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| Fantastic Four (2005)
  
Starring: Michael Chiklis, Jessica Alba, Ioan Gruffudd, Chris Evans, Julian McMahon, Kerry Washington Director: Tim Story Rating: PG-13 Category: Action/Adventure  |
It’s no surprise that Pixar’s animated feature “The Incredibles” was so well-received when it was released in theaters last year, but you might be surprised to hear that the basic premise for the film was a complete rip-off of Stan Lee and Jack Kirby’s original Marvel comic book series, “The Fantastic Four.” Created in 1961 by the infamous comic book duo, “Fantastic Four” introduced the genre’s very first superhero family with special powers a little too similar to that of Pixar’s creation, but if you enjoyed “The Incredibles,” then you’ll absolutely love “Fantastic Four,” this summer’s first real blockbuster and the best comic book adaptation since “Spider-Man.”
Research astronauts Reed Richards (Ioan Gruffudd) and Ben Grimm (Michael Chiklis) are in desperate need of financial backing for a scientific study on DNA that could change the lives of millions. The only man willing to invest the money in the risk is Dr. Victor Von Doom (Julian McMahon), a billionaire playboy who also happens to own the equipment needed for the task. Along for the ride is Reed’s ex-flame and Doom associate Susan Storm (Jessica Alba), as well as her hot-headed brother Johnny (Chris Evans). After a cosmic space storm interrupts their experiment and alters their DNA, they all emerge with supernatural powers.
Director Tim Story doesn’t waste any time in getting to the core of his tale, gleefully skipping through the events leading up to the quartet’s miraculous transformations within the first fifteen minutes. Along with their newly gained powers, the astronauts are dubbed with new nicknames: Reed is now Mr. Fantastic, who can stretch any part of his body like rubber; Sue is the Invisible Woman, who can also project a force field of sorts by bending light; Johnny is the Human Torch, essentially a man on fire; and Ben is the Thing, an orange, hard-as-rock-skinned hulk with the strength of a hundred men. Dr. Doom doesn’t miss out on the festivities either - blessed with a metal skeletal system and the ability to manipulate electricity – but after seeing the self-proclaimed Fantastic Four become television celebrities overnight, he decides to make use of his super powers by eliminating the tight-knit group.
“Fantastic Four” is not without its faults, and the special effects aren’t exactly groundbreaking, but the final product is more than adequate for the average moviegoer to enjoy. Especially satisfying are the spot-on performances by Chiklis and Evans as the Thing and Johnny Storm, respectively. Chiklis breathes fresh life into perhaps the silliest comic book character tailored for the big screen with a genuine humanity that can be felt even through the bulky foam costume, while Evans delivers a certain comic flair that was an essential element of the original graphic series. It’s almost as if both of these actors were born for their individual roles, and the older-brother-little-brother chemistry that subsists creates the perfect conduit for comic relief.
Audiences may bicker and complain about the film’s use of comedy throughout the story, but what many people don’t know is that the comic book is, and always has been, a family comedy about normal people learning to cope with their newly gained powers, and while it doesn’t quite hit a bull's-eye like the original “Spider-Man” was able to do, it does a fairly good job with its debut on the big screen.
DVD Features:
The widescreen DVD release of "Fantastic Four" includes a cast audio commentary, three deleted scenes, a short making-of featurette, and a tour of the set with the film's cast and crew. Other extras include features on casting and a behind-the-scenes look at the making of a scene, as well as two music videos and a special sneak peek at "X-Men 3."
~Jason Zingale
jzingale@bullz-eye.com