Exceeded my low expectations, walked out pleasantly surprised

Rating: 7/10 (15 July 2005)

Hmm, should I see this film or not?
After reading some IMDb reviews, and low user rating of 6.1, I figured FanFour was just another summer '05 dud... probably not a limp strip of emulsion the likes of Daredevil, just the latest weak link in the recent flaccid chain of Hollywood efforts. One more film dumbed down and numbed up just enough to get parents to fork over $20 to their kids, waiting on its real payday in the video market. One reviewer put it squarely between Daredevil and Spiderman. So, I decided NOT to see FanFour.
Then I had a really bad day at work and decided a little escapism, even if it was mediocre, was in order. My choice was between the less than bewitching Bewitched, and not-so-Fantastic Four. FanFour began at a more convenient time, clinching the deal.
As it turns out, I guess I am a bit more forgiving than the the average IMDb user. I enjoyed it. Yes, FanFour is between Daredevil and Spiderman, but notably closer to Spiderman. Spidey, XMen & X2, these are classics, as is the recent Batman Begins. These movies give the genre credibility, and share some common threads: all have adult appeal; all make the best of special effects; all did not lose sight of the fact that those effects needed to be built around a movie, not the other way around. (for you producers / directors out there who seem lost sight of this, movies are cinematic stories built first around a plot, carried off by a script. Remember this and you might live to film another day )
FanFour had likable characters, reasonably well developed, though not the depth of Toby Maguire as Spiderman, or Christian Bale in Batman Begins. Then again, you've got four superheros, so just imagine the competition for face time on the widescreen. When it comes to character development, the FanFour do approach those other DNA mutants, the X Men. FanFour superpowers are in the same genetic phylum, but it's hard to beat the superstar cast of X Men, with super cool, yet deeply flawed personalities like Jackman's Wolverine. Nonetheless, FanFour hold their own.
The plot is standard predictable fare, a tried and true formula that will only fail if you fill it full of holes, or carry it out with a bad script, or bad acting. But FanFour had a decent script, trying a bit too hard for that Schwarzeneggarian one-liner, but only at a couple moments by Michael Chiklis' character "Ben Grimm, AKA the Thing." And this is a minor footnote, fully forgivable because Chiklis is a fine actor and makes the Thing a completely endearing character, especially at one moment when he gives a look with his eyes, much like Puss & Boots in Shrek 2, and you just want to give the big boulder a hug. Borrowing "Clobberin' time", from previous incarnations of the Fantastic Four, brought cheers from my theater audience, and some one-liners were worthy, working well as a counterbalance within the playfully antagonistic relationship between The Thing and Chris Evans', The Human Torch, AKA Johnny Storm. This sort of plot/character development , much like that between XMen's Wolverine and Cyclops, adds depth and brought an enjoyable dimension to FanFour.
As Johnny Storm, Evans is playfully devilish. A thrill-seeking adrenaline junkie, terribly likable and charismatic, and the human link between the characters in the movie and the world at large, including the audience inside the theater. No doubt all the young girls have noted his superhero sex appeal, unless they find themselves attracted to The Thing due to an Elektra complex and a daddy who looks like a large pinkish turd.
Jessica Alba as the Invisible Woman does a fine job, and there is a great strip scene that you will see, but you won't see, if you see what I mean. And it's no stretch to enjoy Ioan Gruffudd as Reed Richards, rubber man / scientific genius leader of the Fan Four. He's given the job of a dry scientist, strong of mind, weak on emotion, and he does it well. But his warm looks and gentle persona draw you to him, and this works well to build tension throughout the movie as you wonder if a spark will be ignited between his character and Jessica Storm.
One last note about Julian McMahon as the villainous Doom. This guy gives me the creeps as the shallow, morally challenged doctor on Nip/Tuck, and that quality translates well to the big screen. A good bad guy is a good thing.
This was a good movie, though it could have benefited from a little refining of the script, and about 15 more minutes of movie, the extra time devoted to character & plot development. While I was hesitant to walk into the theater before the movie, I walked out pleasantly surprised. If they do a sequel I am interested enough to see how they will develop the characters, including a love interest for the Thing, and for me that says it all.