Why do most comic book films suck?

[criterionmaster]

Talk about comic book films in general. I always wonder how they can mess up comic book films so much, especially when the material to work with is so good (Fantastic Four). Some of them are good, so you can say what your favorite ones are too.

[captainofbeef]

I think its all about passion. Certain directors obviously have a passion for the source material and the films with those type of guys at the helm (Spiderman, first two X-Men) always seem to turn out better than films that just get made like any other action film like Daredevil and Hulk.

[PTAhole]

I HATE HATE HATE bad comic book movies. Stuff like Daredevil and Fantastic Four make me sick. (Hulk wasn't good, but it seemed like they at least tried.) To me, the first 100 issues of Fantastic Four are some of the best art (of any medium) of the 20th century. I'm not exaggerating, I think these books make me have to change pants ever few pages or so. The movie came out, and I was very excited, if only because I love the comics, but then I see it, and there's only one good thing about the whole movie (Michael Chicklis as the Thing was inspired casting). First of all, it's like 95 minutes, which is way too short for this kind of movie. Second, Doctor Doom was such a fucking pussy. Jessica Alba also sucked balls here, as did the fucks that played Reed and Johnny. From the trailer for the second one, it doesn't seem like they're going to improve it much. Plus, they'll fuck up Silver Surfer and Galactus, too.
There are good comic book movies, though. Superman, Batman, Batman Returns, Ghost World, Spider-Man, X-Men 2, Spider-Man 2, Sin City, Batman Begins, Superman Returns, and hopfully Spider-Man 3, are all great. Still, so many of my favorite characters are there on the screen being raped for 95 minutes.

[kiddo]

I think captain is into something here; it's basically a matter of passion. The passion has to be seen in connection with the material one make the movie out of, not the passion one can squeeze out of the final product. I think mainly this is the problem; too many directors/producers make these films because they know people will go see them. Too few make these films because they have a great passion for the story or any aspect of the comic-book at all.

[malicious32dll]

They really fucked up the punisher, ghost rider, etc...

[ie]

Doesn't Nick Cage have a passion for Ghost Rider?

[criterionmaster]

kiddo said:

I think captain is into something here; it's basically a matter of passion. The passion has to be seen in connection with the material one make the movie out of, not the passion one can squeeze out of the final product. I think mainly this is the problem; too many directors/producers make these films because they know people will go see them. Too few make these films because they have a great passion for the story or any aspect of the comic-book at all.

This is one of my most hated things, directors who make movies they actually don't want to make, or they want to make them for the wrong reasons (popularity, money, etc.). Hacks like Brett Ratner go onto a movie, do exactly everything that is common for what needs to be done, and adds nothing of his own. For comic book films, I really, really think nerds should be making the films. I mean people who genuinely love the comics, and would put their heart and energy into it. Not these stupid Hollywood directors.

And most reasons they make these films really is for money, comic book movies are big, they started being made as an idea that could be big, and really they never left that being made for money idea. I think really because people who care about the films, and want to make them, can't afford to make them as an independent production. How would you make a Fantastic Four independent film? It would suck, without proper money. But studios go into these things with all the wrong intentions, and I will basically boycott all comic book films unless I know they will be good, or have the chance to be good. Like, I will not see any Silver Surfer shit, Iron Man, Hulk, or whatever. These films I can just tell are going to suck, and if for some reason the film was made by someone who actually respects the material and is making it for the right reasons, then maybe I will give the film a shot, but until then, I am skipping most comic book films.