Review of Fantastic Four (2005) by Jeffrey M — 22 Apr 2014

The film is entertaining, but uneven. The protagonists rush up to the villain's space station for research,and of course it all goes wrong. POP, they're back on earth. They're in a clinic? Hospital? Ski lodge? Hard to tell. Playboy human torch ... suffering from a fatal fever, brings a playboy bunny nurse to the slopes for a ski adventure. Oops, he catches on fire... but makes his own hot tub by accident, and invites the foxy nurse in... it sounds like the plot for bad porn. Worse yet, a newly transformed thing rushes to see his girl friend in New York City... she runs out in the street wearing a nightie and flimsy robe (??) to see him, but alas... runs away when she sees his ugly transformation. Bad writing all around.

But the cast carry their roles well. The action on the bridge is well done. The humor is often well done... I especially like it when the Thing is urged to say something to the fan base on the street. He looks at a bunch of small kids, and growls "Don't do drugs!!" The little faces shrivel in fear... too funny!

Dr. Doom is not done well either... his voice is perky and glib, and they didn't even give him a mechanical tone. Dr. Doom an evil CEO... bleck to that.

I still give the film 3 stars, for some fun scenes, and laugh out loud humor. As a drama, it fails to deliver.