A very good first impression

Rating: 7/10 (16 July 2005)

This movie is a really solid first outing for a future franchise. The film spends a lot of time laying the ground work for future movies, and while it is not entirely faithful to the comic books it is a great rendition. Let's face it, in the original comics, Sue was wimpy, with very little to do, it wasn't until later incarnations when she really gained power. The heart of the story has always been the human Ben Grimm struggling to come to terms with the Thing, and trying desperately to fit in. The movie and more importantly Michael Chiklis do an incredible job portraying this angst. Chiklis work is extremely powerful, and all the more impressive when you consider the costume he's wearing and the limited range of facial expressions it permits him. The movie gets the edgy banter/rivalry, love/hate relationship of the Thing and Human Torch down perfectly. Chris Evans is surprisingly capable, if one dimensional, as the Human Torch. Jessica Alba's performance was solid if unspectacular, and her lack of emotional range seems to hold back the performance, but she manages to give Sue, far more strength then the comics ever did. This is a Sue who is competent, and knows what she wants. Ioan Gruffudd proves that he really can act with a Reed Richards who is a hesitant brainiac, again unlike the Richards of the comics who never questions either himself, or his role as a leader.
The effects work is good, although a little less then spectacular. Clearly no one had any idea of what to do with the space storm at the beginning of the film. The effects for the heroes, the Torch and Mr. Fantastic in particular are very good, and the suit works well for The Thing, retaining the feel of a comic book drawing.
I wish the director had moved things along a little quicker, and that the confrontations with Doom had been more action packed, and longer. But again, this movie was designed to set the stage for everything that will follow. As with the X-Men, I'm sure movie two will have more action, and be quicker paced then movie one was. As it is though, they have done justice to a comic book I loved as kid.