Fantastic Four (2005): A Retrospect

[Spirit Zero]

Not THE Fantastic Four oh no...its simply Fantastic Four here, much cooler. So this is the first major production for the Four after the now cult Roger Corman B-movie effort. Team of clever people head out into space and get hit in the face by an interstellar cloud of space stuff and obtain super powers. Naturally one of them becomes twisted and evil with his new found powers and much fighting ensues, that's it, that's all there is.

Thing with this film is everything moves so fast at first. One minute the Four are discussing this space cloud, next they're discussing it with Von Doom, then they're all up in space in this space station, then they get hit by the space cloud and then just as quickly they're all back on Earth. The beginning feels so rushed so they can get to the fun stuff and silly special effects, and boy is there plenty of that. Most of this film really feels like a setup for the inevitable sequel, half the film is basically the team getting to grips with their powers and messing around.

Its all a rip off if you ask me, most of the time we only get to see 'Grimm' and 'Johnny' arguing bickering and pranking each other, whilst 'Reed' tries to study their new powers. Alba as Sue Storm does literately nothing accept for flirt with Reed, regurgitate her new nudity/invisibility issue and look absolutely ridiculous with her fake blue contacts and fake blonde hair, she looks like a mutant from the X-Men. The real killer is the fact we don't actually see Doctor Doom anywhere until right at the very end! This film has no villain! its true, the first superhero flick I've seen with no actual antagonist. Then when we do finally get some Doom action its a blink and you'll miss it scenario plus it never feels like Doctor Doom, just the actor McMahon in a plastic mask (what's with the eyebrow makeup on that guy?).

The sole bit of action for the most part is a highway pile up on the Brooklyn Bridge which gives the team a chance to flex their new skills in complete CGI glory. I can't really moan about the CGI because its obvious from the outset that the film was gonna be heavy on it, but this doesn't entirely excuse how bad it looks. The only character that looks reasonable is the Human Torch, Mr Fantastic looks anything but fantastic...but his CGI effects sure do look plastic. The Invisible Woman just comes across as bland and completely uninteresting whilst The Thing is so very clearly a stretchy suit. I think its hard to translate this team onto the big screen though in all fairness, they have a more childish vibe about them, their outfits are hard to update...and basically they're just dull all round.

There is a very comical light-hearted feel to the film that borders on infantile at times. Now I can't say that's a bad thing because the film does adapt the comicbook atmosphere very well, what else would you expect with characters like this? But at times the film is just embarrassing to watch, there is some really cheesy ultra hammy dialog and gags, dumb visual gags...dare I say pratfall stuff and loads of quickfire quips and one liners. I mean yeah Johnny Storm is suppose to be a good looking cocky mouthy young astronaut but some of his scenes with The Thing are simply excruciating to watch. Does he really need to shout out 'flame on!' to turn into the Human Torch?

The whole film looks bad and highly fake, not much better than a TV series...hell the Roger Corman movie isn't far behind really. The performances are weak, there is no bad guy and virtually 90% of the film is about nothing more than origins and tomfoolery, literately padding for the sequel in a crafty money milking operation. On one hand they do admittedly capture the spirit of the comicbook genre with this guff but on the other hand it really is a typically terrible sanitised sterile Hollywood production.

4/10

[Doctor Jack]

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=YdDMrncAy4U

You could has saved a ton of time by just putting this clip up.

[bowlingbilly10]

Originally Posted by Doctor Jack

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=YdDMrncAy4U

You could have saved a ton of time by just putting this clip up.

Fixed.

[Spirit Zero]

Originally Posted by Doctor Jack

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=YdDMrncAy4U

You could has saved a ton of time by just putting this clip up.

True but I like to whine

[jscoggins]

Not all movies need "villains". In this case, the Fantastic Four already had a formidable opponent in the guise of their circumstances. They are dealing with science problems as well as major changes to their bodies.

[The Great Owl]

I love both Fantastic Four and Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer. I've got the 2-disc Blu-ray set with both movies, and I had a blast revisiting them a few months back.

Neither of these will ever be mistaken for Citizen Kane, but I honestly prefer these good-natured and fun movies to the overwrought seriousness of The Dark Knight and many other of the superhero movies today.

