How do you feel about a childhood book series being totally changed in a movie adaptation? The new Artemis Fowl movie being released by Disney this year is changing its main character, 12 year-old Artemis, into a good guy, instead the villain he famously was in the book series.
image via my kids timer
“Artemis Fowl” had been compared to “Harry Potter” in the past, but this comparison didn’t sit well with the author of the series, Eoin Colfer. His response was that Artemis is an anti-Harry Potter figure, someone who robs and kidnaps and is largely unbothered by remorse.
In the first book, Artemis’s father, Artemis Fowl I, goes missing, and his mother goes mad with grief. Artemis and Butler, someone he relies on for protection, discover a portal to the fairy underworld, and Artemis kidnaps a fairy and holds her for ransom in order to fund his search for his father. The fairies fight against Artemis for doing this, and he has to fight back against their powers.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fl2r3Fwxz_o]
The trailer above opens with a dwarf named Mulch Diggums being investigated by a mysterious voice. The mysterious voice asks Mulch about the man he works for, to which Mulch replies, “This isn’t the father; it’s about the son,” grinning all the while. We then see Artemis Fowl I praising Artemis Fowl II for his growth in strength and intelligence surpassing his expectations.
When Artemis senior disappears, Artemis junior receives a phone call that his father stole something important from an unknown group, and that he should return it or face consequences. Butler then has no choice but to reveal Artemis senior’s underground lab to Artemis junior, stating that he has protected the world from secrets that could destroy Earth.
In the quest to find his father, Artemis partners with Mulch Diggums as well as a LEP elven reconnaissance officer named Holly Short. There are then scenes of action-packed fighting against an otherworldly army.
image via football 365
The problem with this movie, according to hardcore fans of the book, is that it’s a far departure from the “evil genius” character that is seen in the books. The above Nerdist article links some of people’s opinions on the upcoming movie (I featured two I liked).
This is all wrong.
Artemis Fowl was a cold, calculating, genius villain. That’s what made the books unique, because he was the villain but you still cheered for him.Then Disney comes along, throws pixie dust at Artemis and now he’s a good boy hero with a heart of gold. https://t.co/GUy16wDeSU
— ᥴꪖડડⅈꫀ ꪖꪶꫀ᥊ⅈꪖ ???? #BBCAN8 (@NotJosieGrossy) March 2, 2020
I just saw the trailer for the Artemis Fowl movie and.. pic.twitter.com/QPkWJ8Xvir
— Jehemoth (@Jehemoth1) March 2, 2020
As you can see, some people are just… not happy. Their reasoning isn’t far off, though. The fact that the new Artemis Fowl movie features Artemis as a hero rather than as a villain is probably an attempt from Disney to make the film more kid and family oriented. Nevertheless, the entire premise is changed, and when that happens the film just doesn’t honor the novel it’s adapting.
Of course, if this doesn’t deter you, you can go see the movie in theaters when it releases. It’s not a bad premise, but the hardcore fans will probably be passing on this one.
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Featured image via GameSpot