Review of Fantastic Four (2015) by Andres M — 03 Jun 2016

From the studio who failed to successfully reboot the classic come book twice, has come to fail once again, except it makes you wish Marvel Studios had bought the rights to the franchise from Fox already. Fantastic 4 is unanimously dull, joyless, humorless attempt to reboot the beloved comic book, but is without a doubt the worst marvel based superhero film to be made, and will forever stand far from Marvel's masterfully crafted in-house productions.

There is some history with the film. Fantastic Four started production in 2012 with Josh Trank to direct with a script by Jeremy Slater. Unlike the 2005 film, this film was more interesting with higher hopes. The early film and script featured numerous differences from the final film including the following:

- The film had a significantly faster pace, and more story.

- The film had a significantly different tone, in the tone of a Marvel Studios and Pixar film.

- The film had an original story.

The film was longer, running between 110-120 minutes, excluding credits.

- The film was primary about the relationship between Reeds Richards and Ben Grimm.

- The first act was about the relationship, and transformation of the team.

- There was more action.

- The team were close friends and featured a family dynamic.

- The film would feature an origin story of Victor Von Doom, Galactus, and Mole Man.

- First 60 minutes of the final film was condensed to the first act, or the first 25 minutes.

- The Fantastic Four would receive their powers about 20-25 minutes into the film.

- The story would span to around 4 years.

Not only is it one of those films that does not have anything to do with what made the comics good in the first, but it is one of those rare films that feels like it was going to punish you for liking joyful lighthearted comics, with dark, gritty setups, sickeningly action-less plot and little to no heart. As the 2005 version bewildered audiences with high level camp, not taking itself seriously, and focuses too much as a dumb comedy, this failure of an adaptation thats too afraid to even call itself a superhero film goes bare opposite, with muted-colored backgrounds, dreadfully tedious exposition, and characters acting angry, joyless, and depressed. Not a single minute goes by without someone glaring or blurting snarky remarks via resting bitch face.

The film features the simple but effective and profound story of 4 gifted people who receive powers from an alternate dimension, and must learn to use their powers and discover the beauties and depths of friendship and teamwork as they defeat a super villain, and learn what it truly means to be a hero, while accepting their flaws and using them to their advantage. Sadly, that's what the plot would and should be if Pixar or Marvel Studios were in charge of the film, and you would wish they were.

The story is anything but fantastic dragging like a admirable but uninspiring 30-minute tv pilot, stretched out to a cinematic feature that is anything but cinematic. Once you reach 50 minutes into the film, you'll come to accept the fact that this film doesn't have a plot, only a part of one, but the part that features nothing but exposition and no action or payoff.

Like I mentioned, Fantastic Four, feels more like a dark and gritty 100 minute trailer, to the film that we're supposed to be seeing, but didn't really get. Everything in the film could've been cramped down to 30 minutes, because it is a first act, but extended to 100 minutes.

The film starts with Reeds Richards and Ben Grimm creating a new machine that could transport objects. Due to their inventions, they are given scholarships and are brought to an organization that specialize with their technology, where they meet Johnny and Sue Storm, and the "antagonist", Victor von Doom, Ben somehow disappears for no reason, only to appear when Reeds ask him to go to the other dimension. 50 minutes into the film. They go on with Victor and Johnny, were they are affected by the planet's elements, they received their powers. This all should've been achieved at the 20 minute mark in the film, not halfway through.

At this point, our characters have received their powers, traumatized by the event, and what they've become. Now the rest of film could've focused on the characters struggling with their new lives and learning to use their powers while learning to work together to help people.

Instead, it cuts to "One Year Later", and we them already getting used to their powers but what's the drawback. Here, they are taken and forced to work for the government and they are used as weapons, but they don't used them to help people, they only agree so that they can remove their powers, to go to separate ways. Because of the "One Year Later" transition, the first hour has built up to nothing.

The second act has all but bulge with gloom, drama, all with no payoff, where we don't get to see or watch them work together, while learning to use their powers, which only builds up more disgust, because the most of the second act actually was originally scripted and filmed, which could be proofed by the numerous scenes and sequences in the trailers that weren't shown into the film.

It's beyond painful so see such great cast be smothered and utterly wasted with overly dragged expositions, and cookie-cutter dialogue, but the biggest sin is the lack of family dynamic. They all surprised me how mean-spirited they are as they all act like they are only out for themselves, who seemingly work together just in vain, rather than bonding and learning to use their powers to help power, which is pretty saddening to see.

The Visual Effects and CGI are very second-rate. The CGI feels very cardboard cut-out and pasted to the screen rather than feel integrated, with fake motion blur, cheaply crafted textures, lifeless movement, and fake looking shadows. It's more alarming that the CGI in the trailer were top notch, and fantastic, but's it's understandable, considering that the majority of the visuals effects money were probably used for revisions and reshoots Fox demanded.

Fantastic Four is another shameful, dark and gritty reboot that will guarantee kill off you love of the beloved classics and make you wish Fox just had given the rights back to the studio that started it all.