I'm so obsessed with Project Hail Mary as a specific example of an adaptation done so absolutely correctly it makes me want to scream. Every shortcoming and triumph of the book and movie are due to the natures of their respective mediums, and in this way they perfectly complement each other. The book explores the minutiae of science and problem-solving, and makes all of that detail fun and entertaining in ways a movie (if so attempted) would just fail and become an absolute slog. (did you know an early cut of the movie was 6 hours long???) The movie explores and enunciates the drama, tragedy, and beauty of the story and the protagonist's arc in ways a book would feel hamfisted and corny if so attempted.
The book took full advantage of its medium to have fun with it, delving into details, showing how the astrophage works, the mechanations of the Petrova task force, the interiority of the main character, and long (and entertaining!) scenes of characters discussing problem solving, theories, biology, and their perspectives. This is exactly what a book should be! It's the highest and best use of the medium.
But none of that makes for a fun movie experience. (Amazon MGM release 6 hour cut, question?) But you know what you can't have in a book? Visual storytelling, awe-inspiring cinematography, a sweeping and emotionally devastating score, and use of body language, physicality, stunts, costume, set design, and puppeteering to punctuate character moments. And guess what the movie made full use of, with all the love and effort of people who truly understand their medium?
God I love this movie. Maybe I'll go see it a third time.
