Fantastic Fun!

Rating: 9/10 (20 June 2007)

Watching the new Marvel Comics movie "The Fantastic Four" (***1/2 out of ****) was a lot of fun. Don't expect anything as high-brow as either of the "X-Men" or the "Spider-man" epics. Meantime, this classic Marvel superheroes saga surpasses both the lackluster "Electra" and the horrible "Hulk." Principally, "The Fantastic Four" suffers from showing up too late to exploit its groundbreaking elements, since most of this family-friendly fare recycles material that "X-Men" and "Spider-man" have already converted into clichés. Ironically, "The Fantastic Four" comic debuted in 1961, long before either "X-Men" or "Spider-man" appeared. Indeed, "The Fantastic Four" paved the way for "X-Men" and "Spider-man," but the formative franchise is paying the price for reaching the screen later than its spin-offs. Unlike early Marvel Comics movies, "The Fantastic Four" resorts to refreshing comic relief bordering on slapstick. The heroes spend a fair share of their time goofing off. Check out how Reed Richards wraps himself like a rubber band around an enraged Ben Grimm. Moreover, unlike most Marvel comic superheroes, this quartet doesn't shrink from attention and has no need to shield their identity. This sets "The Fantastic Four" apart from the usual summer superhero saga, because the narrative exposure that they receive from cosmic rays cannot compare with the exposure that the media accords them. Consequently, if you're "The Fantastic Four" bound because you believe it clones "X-Men" or "Spider-man," prepare to be let down! "The Fantastic Four" unfolds with down-on-his-luck whiz kid scientist Reed Richards (Ioan Gruffudd of "King Arthur") and his best bud, Ben Grimm (Michael Chiklis of TV's "The Shield"), appealing to their old collegiate chum, billionaire industrialist Victor Von Doom (Julian McMahon of TV's "Nip/Tuck"), to fund their weird science project. Reed needs Victor's space station to analyze the consequences of cosmic rays on living matter. Victor rubs Reed's nose in Reed's own highly publicized bankruptcy case. Reedit seemsis flat broke. Later, Victor stuns Reed when he reveals that he knows why NASA gave Reed the boot over the project. Nevertheless, the greedy tycoon provides the funding for Reed's experiment. Not surprisingly, everything goes wrong once they are in space. All Reed's calculations are wholly off, and the cosmic rays arrive early and irradiate everybody on board Victor's space station. Not until later do they learn that exposure to those cosmic rays has a lasting effect on their DNA. The next thing we know the story is back on Earth with our heroes under medical observation. Johnny discovers that he can conjure up fire from his finger tips. Sue learns that she can turn invisible and lay down a force field. Reed's flexibility enables him to run his hand and arm under a locked door and unlock the door from the other side! By far the worst effected is Ben Grimm. He changes into a giant, orange-colored, stone-textured, Michelin man type brute that Johnny ridicules as 'the Thing.' Not to be left out, Victor acquires a metallic complexion and can wield electricity like a deadly weapon. Instead of joining ranks with his partners, Victor dons a Darth Vader-like helmet, christens himself Dr. Doom, and vows to destroy the Fantastic Four! Splendidly cast with some fresh faces, director Tim Story's "The Fantastic Four" doesn't alter the formula for superhero franchises. Conspicuously free of social issues, this superficial but entertaining summer romp refuses to furrow your brows, but it tops the unreleased Roger Corman version of Jack Kirby and Stan Lee's quarrelsome quartet. Corman produced his charming but cheapjack feature back in 1994 for a mere one million dollars, while 20th Century Fox has hurled a hundred million dollars into their CGI-enhanced, big-screen adaptation. The titular four are predictably charismatic, and the villain qualifies as evil incarnate. "The Fantastic Four" combines larger-than-life, fantasy-oriented violence with sure-fire, character-driven, fish-out-of-water comedy. Indeed, these mutated heroes differ from the "X-Men," because their deformities are what fuel their popularity. Although some special effects--especially Reed's elastic armslook rather cheesy, and the plot doesn't pass the two-hour mark, "The Fantastic Four" delivers enough action and comedy to distract you during its brisk 105 minutes without wearing out its welcome.
"Barbershop" director Tim Story and scenarists Michael ("GoldenEye" & "The Punisher") France and Mark ("Twin Peaks") Frost have confined the action to the character origins. Indeed, Story, France, and Frost have their hands full dealing not only with the heroic quartet but also with the dastardly Dr. Doom. Happily, nobody gets the short-shrift, and each character evolves in greater detail despite the lightweight treatment. Again, the difference between "The Fantastic Four" and other Marvel superheroes is that these guys are media celebrities with no need to conceal their identities. Typically, opening franchise films present the genesis of the protagonists then pit them in a life-or-death battle against their arch adversary. "The Fantastic Four" chronicles how the cosmic rays afflict each character, and then shows how each individual handles this hardship. While the villainous Dr. Doom challenges our heroes, the climactic showdown in "The Fantastic Four" serves more to demonstrate the moral gulf between the Four and their foe, without wasting another half-hour setting up a threat to mankind that our heroes must thwart. The biggest complaint about "The Fantastic Four" is that it's trite and resembles a TV show pilot episode. If such charges are accurate, then this is a super duper pilot, bigger than any that I've ever seen. However, not all superhero movies must resort to the standard threat-to-mankind plot. Essentially, what Story, France, and Frost fare best at is finding a balance between the tragic elements, such as Ben Grimm's massive metamorphosis, and the comedic antics of Johnny Storm pyromaniacal shenanigans, while incorporating the romantic byplay between Sue and Reed Richards. Finally, unlike the larger world threat superhero movies, "The Fantastic Four" qualifies as a more personal superhero movie. Although it isn't as memorable as either "X-Men" or "Spider-man," "The Fantastic Four" with its built-in sequel ending is still pretty exhilarating stuff.