9 Films That Ruined The Book

4. War Of The Worlds

In 1953, Byron Haskin directed the first big screen adaptation of H. G. Wells' sci-fi classic The War Of The Worlds. Even 60 years later, that film still stands up as a great example of how book adaptations should be done. Enter Steven Spielberg, who thinks he can do better. Spielberg's War Of The Worlds is, admittedly, a visually stunning piece; the special effects in Haskin's film haven't aged all that well, so the 2005 update is an aesthetically welcome one. Unfortunately, it uses these effects as a crutch, trying desperately to prevent itself from tripping over the cumbersome action, cliches, and Morgan Freeman's narration (it hurts to criticise a voiceover by Freeman, but the film just doesn't need it). What Spielberg fails to capture is the sense of wonderment that the novel instils in its readers. It isn't the spectacle of the alien invasion that shocks, but the concept. Unfortunately, it's difficult to appreciate the concept when you can't see past the computer-generated flashiness taking up most of the screen.