Not believable in any way, but fun, and not boring

Rating: 7/10 (29 August 2005)

Remember the old 30s Marx Bros. comedies? The ones with Groucho, Harpo, Chico and Zeppo? Classics, right? Anyone remember the plots of those movies? Probably not...because the plots weren't important. The movies were about showcasing the abilities of the leads, while leaving the plot and conflict in the background.
That's sort of like what the genre of super-hero movies is like, only the main characters' abilities aren't comedic or musical, they are, well, super. The plot doesn't matter, because you have three or four characters on screen all the time with so much energy that they upstage everything else that would be important in another movie. It is only the director and writer's task to make them interesting, and in "Fantastic Four", Tim Story mostly succeeds at that.
This film's super-heroes are Mr. Fantastic, who can stretch at enormous lengths (Iaon Gruffud); The Human Torch, who can burn at the heat of the sun (Chris Evans), The Thing, who is very strong and made of rock (Michael Chiklis); and The Invisible Woman, who is self-explanatory (Jessica Alba).
They are transformed after being bombarded with a cosmic radiation storm while in a mission in space. With them is greedy billionaire Victor von Doom (Julian McMahon), whose transformation is slower and more mysterious than theirs' (possibly because he is the villain).
When they return to Earth their powers are revealed, and they shack up in Mr. Fantastic's apartment/office to study them. These scenes - the bulk of the movie - play as a sort of super-hero sitcom, which isn't as bad as it sounds, though a better approach would've been welcomed from me.
Since there are so many powers and special effects on display at all times, the scenes never get boring, and the parts are well-played. Chris Evans and Julian McMahon are especially good, they know they're in a comic book movie and I think that brings a sort of irony to their parts.
I could list the movie's flaws, and there are a lot of them...why aren't the four quarantined by the government when their powers surface? Why do they become so used to their powers so quickly? Why is the media's reaction akin to that of a new extreme sport? I mean, one of these characters can burn at the temperature of the Sun...this is a little grand-scale.
But like I said, the plot isn't all-important, and the movie is much more enjoyable if you don't think of these questions. I do have a problem with the structure of the film, though. Doom establishes himself as a major villain far too late in the film, the conflict is underwhelming and his motives are unclear. There is also very, very little action. I mean, you go to a super-hero movie to see the powers, yeah, but you also want to see the powers playing off each other.
But the action near the end is sensational, and the villainous Doom is so deliciously campy when he comes around that it was worth the wait. The movie is enjoyable, if flawed. But enjoyable.
7.5/10