Best Comic to Film Adaptation...I know that's a polarizing opinion

Rating: 10/10 (3 October 2007)

I am a well-read guy, in comics and literature, and I watch and make and own a lot of films, and I can confidently say I disagree with you. This movie knew what it was, pure popcorn comic book style family entertainment. It was able to take me back to being a kid again, something that none of the Spider-Man or X-Men movies were able to do. It reminded me of watching hours of cartoons as a kid and I mean that as the highest compliment. I know the first Fantastic Four film was terrible and poorly conceived, but this one really nailed it. It was tight, didn't stray from the narrative it was trying to tell, and kept to the main characters. I was constantly entertained and amazed by the performances, the witty banter and the amazing visual effects. I did not go into this movie expecting to like it. I am a cynic when it comes to film, I can pick apart Schindler's List or Gladiator to death. But not this film, it had a youthful spirit and energy and did not take itself seriously at all. I had a wonderful time watching this movie and again watching it twice on DVD. I don't know if it's a love it or hate it situation, but I loved it. I would recommend it to kids of all ages and comic book fans looking for that one movie that doesn't take the source material and try and turn it into Shakespeare. Not that there's anything wrong with Hamlet(especially the Branagh adaptation) or Romeo & Juliet(the Olivia Hussey one), or Macbeth. It's just that Spider-Man, Daredevil, Superman to some extent and X-Men have all tried to make us believe they are something they aren't and that takes the fun out of them. I don't include Batman in here because I believe that the story of Batman and the film adaptation in "Begins" is complex and articulate and I still found it thoroughly entertaining. But the point is these aren't hard stories to tell, and I like my authors to be straightforward with what they are trying to get across, which is why I'm such a big fan of this film, entertaining from beginning to end. Made me forget that I'm such a film cynic. 10/10