[rubystone356]

I am also a fan of the original fantastic four. I recently watched the extended cut of the film on dvd. it was a bit odd seeing Chris Evans doing the human torch after seeing him in the two captain america movies. I dont know what to think of the reboot version. we will see.

not all comic book movies are the same.. I think the over reaction from nolan films that they are the perfect comic book is just plain wrong.. while some movies can be serious. some can also be fun.

Jacob

[EricJ]

Originally Posted by rubystone356

I am also a fan of the original fantastic four. I recently watched the extended cut of the film on dvd. it was a bit odd seeing Chris Evans doing the human torch after seeing him in the two captain america movies.

Especially since, as Johnny Storm, he was supposed to be obnoxious, and SUCCEEDED.

I remember, at the time, referring to it as an extended Friends episode: "The One Where Nobody Fights Anything"
Fortunately, there is the distinct whiff of "Apology sequel" about FF:Rise of the Silver Surfer, especially when the "turning to steel" Dr. Doom suddenly finds himself cured, and keeps the metal faceplate as a mask...Say, now there's an idea!

[KilloWertz]

Originally Posted by The Great Owl

I love both Fantastic Four and Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer. I've got the 2-disc Blu-ray set with both movies, and I had a blast revisiting them a few months back.

Neither of these will ever be mistaken for Citizen Kane, but I honestly prefer these good-natured and fun movies to the overwrought seriousness of The Dark Knight and many other of the superhero movies today.

While I can't say I prefer these to The Dark Knight and some of the other great comic book movies we've been getting, I do highly enjoy these as well. I enjoy them because they are as you described them, light and fun. These are a nice change of pace from time to time.

Honestly, I'd rather watch these again than the reboot they are making.

[doctorD]

Although I grew up watching Roger Corman films, I enjoyed the new Fantastic 4 movies a lot more than his version. It was not even close, IMO.

[Astro Zombie]

The first one is a lot of fun, and I always enjoy watching it. The second, granted I've only seen it once, but I don't remember enjoying it as much. Still, like others have said, they're light films, and I have fun watching them.

[Thomas Guycott]

Originally Posted by doctorD

Although I grew up watching Roger Corman films, I enjoyed the new Fantastic 4 movies a lot more than his version. It was not even close, IMO.

That's because nobody was supposed to see it.

[Gizz]

The first film was fun the sequel not so much.

[doctorD]

Originally Posted by Thomas Guycott

That's because nobody was supposed to see it.

Well I would say that was the end result after the suits saw it.

[sxerunner]

They are not the worst comic films, but they're still heavily flawed. Chris Evans and Michael Chiklis were both solid casting choices, but Doom was severely mishandled and we can all agree about "Galactus".

[mrr1]

I just remember getting really bored while watching the first one. There were a few interesting-ish parts scattered here and there, but mostly I was bored.

The script wasn't very good at all.

[klauswhereareyou]

I haven't seen the whole movie, but the 20 minutes or so of it I did were terrible and didn't make me want to watch the rest of it or the sequel. It was like watching the Schumacher Batman movies, just without the S & M wear.

[EricJ]

Originally Posted by Spirit Zero

There is a very comical light-hearted feel to the film that borders on infantile at times. Now I can't say that's a bad thing because the film does adapt the comicbook atmosphere very well, what else would you expect with characters like this? But at times the film is just embarrassing to watch, there is some really cheesy ultra hammy dialog and gags, dumb visual gags...dare I say pratfall stuff and loads of quickfire quips and one liners. I mean yeah Johnny Storm is suppose to be a good looking cocky mouthy young astronaut but some of his scenes with The Thing are simply excruciating to watch. Does he really need to shout out 'flame on!' to turn into the Human Torch?

Well, yes. That was one of the few bits of actual Marvel comic-canon goodwill they left in the movie, which they spent the rest of the movie quickly squandering.
Now, as to whether Mr. Fantastic in the comics uses his stretching powers to grab an extra roll of toilet paper from the closet...

[Falaskan]

Wow, look at how superheroes didn't have to be roided out to the max back then!!

[HD Canuck]

Best thing about the 2nd one was Stan Lee's cameo.