Fantastic Four
(2015)Change is coming.
A decade after the first Fantastic Four feature, Marvel’s Fantastic Four gets a cinematic reboot from writer-director Josh Trank, his follow-up to 2012's Chronicle. Miles Teller (Whiplash) leads the squad as Mr. Fantastic; Kate Mara (127 Hours) is The Invisible Woman; Michael B. Jordan (Chronicle) is The Human Torch; Jamie Bell (Snowpiercer) is The Thing; and a drastically different Dr. Doom – a hacker named Victor Domashev – is played by Toby Kebbell (Koba from Dawn of the Planet of the Apes).... More
This is produced by 20th Century Fox (makers of the X-Men films), and falls outside the Marvel Universe of The Avengers movies.Hide
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Directed by Josh Trank ('Chronicle')
Starring Miles Teller, Kate Mara, Michael B. Jordan, Jamie Bell, Toby Kebbell, Reg E. Cathey, Tim Blake Nelson
Written by Josh Trank, Jeremy Slater, T.S. Nowlin, Simon Kinberg (based on the characters created by Jack Kirby and Stan Lee)
Flicks Review
BY Liam Maguren Flicks Writer
I could easily say that this new Fantastic Four outstretches its welcome, that its plot vanishes without a trace, that the action fails to ignite, or that the script could have used a good clobbering. But I’ve got a simpler statement: this is a bad movie. I know what many of you are thinking: “Can it really be as bad as those campy previous two films?” It’s a photo finish, even (and especially) with its bold shift to a serious/humourless tone.... More
The first hour of the film is dedicated to the set-up, with the characters showing barely any solidarity – or any actual character. Wise-cracking Johnny Storm (Michael B. Jordan) hardly ever cracks a wise, Ben (Jamie Bell) is left on the sideline until he’s The Thing, Reed (Miles Teller) is never interesting before or after stretchiness, and Sue (Kate Mara) largely keeps to herself until she gets her powers – which she only uses in the climax to make the guys invisible.
After the mutation, the Four are treated like frightened lab rats. To the film’s credit, there are slithers of good dramatic weight in this situation, with Ben’s freak-out being the most tragic as Reed abandons him. But even this scenario is cut off at the kneecaps as the narrative suddenly decides to skip forward to a year later, leaving a gigantic gap where the team aren’t a team.
Not that any of these plot details matter, for the final ten minutes throws all of it into a wood-chipper in service of the film’s ONE action scene, where Victor Von Doom’s motivation to destroy lots of things boils down to “I’m crazy and it’s your fault.” And even on a switch-your-brain-off level, this one action scene sucks.Hide
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Fantastic Four
BY The_Chihuahua superstar
I don't know what dimension this movie was shot in but it should of remained there! I just wanted it to end. If only! It dragged on and on and on... I cried man tears in my soul.
I love my comic heroes but this was just blaspheme. I don't mind a few twist from Hollywood to make it screen adaptive for the new generation and investors. But this was ridiculous!
And that's how I'll review it, Ridiculously Bad! Flame-off! Pffff!
BY silentbob88 superstar
Two stars,one for Miles Teller because I think he is cool-and one for casting a black human torch... other than that seen it all before.... Apart from some of the special effects nothing new to add or say-YAWN.
BY ems superstar
After watching this movie one question came across my mind. It was was Juicy fruit the main sponsor of the film? All the characters did in the movie was chew gum.
BY amberw4 wannabe
BY HMJ lister
Team Marvel-Disney have done a superb job of training the modern movie going audience to love comic book based stories. Even the minor ones i.e... More Antman. But this, Fox's version of the Fantastic Four IS NOT THAT FORMULA.
Marvel-Disney's formula ACTION! comedy drama. In that order. This FF movie is HORROR drama action. In that order. Not what people were expecting. Hence the general tone of confusion and resentment from the reviewers.
The well publicised clash between the director and his employers account for much of conflicting tones in this movie. Horror and comedy are often an uneasy mix. Especially when the audience is expecting laughs rather than the genuinely chilling scenes where our heroes get their powers and are unable to control them.
There were gaps in the plot. Such as; why did the guys leave Susan behind when she was an equal contributor to the project? Why is that exclusion not commented on? It would've taken no more than a single scene to address this issue.
And it's shorter than average. Which I, for one, appreciated! Trying to cover the flaws in a movie by filling it with big CGI action sequences make for a boring movie. Jupiter Ascending anyone? Also it left me on the edge of my seat looking for more. Good for the sequel.
Luckily I had noted the generally negative reviews and knew what not to expect. Also I have read some of the Ultimate Marvel Universe so I knew there would be substantial differences.
I enjoyed this movie a lot. I'm not a big fan of out right horror movies and I like it when franchises leave room for character developments in later movies. So the easing off from the house of horror tone worked for me. As did the dropping of character development in the second half. I thought it a smart move to give Victor von Doom genuine reason to mistrust authority. It gave his angry young man schitck credibility and almost made me sorry for him when he went off the deep end. The abbreviating of the learning-to-use-powers stages were fine. The basics were covered. Lets get on with the story. The special effects looked great and the young cast - while at times underutilized - had good chemistry.
You could do worse, alot worse, than go see this movie.Hide
Showing 5 of 12 reviews. See all reviews
The Press Reviews
9%
of critics recommend.
Rotten Tomatoes Score. More reviews on Rotten Tomatoes
All told, the movie feels like a protracted teaser for a more exciting follow-up that, depending on whether audiences warm to this relatively low-key approach, might never happen. Full Review
A sense of heaviness, gloom and complete disappointment settles in during the second half, as the mundane setup pays no dramatic or sensory dividends whatsoever. Full Review
A dawdling indie drama, gussied up in superhero garb. Full Review
A really good film, shorn of glib know-all theatrics, faux profundity and the spangly CG that's usually ushered in as dramatic short hand for, "we got nuthin'." It is, as the old saying goes, a proper movie. Full Review
As an origin story that’s all origins and no story, there’s a hollow, stale feeling to this occasionally admirable attempt to Nolanise Marvel’s dysfunctional family. Full Review
While it never quite becomes a bad film, it can never quite make you forget it is a botched film. Full Review
Trank's origin story brings nothing new to the party, apart from a rather muted, real-world aesthetic that counters the colourful worlds dreamed up by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby in the original Marvel comics. Full Review
The drama is laughable, the attempted humour is strained and the script simply never allows the special effects crew to do anything particularly inventive. Full Review
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