Fantastic Four

Fantastic Four (2005) is a charming movie that has a lot of that early 2000's flair to it, and unlike its 2015 counterpart, the characters actually seemed real and you could believe that giant rock man was walking around. As for plot, it could be a little bit more straightfoward, but it doesn't throw me off. It's more of just an annoyance, and I'd say that all of the characters costume design looks a lot better than 2015 Fantastic Four as well. Also, Doctor Doom is more fitting to the comic book representation. Overall, it was a pretty good movie. Don't see why people have such a problem with it.

I recently watched the 2005 version of "The Fantastic Four" in preparation for the reboot that is in theaters now. This movie and its sequel, "Rise of the Silver Surfer" are 20th Century Fox productions. The Fantastic Four and X-Men franchises were both leased out to Fox prior to Marvel getting its own film production studios, and like other Marvel properties from before the MCU, this film is often bashed by comic book fans.

I personally don't see what's not to like here. Indeed, I think that this film does a great job portraying the FF's origin story. Sure, The Thing looks a bit hokey in what is clearly a rubberized suit of some sort, and I think they surely could have found an actor that looked more like Reed Richards from the comics than Ioan Gruffudd (that's quite the name, by the way!). But all in all, this is a.....fantastic....film. lol

I give it 8/10 stars. Jessica Alba does great as Sue Storm, and Julian McMahon is a superb Dr. Doom. The plot and the acting are well done, and the pace of the storytelling is good as well. To me, there's much more to like in this movie than to dislike.

Language note, though: There is one "GD" in this movie, which I wasn't expecting (it's when Ben Grimm is in the hospital bed after returning from space). I guess it just goes to show that Marvel movies were not always kid-friendly even before the recent trend in the MCU line. So heads up for that.

Fantastic Four is one of the last superhero films, that I can recall, that wasn't insufferably bleak or incredibly serious to a point where any shred of humor was seen as obtuse to the film's narrative. Yes, Christopher Nolan's Batman trilogy is an indisputable breakthrough in superhero films, but it also made the seriousness of superhero films standard, something that would follow into the late 2000's and early 2010's as Marvel built up The Avengers. Fantastic Four reminds of the quirkiness superhero films were once predicated upon, and while it may get a bit too corny at times, and its focus can never really settle, it's also a very commercial film that satisfies on some level of entertainment when it gives every card in its deck a fair time to shine.

We open by looking at a physicist named Dr. Reed Richards (Ioan Gruffudd), who is convinced evolution was triggered millions of years ago by stray elements of cosmic energy in space, some of which will pass near Earth very soon. His pal, astronaut Ben Grimm (Michael Chiklis), works by his side on this potentially revolutionary discovery by helping him convince their old classmate Dr. Victor Von Doom (Julian McMahon), the CEO of Von Doom Industries, to allow both of them access to his private space station to further experiment with the effects of these cosmic energy particles. While Doom agrees, he winds up walking away with most of the profits that this experiment will bring, affirming Reed's desperation to make his project work.

Still, he persists on and brings his close friends Susan Storm (Jessica Alba) and her brother Johnny (Chris Evans) along for the ride. However, when a trip to outer space goes awry, exposure with the cosmic energy results in the four receiving deformities and enhanced human abilities that have never before been seen: Reed possesses the ability to stretch every limb of his body, Susan has the ability to disappear and reappear at her leisure, Johnny can have his body engulfed in flame simply by reciting the phrase "Flame on!," and Ben turns into a hideous, orange rock monster.

Following the four's mutations, writers Michael France and Mark Frost focus a great deal of their time on the agony that these mutations bring, particularly The Thing, who experiences his wife leaving him shortly after revealing his deformity. While this agony is a solid angle (one I'd argue necessary in most superhero films), too much of the time is spent profiling The Thing and not enough on the remaining characters of the film. Reed and Ben, who are ultimately the film's main focus, wind up monopolizing too much of the picture, and any time we see Johnny is when he's right in the middle of making a smug comment or being his typical, womanizing self.

The action in Fantastic Four has a colorful commercial look to it, brilliantly bold and very vibrant in a way that makes many of the scenes pop with life. It manages to achieve a comic book aesthetic without resorting to picture-in-picture editing. One particularly involving scene takes place on a suspension bridge, where The Thing is seen pummeling everything in his sight and the remaining three members of the team must resort to either relaxing him or protecting drivers and innocent bystanders.

The goofiness in Fantastic Four, however, in an age of dark superhero films that come with slick aesthetics and brooding characters, is a delightful change of pace. Yes, there is a point when one wishes director Tim Story, France, and Frost would command a tighter grip on the seriousness of the writing, but the pulpy fun of Fantastic Four, in addition to the effects and the neatly choreographed action, keep it a moving, satisfying spectacle that is more than just colors flying around on screen, trying to find their place.

Starring: Ioan Gruffudd, Jessica Alba, Chris Evans, Michael Chiklis, and Julian McMahon. Directed by: Tim Story.

Watched again and it is awesome that the technique 17 years ago was not that bad. A marvel movie before marvel , and with Alba and young captain! The last fight with big boss was okay , and cannot ask for more.

Another unjustly bashed movie. Of course it is not masterpiece of cinematography, but it doesn't try to be. Solid adaptation of comic-book in manner typical for Marvel - expensive, huge, light and very entertaining. Plus, it has Jessica Alba in tight costume. She even gets completely naked several times, but unfortunately she plays role of Invisible Girl, so not much use of it.

7,5/10