Reginald Fairfield
Senior Member
This is a thing now. I'm not as familiar with the source material. Some people online aren't optimistic.
Disney's Artemis Fowl
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I am a huge fan of the Artemis Fowl series, and have always wondered if & when they’d make it into a film, so I was cautiously excited when I heard about this. When they released the teaser a year or so ago, I was intrigued, but not completely sold...
...and now I’m just confused. It’s one thing to make minor changes between books and their film adaptations; it’s often a necessity to make the movie enjoyable by everyone, not just those who have read the book. But all I could think when I watched this was “Am I remembering the books right?” because nothing made sense.
Those who have read the books recently (I haven’t in a long time), am I misremembering? What’s with the hidden lair? Why are Artemis and Holly teaming up right away - he KIDNAPPED her in the first book!? Why is his dad featured so heavily, since by the start of the first book he’s already missing? Why is Artemis normal and not an evil(ish) boy genius?
I’m definitely still going to go see it, but I unfortunately don’t have high hopes...
...and now I’m just confused. It’s one thing to make minor changes between books and their film adaptations; it’s often a necessity to make the movie enjoyable by everyone, not just those who have read the book. But all I could think when I watched this was “Am I remembering the books right?” because nothing made sense.
Those who have read the books recently (I haven’t in a long time), am I misremembering? What’s with the hidden lair? Why are Artemis and Holly teaming up right away - he KIDNAPPED her in the first book!? Why is his dad featured so heavily, since by the start of the first book he’s already missing? Why is Artemis normal and not an evil(ish) boy genius?
I’m definitely still going to go see it, but I unfortunately don’t have high hopes...
Reginald Fairfield
Senior Member
An article says the movie combines the first and second book, and takes out the fairy kidnapping scene. The passionate comment section from the trailer doesn't seem to like that the lead kid is now a fencer and a surfer dude. Also they don't like who the villain is now. The closed captioning says the short, hooded abductor of Artemis's father is Opal.
Same here. Loved the books in school. It was like a new Harry Potter when the books were done.
I don't trust Disney to make it good, most of their films are completely devoid of magic or creativity.
Alienfish
:3
Yeah and rather making it like their old things like a kids movie but adults can watch it too it has to be family friendly and politically correct like.. please no. I'd rather have someone actually into the books who can make good fantasy make it tbh.
Disney loves "safe" directors who do as they're told. Look how many people had been fired by Kathleen Kennedy mid-production. They don't take risks.
Should have been a British production, IMO.
Reginald Fairfield
Senior Member
We are starting to get profanity laced reviews. Spoilers ahead if you care.
mayortiffany
Senior Member
I remember really loving the books as a kid, but I can't remember anything about the books now? I remember really liking Holly, but I can't remember who she is... I guess I didn't love those books as much as I thought. I would check Artemis Fowl out anyways, if I had Disney+!
I think one of the things people forget about book to movie adaptations is that they are not solely meant to be targeted towards their fans. Especially for something that's not currently big, as the last novel was released in 2012 (8 years ago!), aiming the movie solely at fans isn't going to be a great commercial move.
The difficulty with a fantasy series like Artemis Fowl is that not only do the filmmakers have to make the movie interesting and comply to the source material to a certain extent, but they have to quickly familiarize their viewers to the fantasy world (the majority of whom may have never heard of it before) and make them invested in it.
It's also tough to be working with any kid's novel whilst wanting to make a movie that can reach beyond kids (which I feel this movie is trying to do), because you have to balance making a movie that's appropriate to that age range whilst hopefully keeping adults invested as well. Taking on Artemis Fowl as a movie is already a risk for a studio, I feel.
I think one of the things people forget about book to movie adaptations is that they are not solely meant to be targeted towards their fans. Especially for something that's not currently big, as the last novel was released in 2012 (8 years ago!), aiming the movie solely at fans isn't going to be a great commercial move.
The difficulty with a fantasy series like Artemis Fowl is that not only do the filmmakers have to make the movie interesting and comply to the source material to a certain extent, but they have to quickly familiarize their viewers to the fantasy world (the majority of whom may have never heard of it before) and make them invested in it.
It's also tough to be working with any kid's novel whilst wanting to make a movie that can reach beyond kids (which I feel this movie is trying to do), because you have to balance making a movie that's appropriate to that age range whilst hopefully keeping adults invested as well. Taking on Artemis Fowl as a movie is already a risk for a studio, I feel.
