I have heard a lot of mixed reviews on the movie and I've come to the conclusion that you can separate the views as "those who read the book" and "those who did not." The people who read it - love it. Those who did not read it - don't love it, don't get it, don't appreciate it. As someone who is a self-proclaimed book snob and tends to hate movies made from books, I was very pleased with the adaptation of the book. I feel like usually movies are made as a cliffs notes kind of version of the book and they're made for those people who are too lazy to actually pick up a book and read. This movie was 100% completely made for the people who read the book. If you didn't read it, you're not going to like it, I can pretty much guarantee that. And if you do happen to like it even if you didn't read the book, then you're in the minority from what I can tell.
You can make arguments all you want about how movies should be made with all the info so that people who haven't read the book will get it and like it, BUT - I believe this book earned the right and the authority to be made into a movie almost solely for those who have read it. It was chosen by Time Magazine as one of their "Top 100 English-Language Novels from 1923 - Present." It won a Hugo Award in 1988. It was chosen by Entertainment Weekly in 2008 as their number 13 book in the "Top 50 Novels Printed in the Last 25 Years." And I could go on.
So, basically, if you haven't read the book and you saw the movie and didn't like it. Just at least understand that your opinion is uneducated and that you are watching something that is much larger than a superhero movie. It's a satire and ultimately a cultural statement that has literally been applauded for it's intelligence and sophistication as a graphic novel. The movie is just another extension and perspective of the novel which practically requires an understanding of the novel to be fully understood as a movie.
You may not like that and you may be annoyed that you would have to read the book to like or understand the movie, but take it or leave it. The novel is incredible and by extension the movie is the same as it followed the book so closely.
