The movie adaptation of Vampire Academy, the first in the six book series by Richelle Mead, was downright cheesy.
I have actually seen this movie three different times. The first two times were right after I read the book and I was kind of watching it without looking for flaws. This time around, I felt like I was watching a completely different movie. Vampire Academy was recently released on Netflix, so if you want to watch it, you're good to go!
I think that what really made this movie below average for me was the script. Some of the lines were so stilted and unnatural, and it was obvious in the acting. There were several times where the movie told us what was happening instead of showing us, and it just irked me. If you think that the movie is so confusing you have to blatantly explain what is going on while it is happening, then something is not translating well.
There was also no chemistry between the two main couples. Rose and Dmitri just weirded me out. The actress that portrayed Lissa Dragonmir, Lucy Fry, fell flat for me and she never made me feel for anything. I remember while reading the book that I liked Lissa while Rose annoyed me, and it was completely the opposite for this movie. The actress who played Rose, Zoey Duetch, showed real promise. There were some really cheesy scenes, but some of them actually struck me. I am excited to see how it plays out when she plays Samantha Kingston in Before I Fall, another young adult movie adaptation.
To be fair, Vampire Academy had a lot going for it. Mark Waters and his brother Daniel Waters, both worked on teen moves we now revere as classics. Instead of making another teen classics to join the ranks of Heathers and Mean Girls, we got another flop. This was one of the many young adult book to movie adaptations that just didn't translate well.
Vampire Academy had so much potential, and unfortunately, it just did not translate well into screen. Instead of the perfect blend of funny and kickass, we got a corny teenage movie. It is pretty entertaining, so if you aren't too critical on movies or just want to watch something for fun, go for it! Vampire Academy is by no means a great movie, but it is one of those movies that is perfect to watch at a sleepover.
With that, I give this book
2.5 out of 5 Stars!
What have you guys thought of this movie? Have you read it yet or are planning to?
Thanks guys for stopping by and I'll see you soon with another post!
Happy Reading!
Genni @ Ready, Set, Read!