Disappointing, yet... it has SOMETHING.

Rating: 6/10 (7 December 2005)

Way back in the 'golden years' of SF&Fantasy comics.... Well, at least I have your attention! Start again. Whom we referred to as 'trufans' (at least in the 'bad-old-days') are still, several generations later, almost the same people, albeit with new faces. Their passion is the same as ever and, one must admit, deservedly so. If anything has changed, it is the medium of film. CGI has changed everything - but sometimes not for/to the good.
I would argue that FF is an acceptable translation from comic to screen. Unfortunately, we must compare it with others: most notably Sin City. There cannot be a favourable comparison. However, this review is about FF.
Ioan Gruffudd, Michael Chiklis and Chris Evans form an inspired triad. However (yet again), Gruffudd, as Reed Richards, doesn't get "grey" enough from the cosmic experience; Chiklis, as 'The Thing', is far more interesting as his underplayed Ben Grimm. Johnny Storm, as played by Evans, is exactly as he is in the Marvel comic: a complete, teenage pain-in-the-butt. They work off each other in an ensemble which has coherence and a dynamic.
For me, Jessica Alba is a complete disaster as Sue Storm. She looks good (since when has being eye-candy been a job description for an actor? D'oh!) but hasn't the presence which the role requires.
Still, the special effects are good, even if Julian McMahon (as Doom) can't quite cope with the change from human to (supposedly) insane demi-god. He's not quite 'insane' enough, and certainly not convincing.
I give FF a score of six both for the special effects and because there is a sincerity behind its attempt to convert a Marvel favourite to the big screen.