Not all Marvel superheroes are created equal when it comes to their big screen incarnations, and the Fantastic Four is a prime example of this. Despite the characters' enduring popularity in comic books since their introduction in 1961 by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, their journey to the big screen has been fraught with disappointment. So far, there have been three previous attempts to make the team protagonists of film series, all of which, one way or another, ended in failure. The best and only one to bring some sort of profit at the box office is the second iteration, a 2005 feature film directed by Tim Story.
Like most big-budget superhero films of its time, the 2005 Fantastic Four film functions as an origin story, introducing us to Dr. Reed Richards (played by Ioan Gruffudd), a brilliant scientist who, along with his friend Ben Grimm (played by Michael Chiklis), tries to convince the wealthy and former friend Dr. Victor Von Doom (played by Julian McMahon) to finance a trip to a space station. Their goal is to study the effects of cosmic rays on DNA. Von Doom agrees, bringing along his assistant and Reed's former girlfriend, Susan Storm (played by Jessica Alba), as well as her playboy brother, Johnny Storm (played by Chris Evans). During their mission, cosmic clouds arrive earlier than expected, exposing everyone on the station to the rays, with their effects becoming apparent only after they return to Earth. Reed gains the ability to stretch and turns into Mister Fantastic, Susan gains invisibility and becomes the Invisible Woman, Johnny can manipulate fire and becomes the Human Torch, and Ben transforms into an invulnerable rock-like creature known as the Thing. As all four try to adapt to their new powers and use them for good, Von Doom also undergoes his own transformation, becoming the supervillain Dr. Doom.
While the Fantastic Four had good results at the box office, it was received poorly by critics and many comic book fans. The primary reason for this is the inevitable comparison to other superior superhero films released around the same time, such as Spider-Man and Batman Begins. Furthermore, the 2005 Fantastic Four film struggles to stand out in the wake of the highly regarded animated film The Incredibles, which is often seen as an indirect spoof of the original Fantastic Four comic books.
Taken by itself, the Fantastic Four isn't as bad as its reputation might suggest. The large budget, mostly invested in special effects, is quite visible on screen, and Tim Story, an African-American director best known for comedies, is adequate in his job, delivering a proper balance between action, light humour, and occasional darker moments. Most importantly, he maintains a quick pace and has crafted a film with a much shorter and more digestible running time than the bloated superhero epics that would become the norm in the next decade.
The cast is solid but unremarkable. Ioan Gruffudd and Jessica Alba lack proper chemistry, while Chris Evans appears to have some fun playing the irresponsible superhero—a role quite different from the one he would play in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The best performance is given by Michael Chiklis, a big fan of the original comic book who insisted on playing the Thing under tons of prosthetic makeup instead of CGI. His role—the most tragic of all four protagonists—requires more skill than others demand, which he delivers.
On the other hand, Julian McMahon as the villain is utterly forgettable and represents the weakest link in the film. This, along with the need to rush the final showdown due to excessive exposition throughout most of the film, contributes to what makes Fantastic Four disappointing. The ending is predictable and forgettable.
Fantastic Four proved successful enough for a 2007 sequel, Fantastic Four: The Rise of the Silver Surfer, which although considered slightly better than its predecessor, failed at the box office and led to the end of the film series. It received an even more disappointing reboot in 2015 while another is scheduled for release in 2025.
RATING: 5/10 (++)
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