Audience Rated by buyers PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Type of bind: Video On Demand
Release Date: October 10, 2008
Running Time: 106 minutes
Sale Popularity Level: 13356
Studio: 20th Century Fox
Theatrical Release Date: July 07, 2005
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FANTASTIC 4
When this film very first came out there was a lot of high hopes for the film, and why not it is one of the most beloved comics of all time. There has been a lot said about this movie some being positive some negative, I think for the most part that both sides are right. This movie is flawed especially if you are a fan of the comic series but if you a casual viewer I see no reason why you would not like this film. I have been a fan of Marvel Comics since I was a little kid, and while this series was not my favorite I still read it. That is why I have mixed feelings about this movie, on one hand I am upset with how it turned out while on the other I enjoyed it.
The story is all about five unlucky people who take a little trip into space to conduct an experiment, of course since this film is based on a comic you know that something goes wrong. After being hit with all kinds of nasty stuff [cosmic rays] the team wakes up a little later back on earth and everything seems fine, at first. But after a while Reed Richards starts to feel a little stretched, Suzanne Storm feels a little invisible, Johnny Storm begins to feel a little hot, Victor Von Doom feels electrified, and poor Ben Grimm feels a little solid. Of course all of you know what I am talking about with each character; four become fantastic while Doom becomes just that, doomed. It is these events that start to set in motion what should be one of the greatest show downs of all time, more on that later. Reluctantly Mr. Fantastic, Invisible Woman, Human Torch [not so reluctantly] and of course very reluctantly The Thing except who they have become and join up to become the Fantastic Four. That is really what the movie is all about, all of them coming to terms with what they have become. Torch and Doom are really the only ones that like what has happened to them, strangely for similar reasons.
A lot of the fans of the comic have spoken out about this movie saying a whole lot of different things, different reasons why they dislike this movie. One reason and justly so is the fact that the film is not really true to the comic all that much, such as the character story lines like Doom was never with Sue that I can remember. Also weren't Reed and Doom friends in college and became enemies once an experiment went wrong and messed up Victor. There are also some other points to be made about storylines and such but you get the idea of what I am trying to say. Something else that is discussed a lot is the casting of the film, from what I can tell most people disagree with most of it. Ioan Gruffudd is cast as Reed Richards aka Mr. Fantastic and a lot of people disagree with this casting decision. It is true that Reed was a genius that was full of confidence and never really self doubting like he is in this film, that is true I can't really argue that point. Also Jessica Alba as Sue Storm aka Invisible Woman has had a lot of critics about her being cast in that role, once again rightful criticism since Sue was never that prissy and stuck up and love sick. Chris Evans as Johnny Storm aka Human Torch has had mixed reactions, people say that Torch was never that cocky but I disagree. He may not have been that cocky originally but I do remember this Torch from his guest appearances in the Spiderman comics, maybe not that cocky but pretty close and has far as entertainment purposes I think they went the right way. Michael Chiklis is really the only one that has had the most praise as Ben Grimm aka The Thing, and rightfully so as he portrays his character perfectly and fulfils a childhood dream by being in this film as The Thing. And of course our villain is played by Julian McMahon as Victor Von Doom aka Dr. Doom, he has been plagued with criticism as well but I liked him as Doom.
I really believe that all of the actors did great jobs for what they were given, I mean think about it they portrayed characters that were written for them and acted as directed. If there ever was any one to blame it would be director Tim Story and writers Mark Frost and Michael France. They seem to have wanted to make this film more about the characters and drama between them more important then a film about the action. I can understand that decision but they could have balanced both much better just look at the Spiderman films. Also people complain about how they changed the origins and story around, but like Stan Lee said the big screen is much different from the pages, and some times the film needs to be made different to reach a new audience. As a fan I can both understand this and except it but at the same time be upset by it. Still I don't like that the final battle between the Four and Doom is way to short and not as epic as it could have been. Still though Tim and the writers obviously had a certain vision they wanted to go with for the film and they followed through with it. And what you get is what you get take it or leave, am ... Read More
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The Bottom Line:
With terrible acting (exception: Michael Chiklis), terrible special effects, annoying character interaction and a paint-by-numbers plot, Fantastic Four has precious little to recommend it.
