Comic book adaptations are everywhere lately and most of them are massive mega budget blockbusters, but what some seem to forget is that others in that field are done with much less budget, no superheroes, more ingenuity, a ton of creativity, and a tank load of talent. Let’s go over some of them here that are either less known, less seen, or seemingly have been forgotten. Starting with the Queen!
Renegade aka Blueberry (2004)
A trippy one at times, this one is based on the French comics Blueberry set in late 1800s Arizona, where the titular character becomes a Marshall while new arrivals bring violence and a threat to the low level of peace achieved in his small town. Based on the comics by legendary Jean ‘Moebius’ Giraud and Jean-Michel Charlier, the film has a long list of writers: Matthieu Le Naour and Alexandre Coquelle (communally credited as Matt Alexander), Gérard Brach, and Louis Mellis for the screenplay, Brach and Jan Kounen for the story, and Carlo De Boutiny and Cassidy pope as early collaborators. This could easily lead to a mess of a film, but it’s anything but. Director Jan Kounen brings all those minds together to create a film that has a little bit of everything and some seriously fantastic performances. Lead Vincent Cassel is amazing as usual here, Juliette Lewis, Michael Madsen, Temuera Morrison, Djimon Hounsou, Tchéky Karyo, Eddie Izzard, and so many more just pack the cast with strong performances and give life to their characters like only they can.
Accident Man (2018)
Based on the comic book by Pat Mills, this one centers around a hitman who can make all his kills look like accident. Eventually, things get a little too close to home and he must look for those responsible. Written for the screen by Scott Adkins and Stu Small and directed by Jesse V. Johnson, this one is tailor-made for Adkins who takes the lead of course. His work here is fun and he clearly is enjoying himself. Joining him on screen are Ray Stevenson, Michael Jai White, and Ray Park among others. If this cast is not enough to make you want to see this, then nothing will help.
Immortal aka Immortel Ad Vitam (2004)
Based on comic books by Enki Bilal who directed the film and is credited for writing it with Serge Lehman, this one has a lot more special effects and most of them are cgi, so it has aged so-so. However, the story is still interesting and some of the imagery is absolutely strong to this day. The story is that of a woman who has been targeted by a god to bring his child to life before his death sentence in a distant future with odd technology to our current standards and quite bit of controls over populations. Lead Linda Hardy is mesmerizing in her part, Thomas Kretschmann plays an interesting man against the machine who gets more than he bargained for, and Charlotte Rampling plays an odd doctor with some interesting ideas about studying living beings. The film is one that is of limited interest for many, but once started, it’s one of those movies that keeps you around until the end.
Tank Girl (1995)
In a dystopian future, a girl fights for the people’s right for water. Based on the comic strip by Alan Martin and Jamie Hewlett, the film was written by Tedi Sarafian and directed by Rachel Talalay. This one is tons of fun, has some great practical special effects, and stars the badass of badass babes, Lori Petty. Joining her are Ice T, Doug Jones, and Naomi Watts. This cast is awesome and the film is still (possibly even more so) relevant today. The work put on the screen here is solid on all levels. Yes, it has aged a bit, but it’s a dystopian future type of film, so it’s all good.
The Extraordinary Adventures of Adèle Blanc-Sec aka Les aventures extraordinaires d’Adèle Blanc-Sec (2010)
The most “kid-friendly” of the bunch (there are a few things that could scare and it is very French), Adèle Blanc-Sec is a film based on the comic books by Jacques Tardi and was adapated for the screen by Luc Besson who is credited with writing and directing this one. Yes, Luc Besson, the man behind The Fifth Element, The Professional, Nikita, Unleashed, and Valerian and the City of Thousand Planets (also based on a comic book series). Adèle Blanc-Sec is a young Parisian woman in early 20th Century who loves to go on adventures and then writes about them. However, one of her main reasons to do what she does, is to find a cure for her comatose sister’s situation. Here, she gets to go on many adventures and travels to Egypt, chases a pterodactyl, meets a mummified doctor, and saves a few people along the way. This film here is worth seeking out for the lead performance by Louise Bourgoin who is fantastic as Adèle Blanc-Sec, giving her life, personality, and passion. This is her movie, she knows it, and she really brings it home. This one is fun and has a lot of known faces if you watch a lot of French cinema. It is also probably the biggest budget of this bunch here.
The Losers (2010)
Following a betrayal, a special task force gets together to seek revenge and save a few people along the way. Based on the comic book series by Andy Diggle, the film was written by Peter Berg and James Vanderbilt (so you know there’s some action in there), and directed by Sylvain White. What really catches the eye with this one these days is the cast: Jeffery Dean Morgan, Zoe Saldaña, Chris Evans, Idris Elba, etc. This film is stacked in terms of cast, especially looking at it in 2022. In 2010, they were around, they had done plenty work, but they were not as huge names as they are now. Shooting this now with the same cast would cost a fortune. Nonetheless, it’s a film that many have slept on and not seen. Why? Hard to tell. It did make some money, but as big a hit as it should have been. It’s fun, it’s plenty violent, and the cast is both awesome and stunningly hot (Chris Evans’ hair notwithstanding).