Review of Fantastic Four (2005) by Scott A — 24 Feb 2013

After revisiting this today, I have determined that this movie is nowhere near the train wreck I'd have said it was years ago. The problem is really a lack of focus on characters more than anything else.

Chris Evans is really the only actor strong enough to be a lead but his characters role is the only one of the four that doesn't matter at all. Mr fantastic and invisible girl's romance causes the conflict with doctor doom.

Doctor doom's physical transformation parallels the thing. The thing is the film's source of emotional conflict. I guess the issue is that Mr. fantastic is too boring. He is a nerd and he does nothing except steal Jessica Alba from a psychopath and act as the opposite personality extreme to the human torch.

planning too much, not acting enough vs. not thinking at all and making rash decisions. Its good that a lot of the movie tried to show the sadness of being turned to rock but Mr.fantastic is supposed to be the leader.

He is the real problem. Not just the actor but the way the part was written. He's insanely lame. Being stretchy is not cool at all compared to being super strong or igniting in flames and flying or being invisible and creating force fields.

They even poke fun at this, having him grab toilet paper from the other room while still in the bathroom. Its like if aquaman led the justice league and batman was just there for comic relief. I've never read a fantastic four comic but it makes me wonder what the character dynamic was.

You could compensate for this by having him use his human qualities to save the day. They attempted this too. In the end, he delegates responsibilities , and leads his team to work together to stop doctor doom through his knowledge of science.

But unfortunately this scene is just boring. Maybe it just comes down to him not being a leading man. You have it in your head the whole time that Jessica Alba is a bad actress and is only there because she is hot, how many times can they do the bit where she goes invisible, takes off her clothes and then turns visible again? How many times can they show you nothing and convince you that this is an appealing bit? and Chris Evans' is written a little too 1 dimensional, just this campy, cocky, immature douche who likes extreme sports and chicks.

Its true as well that getting super powers by being exposed to radiation has been done to death and doctor doom is insanely unoriginal adding nothing to the story but I don't think this is the downfall of the fantastic four.

Can't speak for the sequel though...