So it’s true, I’m the first, I’m going to allow myself to yell until I lose my voice against producers attracted only by money who, to make sure to fill their pockets, prefer to ruin some of the most iconic comics of our childhood. or Graphic Novels that we love when there are lots of original scenarios that are left on the floor every year. This asshole sentence having been said in the preamble, I suggest you see some of the times when the exercise was successful and where the basic work was respected, as with the best series adapted from comics. For more joy we are going to compile in this top Franco-Belgian comics, a little Manga, Graphic Novel and even a little comics (and we are going to leave superhero films aside because we are talking about them already a lot).
1. Akira
It was rather complicated to adapt this long and compact work into a film of less than two hours, and it was done at the expense of a lot of passages, it must be admitted. However, the manga literally made the genre shine worldwide at a time when mainstream Western readers did not yet have this privilege, and the film greatly contributed to all that as well. Not to mention that the animation is wonderful (but still read the original work, it’s even better).
2. Old Boy
So be careful, we are talking about the adaptation of Park Chan Wook, not the American version which we should never talk about. The director managed to kill two birds with one stone: not only was it a good adaptation but it was also cinematographically grandiose. Two reasons to see this film without delay, not to mention the acting, the music, and the memory of the many octopuses eaten during filming.
3. Asterix and Obelix: Cleopatra mission
So yes, comic book purists will go so far as to say that it’s probably the least faithful film to the comic book universe and that the first installment was closer to it, but whether you like it or not it’s still the better. Not only does it honor the basic material but also demonstrates that the work sticks impeccably to Alain Chabat’s humor. We have never done better since and it is likely that it will not happen.
4. Watchmen
Considered by many to be Zack Snyder’s best film, Watchmen sticks to the original score quite well until the final slightly changed (but ultimately quite close in idea). It’s violent, immoral, well filmed, well paced… In short, a nice tribute to the basic comics that Snyder had already succeeded in adapting the comic book box by box 300.
5. Paths of Perdition
Say what you want about Sam Mendes but this motherfucker can make movies and if we watch The paths of perdition we can undeniably say that it is a beautiful adaptation and an excellent film. It must be said that the basic material lent itself well to the transition to the screen, being already very cinematographic in its cutting. Then there’s Tom Hanks who is nice to everyone, and just for that you have to see him.
6. A history of Violence
Please note the film is aptly named, we do not see an hour and a half chess game if you know what I mean. As for The paths of perditionthe basic graphic novel was literally an invitation to film adaptation as the script and framing lent themselves to an animated image, which good old David Cronenberg respected by giving us a very cool film.
7. Persepolis
After the success of her comic strip, Marjane Satrapi herself decided to show it on the big screen while animated, and the exercise is successful since the two works tell the same story wrapped up in similar graphics.
8. The Adventures of Tintin: The Secret of the Unicorn
After thirty years of seeking to obtain the rights to adapt the famous comic strip, Steven Spielberg finally succeeded in 2011 by launching the first part of a trilogy that he was to produce with Peter Jackson. The problem is that the film did not necessarily do well in the United States, which does not leave the possibility of a sequel in abeyance. However, the film is rather faithful to Hergé’s comics and does justice to his universe.
9. Kick Ass
The comics arrived like a tidal wave by recovering the concept of superheroes and cleverly playing with the codes of the genre to make fun of it, which the director of the film totally understood and decided to keep as is. to make it this cinematographic UFO which has nothing to envy to the film Spirou and Fantasio for example. But like really, really nothing to envy at all.
10. Scott Pilgrim
There where Scott Pilgrim manages to become a very good adaptation is that it completely embraces the cartoonish side of the basic comics while transcribing it in a “realistic” world, which gives rather original and well thought out visual effects which punctuate the different confrontations of Scott against his many rivals. In addition, the film has a super tough fan community and I don’t want to get angry with them.
11. Snowpiercer
Whether you liked it or not, the adaptation of the French comic by Bong Joon-ho is relatively faithful and transcribes rather well the atmosphere that one could imagine by turning the pages of the original work. Obviously the film was not appreciated by everyone but for my part I had a better time watching it than before Billy and Buddy for example.
12. Sin City
You would have had the right to throw rotten fruit at me in the public square if I hadn’t spoken at least about the adaptation of Sin City by Robert Rodríguez. The filmmaker captured the universe well with his camera, supported by Franck Miller himself, and delivered to us one of the most beautiful graphic novel adaptations in the 2000s with impeccable color management and moments ” wherever you hide your eyes because it’s disgusting” as my nephew would say.
13. Hell Boy
Guillermo Del Toro’s adaptation (we’re not talking about the other weird thing with the guy from Stranger Things) was relatively faithful to the comics and went really well with the visual universe of the director, which always brings something more as for Scott Pilgrim. Well then, we’re not going to lie to each other, it wasn’t the filmmaker’s best film either.
14. Marsupilami
Yeah I want to put it in the top, so what? Ok, it wasn’t Chabat’s best film but in truth it’s rather faithful to Franquin’s work. It was nice to see someone try to put that on a screen and even nicer to have Chabat do it.
15. V for Vendetta
Filming a work by Alan Moore is not obvious, even God did not risk himself on the project, and taking V for Vendetta was not the easiest choice, but the Wachowski sisters risked it and it gave an adaptation which had its success. Well, we see more action scenes in slow motion than the very essence of the basic work which was much more literary but that was already it I imagine.