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I'm actually a humongous fan of Marvel Comics Fantastic Four. From owning a large collection of the comic books to toy hunting for the hard-to-get Invisible Woman action figures.
But I kept myself away from any coverage, hype regarding the film, so I can enjoy it to the nth degree.
I have to admit that I felt a bit cautious because although the Fantastic Four have been a staple of Marvel Comics history, it's not the in your face action such as X-Men and even Spider-Man.
It's one of those series that has to grow on you and you learn to enjoy the characters.
So, I imagined that like the very first X-Men movie where they had to go through an introduction, the same would have to be done with the very first Fantastic Four movie.
Sure, there will be a lot of action but at the same time, you need to know how the characters are.
Reed Richards (Mr. Fantastic) is not your typical lead man. He's highly intelligent, detached from society somewhat and can be a cold fish.
Johnny Storm (Human Torch) is the hothead. Playboy and always seems to get himself into something dangerous.
Ben Grimm, the man who deals with being the rocky behemoth known as the Thing.
And Sue Storm, the woman who loves Reed but somehow tries to find ways to get close to him (despite him being a cold and dull fish at times).
So, needless to say...our heroes have their problems and for some who are looking for the charismatic action hero, they are superheroes but they aren't perfect.
I happened to enjoy the film. The pacing was a bit off at times but nevertheless, I enjoyed it and optomistic that the second movie can now be fast-paced and hard hitting.
The DVD for Fantastic Four was very enjoyable with really cool. The DVD is offered in two versions (widescreen and fullscreen) and audio quality is offered in 5.1 DTS (which sounds really awesome on my home theater).
The special features for this DVD doesn't disappoint either as it feature full length audio commentary by the stars of the film, a video diary featuring the stars on their media tour for the film - which was very exciting by the way. Deleted scenes, making of featurette, casting session, making a scene, music videos, theatrical teaser and trailer and also an inside look for the third X-Men film (which unusually got the top listing for the special features).
Not everyone is going to enjoy the Fantastic Four film. Even the comic book is not for everyone but those who stick with it learn to enjoy the characters for what they are.
If I had any problem, many of us who are faithful to FF, knows that Dr. Doom doesn't go down that easily. Otherwise Ioan Gruffudd, Jessica Alba, Chris Evans, Michael Chiklis and Julian McMahon do a great job portraying the characters.
Again, this is just the introductory film. Hopefully with the second film, things get even better. As for the DVD, it's fantastic.
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Good Movie. Chickless is great as the Thing. AND Jessica is always easy on the Eyes.
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Of all the superhero movie adaptations released in the last several years, there is one in particular that stands out to me simply because it is so unremarkable. That film is 2005's adaptation of "The Fantastic 4." The characters are one dimensional, and the plot is paper thin. I can sum it up as this: 5 scientists go into space and come back with super powers. Four of them decide to become superheroes, and one decides to become a super villain. And then, they fight. That's it. It doesn't even endeavor to understand why four people, upon receiving these powers decide they should be super heroes. They do it because that's what people with super powers do, and of course they have a closet full of pre-made superhero costumes that were conveniently written into the plot as being "next generation astronaut suits." Yeah, ruddy brilliant guys.
There is a sub plot in there about Ben Grim being unhappy with his monstrous new appearance as "The Thing," but the way the writers chose to resolve it ultimately feels ridiculous. Also, Dr. Doom, who is one of the most prolific recurring villains in the entire Marvel universe, is completely neutered in this movie. Comparing this Dr. Doom to his comic book counterpart is like comparing Chad Vader to his big brother Darth. The movie was obviously made in a boardroom of Fox executives trying to figure out how to get as many teenage boys into the theater as possible, because it is also chock full of frivilous extreme sports footage, special effects shots, and meticulously airbrushed women.
The only good thing I can say about this movie was that it looked good on Blu-Ray, at a time when I barely had anything to watch in HD. If you're looking for a movie to demo your new home theater with though, there are dozens of movies that look just as good if not better in HD, that aren't textbook examples of what happens when movies get made in by business men.
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