What are the worst films based on books?

[Samuel , Director]

Sometimes, when Hollywood gets its hands on a best-selling spy thriller, all goes well. But other times, it screws up royally and creates rubbish which does not remain faithful to the essence of the book its based on.

What are movies which you have seen, based on books which have made you shake your heads in anger at how far they depart from the quality of the source material?

[Samuel , Director]

To kick things off, White House Down and Olympus Has Fallen. Take the late Vince Flynn's Transfer Of Power, dump the entire cast of Flynn's characters, give the films ridiculous titles and go away from the original topic the book focused on (Islamist terrorists) The action was ok...I suppose. But both films were like fake Rolex watches compared to the source material.

[Unknown]

The Hitman film was based on a game series but there were also novels. The film was terrible! It was just a action film shoot-em-up when Hitman is supposed to be a ghost

[Samuel , Director]

So true. At the end, he was just Rambo in an Hugo Boss suit, not the "silent assasin" from the games.

[Samuel , Director]

Patriot Games....Dear god it would have been a lot better if they had stuck with his Highness Prince Charles. And the major changes in the take down of the ULA....the book was in a different league.

[Barry]

"Sum of All Fears". My favorite Clancy book, destroyed as a film. There is nothing quite so tragic as a good story told poorly.

[Samuel , Director]

Rewatched "Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy" and was aghast. For all the brilliant actors, it started with a bang and ended with a proverbial whimper and a boring climax.

[Samuel , Director]

The Dogs Of War Film. One of my favorite Frederick Forsyth books was demolished by so many unnecessary changes.

[Emily]

The Bourne Trilogy. It hurt so much watching those films.

[Samuel , Director]

Taking Of Pelham 123 (2009) in which a group of gunmen stage a terrorist attack on the NY subway system ( Not the 1974 version which was brilliant) It's the ultimate case study on how a attempt to do a pragmatic adaption can blow up in the film makers face.