'Fantastic 4' a splashier, wittier addition to the genre

Rating: Null/10 (8 July 2005)

Fantastic 4 When an experimental space voyage goes awry, four people are changed by cosmic rays. Reed Richards, inventor and leader of the group gains the ability to stretch his body, and takes the name, Mr. Fantastic. His girlfriend, Sue Storm, gains the ability to turn invisible and create force fields, calling herself the Invisible Woman. Her younger brother Johnny Storm gains the ability to control fire, including covering his own body with flame, becoming the Human Torch. Pilot Ben Grimm is turned into a super-strong rock creature calling himself Thing. Together, they use their unique powers to explore the strange aspects of the world, and to foil the evil plans of Doctor Doom.
Who would have thought making a marvel comic book movie colorful and filled with humor? 'Fantastic 4', the latest addition in the comic book to movie adaptation, is one of the better ones of the genre. It's much more splashy and light then the darker ones, like Batman Begins, and it has more humor then it has any right to. The actors have a lot of charisma, and fit their roles well. Chris Evans plays his role with ease, as the only one excited about having these powers, and using them to get money and babes. The film's entertaining enough to keep out attention: fast, sleek and, yes, even vivid at times.
My few problems with the film are as follows: It's cheesy at times, and there's a lapse of time when they have no villain at all, and they're just trying to get a deeper understanding of their powers, which eventually runs a little thin. But there's enough positive points to outshine the negative points. So, if you walk into the theater expecting 'SpiderMan2', you might be a little disappointed. But if you walk in going with the film's silly charm, you'll be surprised. Trust me, it's no 'SpiderMan2', but it's certainly no 'Daredevil' either.
3.25 from 4 PG13- action sequences and some language/suggestive content.