X-sections
Dutch
The Editor
e-mail Reggy!
|
|
Movie: Fantastic Four
Director: Tim Story
Actors: Ioan Gruffudd, Jessica Alba, Chris Evans, Michael Chiklis, Julian McMahon
|
|
One of Marvel's first comic books, Fantastic Four, is finally heading to the big screen! Four superheroes with special powers to protect the citizens of New York. The leader of the group is Reed Richards (Ioan Gruffudd) who can stretch his body, Susan Storm (Jessica Alba) who can make herself invisible, Johnny Storm (Chis Evans) is able to transform his body into a human torch and Ben Grimm (Michael Chiklis) better known as The Thing with a body hard as a rock. The Fantastic Four's enemy is the one and only Victor Von Doom (Julian McMahon) who was victim of the same freak space accident that effected the DNA of the group and gave them special powers.
Tim Story got the job to direct the first big screen adventure of the Fantastic Four. The studio's choice to hire Story and casting the actors kinda made me nervous. Story made Barbershop and the big flop Taxi. Ioan and Jessica are a bit too young to play the characters who appeared to be older in the comic that also includes a Susan Storm who's a 'real' blonde. I decided to give them the benefit of the doubt.
Fantastic Four is very different than most other superheroes. They don't have alter egos, they don't wear masks so they're sort of celebrities. The four super humans are also somehow related to each other and they're living and working as a family. The family values form the heart of the comic. Tim Story succeeds in transferring this concept into the movie. The cast, surprisingly, seems to be the perfect fit and they have a wonderful chemistry. Ioan is great as the hard-working Reed, Chris is funny as the loose cannon Johnny and Michael Chiklis delivers, despite his thick latex costume, the best moments. Nip/Tuck's Julian McMahon also surprises as the mad Dr. Doom.
Fantastic four is, despite my preconception, and sometimes-awful dialogs spread all over the film, a pretty cool superhero flick, …but the film doesn't reach the level of other superhero films like Spider-man and Batman Begins. Fantastic Four could be a lot better but Tim Story chooses for the safe approach of the material. He doesn't take any risks to make Fantastic Four a more intense family drama.
Fantastic Four stays overall loyal to the comic. I'm pretty pleased as a Fantastic Four fan, especially because of the gigantic action sequences and wonderful special effects. Fantastic Four is entertaining and fits perfectly into a carefree family trip to the movies.
Written by Reggy 07/07/05
|
|
