Fantastic Four

Richard Howard2 said:I’m not sure if you realized this, but Bob Sapp is actually a highly educated intellectual...

my sarcasm detector is giving me some pretty mixed signals here

I guess I'm just not sure how to read into that🙂

quietdriver3 said:Elektra isn't actually bad at all.

In this flick, you've got people from the North America, demonic ninjas, white ninjas dropping straight out of the sky (yeah, yeah, and I kid you not, Mortal Kombat 2 isn't the only movie that offers such an epic entrance!), a showdown between Bob Sapp and Wood (seriously, they're in the exact same intellectual league), and that lesbian kiss between Natasha Romanoff and Jennifer Lawrence...

Honestly, those two seconds of lesbian action make the whole thing worthwhile! 😍

I have to admit, I don't get why Elektra was so trashed by critics and audiences either... To me, the movie was fine. It wasn't some spectacular masterpiece, sure, but it wasn't boring and it was actually really easy to watch!

Brian Foster2 said:I have to admit, I don't really get why Elektra gets so much hate from critics and everyone else... personally, I thought the movie was alright. It wasn't exactly a masterpiece or anything, but it definitely wasn't boring, and I found it pretty easy to watch!

Yeah, that’s exactly my point—it's just a decent watch.

Now, Catwoman? That is some genuine, top-tier garbage.

quietdriver3 said:my sarcasm detector is giving me mixed signals

I honestly don't know how to interpret them. 🙂

There isn't any sarcasm here. I am being serious.

Richard Howard2 said:There isn't any sarcasm here. I'm being serious.

I guess I'll just admit I misjudged the guy 😉

Taste is such a subjective thing. Here we are, just a handful of people who apparently love comic books, all the tropes they come with, and their various screen adaptations. And yet, it’s amazing how differently we can perceive the exact same films. I am quoting Quote : Archangel specifically because he mentioned a whole bunch of comic book movies:

Quote : Archangel said:The best superheroes are Batman and X-Men!

I think the first two Batman movies are great (especially the second one). Both X-Men films are also good. I’d love to catch those old Superman movies that used to air on ABC back when they actually showed them, probably 10 or 15 years ago. It's a shame. 😢

I should also mention Spider-Man. The first one was actually quite fun (even if it wasn't as good as The Dark Knight), and the second one was even better.

And both Constantine and Hellboy are awesome!

Constantine was pretty cool to me; given the scale of the story, I was hoping for some kind of horror or maybe an action-horror vibe. Instead, I got a visual clone of The Matrix—a flick where even a scene involving someone getting tossed from a taxi felt overly stylized. Still, Tilda Swinton as Gabriel was great, and don't even get me started on Rachel Weisz. 🙂

Hellboy was totally entertaining and good. Hellboy is a blast! Plus, Karl Ruprecht Kroenen (the clockwork Nazi robot) is a legend. I've read the comic too, and that was fine as well. You could easily make an interesting horror RPG campaign set in the modern world where players fight against evil Nazi occultists.

If you're looking for bad movies, just go watch Daredevil, Catwoman, or Elektra.

Can you believe I haven't seen any of those three films? Nor do I feel like I've missed out much. I suppose that says something about my take on them.

Speaking of those movies, I should mention Hulk. I haven't watched that one either. In terms of adaptation quality, though, Hulk was never really an interesting superhero to me.

Quote : Spawn (which isn't bad in my opinion)!

To me, it was completely mediocre. I lost interest after about 40 minutes and just went to bed. I'm not entirely sure why: there wasn't anything in that film I hadn't seen in other comic adaptations—over-the-top villains, irritating comedic relief, an angsty hero... For some reason, none of it clicked for me, despite the decent concept.

And let's not forget Mr. "Everyone knows where I live and keeps coming to attack me, but I refuse to move, and in the comics, I'm actually the one seeking them out" The Punisher!

I watched the old version with Dolph Lundgren, and it was mostly underwhelming. Except! Except for the scene where The Punisher fights an entire school of ninjas and absolutely wipes the floor with them. You know how? While they are busy preparing to use their Japanese martial arts nonsense—katanas, karate, and all that—Dolph pulls out a shotgun and just mows them down. Now THAT is a fighting skill.😈

I think the movie is great. Even if Vin Diesel isn't much, everything else is fantastic (especially that Necromonger tech)!

