The film begins with five colleagues heading into space, towards an orbiting space station to study the effects of cosmic rays. Whilst on board the station, they experience a massive blast of rays and blistering bright lights which damage the station and mutate the five into super humans, each with different abilities.
The leader of the group is Read Richards, (Grufford) who has now been transformed into ‘Mr Fantastic’-and can stretch his body into amazing positions. His business partner and ex-girlfriend Sue (Alba) has turned into the Invisible Woman, who can create force shields; her brother Johnny Storm (Evans) has become the Human Torch and can fly at speed, and Read’s best friend, Benn Grimm (Chalkis) is The Thing, a super strong, rock-like creature.
Together they face the billionaire, arrogant and narcissistic fifth member of the crew; Victor Von Doom. He uses his new metallic skin structure for evil and has turned into the villainous Dr Doom.
If you are wanting a film which stretches your intellectual senses, an epic masterpiece worthy of ten Oscars or a heart breaking, tear jerker that will leave you crying long after the film has ended, this film is not for you and the disappointment will well up long before the title credits has ended.
On the other hand if you are looking for ninety minutes of rip-roaring fun, stunning special effects and heroes in tight fitting Lycra, you could be in for a treat.
The script is not a great literary work of Shakespearean eloquence and drama, but it is filled with one liner’s that will have you quietly chuckling to yourselves. (Making sure no one is looking!)
The Fantastic Four is sadly not in the same league as previous comic book heroes made into films; such as the first three Batman movies, Spiderman 1 and 2, or the Superman trilogy. It does however endeavour to continue the run of popular comic books made into films genre.
The actors have done their best with the characters and scripts provided. The story is weak and at times inconclusive. If you are planning to see this, don’t go with any expectations, and enjoy the film for what it is; pure family entertainment.
