, there is bound to be a saturation point. And as they slowly take strides to be better movies, the clock is ticking. For every Batman Begins, which really took the subject matter seriously, there's a Fantastic Four, an Elektra, and a Daredevil.

But there is hope. A History of Violence comes out next month, and it was nominated for the Golden Palm at Cannes. Maybe, just maybe comic book movies are growing up. Now, if only we could get a Watchmen movie made...