I watched the film with Jay and Watashi in New York, and personally, I found it absolutely terrible while they seemed to have a blast. It’s similar to my experience with Constantine; perhaps as I get older, I find myself caring more about the narrative and less about the special effects. By that logic, I really should dislike several films, such as Sky Captain & the World of Tomorrow or Hellboy, for instance. However, those specific movies feel more like lighthearted fun rather than serious cinema, so any gaps in characterization or plot don't really bother me—if anything, I view them as part of the atmosphere. But when Hollywood tries to deliver what they think is an "impressive" blockbuster that relies entirely on flashy visuals while completely discarding the story and characters, that's when I lose my patience. Special effects are cheap. A solid story and well-developed characters are priceless.

I honestly don't know. My tastes oscillate wildly between one pulp adaptation and the next. I love The Mummy, but The Mummy 2 was a total waste of time. I think Conan is brilliant, whereas Conan sequels, Red Sonja, and The Scorpion King are either mediocre or just unintentional jokes. Go fuckin' figure.

quietdriver3 said:exactly, the movie is actually watchable.

Take Catwoman, for example—now that is some truly authentic garbage.

I watched it on DVD ages ago, and honestly? I ran straight to the theater just so I wouldn't be stuck with that depressing memory of Catwoman... when it hit video rental, I didn't even dare pick it up again, purely for my own safety and mental health... 😬

I've got a feeling this is just going to be another mediocre comic book adaptation, just with a bigger budget and more CGI... honestly, the animated versions are always better.

casualotter21 said:Exactly! Stupid comic books! Before they started turning everything into movies, Hollywood used to make all sorts of great, smart films. Just look at the Riddick series, then King Arthur, then Troy, followed by Jurassic Park 2 and 3, or even those Adam Sandler comedies...

I haven't seen most of what you listed, except for the second and third Jurassic Park movies, which are absolute masterpieces compared to Fantastic Four... 🙂

redowl90 said:I haven't seen any of the stuff you listed.

Then don't bother watching this either. It’s honestly incredible how quickly some problems can be solved sometimes.

aside from the second and third Jurassic Park movies, which are masterpieces compared to Fantastic Four... 🙂

What exactly have you even seen regarding Fantastic Four?

Richard Howard2 said:There's zero sarcasm here. I'm being dead serious.

The guy is finishing college, it's not some big secret. 😁

casualotter21 said:Have you seen Fantastic Four yet?

Of course I have... My advice: steer clear of this one... Besides, the movie is hitting theaters right in the middle of summer when everything else is already swamped...

casualotter21 said:Taste is such a subjective thing. Here we are, a few people who clearly enjoy comics, comic tropes, and their adaptations. And yet, it’s so easy to walk away with completely different impressions of the exact same films. I'm quoting Quote : Archangel just because he brought up a whole heap of comic book adaptations:

The First two Batman movies were great for me (especially the second). Both X-Men movies too. I’d love to catch those old Superman films that ABC aired last, probably maybe 10 or 15 years ago. It's a shame. 😢

I could also mention Spider-Man. The first one was actually fun (though not as good as The Dark Knight), and the second was even better.

Constantine was pretty cool to me: given the scale of the story, I was hoping for some kind of horror or perhaps an action-horror. Instead, I got a visual version of The Matrix—a clone where even a scene involving someone getting tossed out of a taxi felt overly stylized. Still, Tilda Swinton as Gabriel was top-tier, and don't even get me started on Rachel Weisz. 🙂

Hellboy was totally entertaining and good. Hellboy is a legend, let's face it! And Karl Ruprecht Kroenen is a legend too. I read the comic and that was fine as well. You could easily make an interesting horror RPG campaign in today's world where players fight against evil Nazi occultists.

Can you believe I haven't seen any of those three films? Nor have I felt like I was missing out much. I suppose that says something about my take on them.

Speaking of those films, I should mention Hulk. I haven't seen that one either. In terms of adaptation quality, well, Hulk was never really an interesting superhero to me.

For me, it was totally mediocre. I gave up watching after about 40 minutes and went to bed. I'm not quite sure why: there wasn't anything in that movie I hadn't seen in other comic adaptations: over-the-top villains, irritating comedic relief, angsty heroes... For some reason, none of it clicked, despite the good idea.

