Ranking every Alan Moore adaptation from worst to best
When it comes to graphic novels, writer Alan Moore has created some of the best in the history of the medium. With his stories being adapted for the big screen by directors such as Zack Synder, Francis Lawrence and others, Moore has garnered a strong fanbase within comic book culture.
His work is strongly characterised by his own political standpoints, notably anarchism. Furthermore, Moore is influenced by many widely celebrated writers, including Edgar Allan Poe, H.P Lovecraft and Jack Kirby.
The writer initially objected to his work being adapted into Hollywood productions. However, the demand was too much and, in turn, introduced his stories to a wider fanbase. Unlike Marvel comic adaptations, these efforts are mostly stand-alone films with tightly executed stories and explosive conclusions.
There are a total of six movies adapted from Moore’s most popular works. To celebrate the writer’s work, let’s go through a ranking of his adaptations from weakest to strongest.
Every Alan Moore adaptation ranked:
6. The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen (Stephen Norrington, 2003)
Setting the stage for a large-scale global conflict, the film follows the journey of an adventured employed by The British Empire to prevent a world war from being started by the Fantom.
Despite being based on an award-winning comic series, The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen fell short of positive reviews. It manages some entertainment sparks before submitting to silly antics and over-the-top video game visuals. Its plot executions get rather complicated, but the film’s villain is a strong component.
5. Batman: The Killing Joke (Sam Liu, 2016)
The billionaire vigilante Batman is desperate to stop his arch nemesis, The Joker, in his attempts to drive police commissioner James Gordan insane. This contribution to the DC Animated Universe offers some colourful visuals of DC’s most iconic superhero and setting.
It’s a retelling of Moore’s original story that offers minimal quality. The plot feels like it was tossed together last minute. However, the impressive voice acting elevates the events to some extent, and the ending makes for some great character work.
4. From Hell (Albert & Allen Hughes, 2001)
A police detective is assigned to track and take down the mysterious serial killer Jack the Ripper. A sex worker finds herself the target of the unknown threat’s grizzly murders.
From Hell hits when it comes to a thrilling and tense atmosphere, as conveyed through the unsettling Jack the Ripper case. Despite this, the Hughes brothers fail to cement a precise vision in adapting Moore’s work. The film is highly dependent on its gruesome kill scenes and the plot device of mistaken identity, only augmented by a solid performance from Johnny Depp.
3. Constantine (Francis Lawrence, 2005)
In this hybrid superhero-horror, a cynical exorcist who can speak to angels and devils travels between Heaven and Hell.
Constantine gives a hard and solid introduction by exploring its Heaven and Hell dichotomy, which generates intriguing visuals. The dialogue heavily focuses on this relationship and takes every opportunity to build its lore. Lawrence’s tone is rather bleak at times, assigning the film a moody metaphysical classification. Some fans have already started considering it a cult classic.
2. Watchmen (Zack Snyder, 2009)
A vigilante is tasked with discovering the truth behind a colleague’s mysterious death. During the search, he uncovers some shocking secrets.
Snyder’s comic adaptation brings some stunning and captivating visuals alongside a fitting and stimulating soundtrack. Watchmen is cited as an argument for DC’s strengths, conveying a dark tone while still managing to crack some effective humour. The director blends Moore’s original cynicism with his own inventive ideas, making Watchmen a bold and brilliantly thrilling ride.
1. V for Vendetta (James McTeigue, 2004)
Britain is now an extreme-right and totalitarian state. A freedom fighter designs some terrorist direct actions to execute his ideas of liberation in an attempt to overthrow the dictatorship.
V for Vendetta is definitely an unforgettable watch, having established itself as an indispensable part of popular culture. Hugo Weaving brings a terrific performance in this explosive political commentary, heightened by his simple yet fantastic character design. V for Vendetta perfectly balances its ideological standpoints against its thrilling action and drama, delivering a visually exhilarating, provocative and insightful story.
