Fantastic? Maybe

Rating: 7/10 (10 July 2005)

Now I must say that Tim Story did a fairly good job of translating the original comic book into a movie. The casting was done very well, with maybe the exception of Jessica Alba. Chris Evans, Mike Chiklis, and Ioan Gruffudd were excellent choices for the heroes.
If you haven't seen the movie and aren't a big FF fan, then I have some advice. You shouldn't go into it looking for an average or cliché superhero movie. Of course, the movie will have the cliché elements of cheesy catchphrases (thanks to Stan Lee), but it's Marvel! This movie can be compared most to Spider Man; you have five characters not interested in superpowers and then they get them by accident. But, unlike Spider Man, they spend a good part of their time trying to find a "cure" for their powers. Does this take away from the movie experience? Only if you're looking for an action superhero movie with lots of fight scenes and mindless "clobbering." No, my friends, because this movie actually has a story. The emotional center is Ben Grimm/The Thing, and you can't help but feel sorry for the guy. These are four good friends that want to be friends (well, for the most part). Grimm WANTS to be cured and is an emotional wreck.
I'll try not to spoil much, but go into this movie without great expectations and you should come out fairly pleased. I would give the movie a 7.8, because of some logistical things (you'll know when you see it), but I still loved it. If you're a big FF fan like myself, I can say that you won't be disappointed (much).