Here we go again

Rating: 5/10 (11 August 2005)

Another Marvel Comics adaptation. Comic adaptations are showing so much variation these days - there's the straightforward (and award winning) Spider Man 2, the thoughtful Batman Begins, or the strictly adult Sin City. The Fantastic Four goes straight for the intellectually-challenged adolescent - by packing in slapstick, amusing CGIs, moral vacuity, and the sort of plot development that doesn't require sustained attention. Apart from that, it's quite enjoyable. I could easily imagine a 24hr version that you just dipped into for a quick fix inbetween more serious pursuits. Fantastic Four is a straightforward and unashamed waste of talent, like happy hour cheap lager. The nominal story, of several scientists accidentally given super powers after a freak accident, is less important than smiling vacuously all the way through.