Fantastic Four (2005)

Movie Info

Flame on?

Reed Richards (Ioan Gruffudd) is at the end of his rope.  He’s out of money and he’s lost his girlfriend Sue (Jessica Alba) to his rival Victor Von Doom (Julian McMahon).  Now, Reed needs money for an experiment he’s planned with his friend Ben Grimm (Michael Chiklis) and Victor is the only option.  When the project goes wrong, Victor, Ben, Sue, Reed, and Sue’s brother Johnny (Chris Evans) are exposed to cosmic rays which have different effects on their bodies.  Now as the Fantastic Four, Mr. Fantastic, Invisible Girl, Thing, and the Human Torch must take out Dr. Doom as he tries to use his powers to take control of his falling empire.

I am DOOM!!!! Maniacal laughter

Directed by Tim Story, Fantastic Four is the second film adaptation of Marvel Comics classic superhero team which first appeared in 1961.  A failed low-budget film produced by Roger Corman was shot in 1994 (it never saw release but is readily available through bootleg copies), but this adaptation is the first theatrical version of the “World’s Greatest Comic”.  The movie was released to largely negative reviews but still was a box office success.  The movie was nominated for a Razzie for Worst Actress for Jessica Alba.

The Fantastic Four is one of the most basic and possibly bland super-hero teams around.  It doesn’t have the danger and the thrills of the X-Men or the personal level of someone like Spider-Man…It also only generally only works as a team (meaning no solo films).  This is dangerous territory for a big budget film.

I’m not just a thing…I’m a Thing

Fantastic Four just never quite gets there.  The story can’t find its tone and often is rated G goofy but attempts for PG-13 edginess (and misses by a long shot).  The Fantastic Four is based on the idea of family and this idea just doesn’t translate to what was put on film.  After the success of X-Men, there was big hope for another superhero team franchise…but Fantastic Four really fails to deliver due to this chaotic plot.

The cast is all over the place.  Ioan Gruffudd and Jessica Alba prove to be some of the worst actors.  They both struggle with their roles, and I’m not sure who is worse.  The bright points in the cast include Chris Evans (who went on to bigger superhero fame as Captain America) as the Human Torch who is the only fun in the movie.  Michael Chiklis isn’t a bad choice for Thing, but he is a rather small Thing at 5’ 8”.  Julian McMahon is a good bad guy but his role is horrible as the metal-y Dr. Doom.  The movie also features Kerry Washington as blind Alicia Masters, Walking Dead vet Laurie Holden as Thing’s fiancée, and Stan Lee stopping by playing Marvel mailman Willie Lumpkin.

This is cooler looking than the more is…

The movie also looks rather poor.  I don’t know what would made Thing look good, but he looks a bit too plastic and carries very little weight.  Human Torch works and for the most part the Invisible Girl works, but the effect of Reed Richards stretching isn’t effective and looks really, really cheap…plus the lame white hair should have been more distinct or not there at all.

Fantastic Four just doesn’t work.  It isn’t a very action filled action movie, a poor superhero movie, and the horrible script and acting just adds to the problems.  Despite all the problems, the movie was a success and that led to a slightly better sequel Fantastic Four:  Rise of the Silver Surfer in 2007.

Related Links:

Fantastic Four:  Rise of the Silver Surfer (2007)

Fantastic Four (2015)

Fantastic Four:  World’s Greatest Heroes