Somebody Finally Got it Right!!!

Rating: 10/10 (30 June 2005)

Wow! Just WOW! Let me start by saying I'm not a regular Fantastic Four reader, but I am a huge superhero fan and I've been reading comic books and watching superhero movies since the mid seventies. Spider-Man's my favorite, so I'm familiar with the FF characters from team-ups, crossovers etc. A few days ago I was visiting a friend in NYC and he treated me to a special advance showing of the Fantastic Four.
Now I've been watching superhero movies since the original Superman, and year after year, film after film, they've gotten close, but there always seems to be something missing. With Spider-Man, for example, I liked it, but I thought the Goblin could have been much better and Toby M. made a great Peter Parker, but mediocre Spider-man.
But the Fantastic Four . . . this one seemed to finally put it all together. The good guys were good (without being goody-goody) the bad guy was bad (without being a caricature) the setting was grounded and realistic (not an altered reality like the early Batman films) allowing just enough suspension of disbelief where it was really needed. Sure there were moments that could be questioned: "Would that really happen? Would he really say that?", but it's just about impossible to make an ambitious film like this without a few moments like that. What I really loved is they had POWERS, and they used them. You didn't get the feeling (as you did with X-Men for example) that they were being held back. They looked like they were coming right off the comic page.
Here's a little breakdown: Chris Evans/Human Torch - Amazing. I think a lot of credit has to be given to whoever did the casting on this one. No offense to Mr. Evans, but I got the feeling that playing an over-the-top superstar thrill seeker wasn't much of a stretch for him - if it was I really owe him a tip of the hat, but he seemed completely natural in the role. If Sam Raimi had thought to put Chris E. in the Spider-Man suit and let Toby M. play Peter P., we might have had a very interesting film. And kudos to the special effects department on this one, when the Torch "Flames On" you can practically feel the heat coming off the screen.
Michael Chiklis/Thing - Again, the casting was perfect on this. Michael C. WAS the Thing. He made you feel his pain, but he didn't wallow in it. While I thought they might do this with CGI, I'm glad they didn't. MC brought a depth and realness to the character that no computer could hope to match. There were a few moments when the suit didn't look quite right, but it was never enough to destroy the moment.
Ioan Gruffuld/Mr. Fantastic - Ioan G. did a good job, but he didn't have as much to work with as the other characters. He was believable and likable, but not a standout with everything else that was going on. The special effects were well done, but since your brain knows people can't actually stretch, it never quite looked "real". Still, to the filmmakers credit, they didn't hold back, and there were scenes (such as a fight with the Thing) that had me sitting slack jawed and amazed.
Jessica Alba/Invisible Woman - Jessica A. is simply breathtaking to look at. Now that I've said that, I feel a little less guilty saying her acting, while not bad, was a little flat. Still, she brought a special quality to the character, and many, many men and boys will walk out of the theater in love with her. The invisibility/force field effects were generally well done, but not quite what I expected, and at times I found myself wishing they had done them a bit differently.
Julian McMahon/Dr. Doom - Like many fans, I had been hoping for Doctor Doom - RULER OF LATVERIA, but in the context of this film, you can see that it wouldn't really have worked. This is an origin piece. The Fantastic Four aren't really the Fantastic Four yet. They're just a bunch of confused geeks trying to figure out who and what they are. Doctor Doom - RULER OF LATVERIA would have dispatched with them before breakfast. The ending, however, perfectly sets up a sequel (and I'm almost certain there WILL be a sequel - this film is too good not to get one) in which the a mature Fantastic Four can face a mature Dr. Doom. For this film, Julian M. was subtle yet powerful. He wasn't a cartoon bad guy, but a real bad guy. The kind you've met before who will shake your hand and look you in the eye while he's sticking a knife in your back. His relationship with Sue is creepy and it really defines his character. Everyone in the audience can see that he doesn't even understand what love is. To him, love is possession. Toward the end, he becomes truly frightening, but it's not a jump like some villains. You could see the evil smoldering below the surface from his first on-screen moment.
Overall, the film was well balanced and a LOT of fun. It was very funny at points, it was very heart rending at other points. Dramatic, intense and exciting. Remember that moment in Star Wars when Han Solo came back to help Luke blow up the Death Star. Remember how you just cheered an celebrated with the heroes? That's how this film made me feel.
I'm afraid I'm not eloquent enough to describe just how much I loved this movie. While not perfect, the sum total of the parts created a great, memorable experience.