Disappointing all around.

Rating: 4/10 (20 May 2007)

They took the first family of comic books, and made a mediocre movie about them. The biggest issue is the lackluster script, with changes made in the basic characters that just did not need to be made. Dr. Doom, the comic worlds ultimate villain is worst served by this, making him into a smarmy businessman whose big threat is he wants to make more money. (The comic book Doctor Doom is a vicious dictator of a country who is a legitimate threat to take over the world. Now Dooms powers are all part of being part of the same accident that gave the Fantastic Four theirs, rather then him being a super genius inventor. The plot, what there is of it, is thin...the Four get their powers, don't know if they want them, and Doom attacks them. Thats it.
The casting also suffers from Jessica Alba as Sue Storm, who, in this version of the FF, is not only a hot babe, but supposedly a genius on par with Reed Richards himself. Pointless since her supposed genius is never used in this movie, and Alba is not capable of creating an intelligent character like that.
The other "Four" are good physically, with Michael Chiklis being an inspired choice for Ben Grimm, the Thing. The special effects for the group are also passable, again with the make up for the Thing being quite good.
All in all its just a bad film. With WAY too many "X Games" scenes involving Johnny Storm, scene after scene of the Invisible Girl turning invisible for no good reason, and Reed Richards, Mr Fantastic shown having the common sense of a 13 year old boy.
One of the worst of the wave of comic book movies to come down in the last dozen years or so. The WORST part being that essentially the same cast and crew is coming back for the sequel. I do not hold out much hope that this group can do any better the second time around.