I watched the old version with Dolph Lundgren and it was mostly alright. Except! Except for the scene where The Punisher fights an entire school of ninjas and just tears through them all. You know how? Like, while they're preparing to use their Japanese martial arts nonsense—katanas, karate, and so on—Dolph pulls out a shotgun and just mows them down with a burst. Now THAT is a martial art. 😈

I watched the film with Jay and my buddy in New York and it was terrible to me, though they found it purely entertaining. Much like with Constantine, the issue is likely that as I get older, a solid story becomes more important than special effects. Actually, by that logic, a lot of movies should be bad for me: Sky Captain & The World of Tomorrow or Hellboy, for instance. However, those films feel more like lighthearted fun rather than serious cinema, which is why the gaps in characters and plot don't bother me at all. In fact, I accept it as part of the atmosphere. But when Hollywood tries to make an "impressive" and "cool" film where that impressiveness is exhausted by the effects while the story and characters are thrown in the trash, that's when I lose my patience. Special effects are cheap. Good stories and characters are priceless.

I don't know. I swing wildly from one pulpy adaptation to another. The Mummy was great. The Mummy 2 was meh. Conan was great. Conan 2, Red Sonja, and The Scorpion King were either useless or just questionable jokes. Go fuckin' figure.

I couldn't have said it better myself.😉
I only disagree with Quote : Spawn, but hey, everyone’s entitled to their own opinion...

Hicks> He doesn't deserve that because he's a super-villain with the best plan ever—he triggered volcanoes on one side of the planet, knocking Earth out of orbit and pushing it away from the Sun, which caused a new ice age!!! Luckily, Spider-Man reversed the process and fixed everything...

W...w...w...well, I actually watched that episode. 🙏

Fair point... Respect! 👍

Jeremy Bishop5> P.S. check out this photo, Jessica Alba looks like she's totally worked up...

And it’s a bad thing why…???

Exactly. 😁

I mean, that's pretty normal... isn't she playing the fiery siren type? 🤔

Hicks>For example, look at Riddick's chronicles

Yeah... especially that Riddick cloak that fits him just a little bit off. 😂

@crimsonmoose3<=

Just fix your damn quote. 🙄

Cpl. Hicks said:It’s not going to work because they messed up Dr. Doom's origin! That is a cardinal sin right there. Some ridiculous cosmic radiation? Everyone knows Doom is a master of black magic.

Man, Doom's backstory is such a massive stretch—ruling his own monarchy in Eastern Europe, being Reed's roommate via fax, a super-genius, a sorcerer, and a nomad—that they honestly should have just made an entire movie dedicated solely to him and how he decided that iron was his ultimate fashion statement.

I'll admit it—it wouldn't be a bad thing.

Is it just me, or does the guy playing Richards look exactly like the actor who played Hornblower in that British series?

Jeremy Bishop5 said:P.S. Check out this photo; I guess Jessica Alba looks like she's covered in oil... 😬

Yeah, honestly, she’s probably the main reason I’d definitely sit down and watch the movie. 😎

So, I just stumbled upon this review from a movie site:

FANTASTIC FOUR Review
FANTASTIC FOUR Reviewed by Scott Chitwood
Rating: 7/10

Rating: 7/10 Cast: Ioan Gruffudd as Reed Richards / Mr. Fantastic, Michael Chiklis as Ben Grimm / The Thing, Jessica Alba as Sue Storm / The Invisible Woman, Chris Evans as Johnny Storm / The Human Torch, Julian McMahon as Victor von Doom / Doctor Doom
Ioan Gruffudd as Reed Richards/Mr. Fantastic
Michael Chiklis as Ben Grimm / The Thing
Jessica Alba as Sue Storm / The Invisible Woman
Chris Evans as Johnny Storm / The Human Torch
Julian McMahon plays Victor von Doom/Doctor Doom.
Kerry Washington as Alicia Masters
Stan Lee as Mailman Willie Lumpkin
Maria Menounos as Nurse Summary

Summary:
Fantastic Four Review The cast is genuinely fun and there’s some great humor scattered throughout, but let's be real—the plot holes and certain campy moments stop it from being the definitive movie comic fans have been dreaming about. Still, it's a total blast and definitely worth a watch.

The Story: Marvel Comics gave us the foundation for this one. It all kicks off when Reed Richards and his crew head up to a space station run by the industrialist Victor von Doom. While they're out there, things go sideways. Reed Richards, Ben Grimm, Sue Storm, Johnny Storm, and Victor von Doom himself are all caught up in the chaos. As a result of the accident, Sue Storm gets the power to vanish and pop up force fields, while Johnny Storm turns into the human Torch, gaining the ability to fly and control fire. Reed Richards and the rest of the gang end up becoming instant superstars, with the media officially branding them The Fantastic Four. But what exactly happened to Victor von Doom during the mishap? That’s where things get complicated. Will The Fantastic Four be able to handle what's coming? The whole thing is rated PG-13 because of some pretty intense action sequences.
Fantastic Four is based on the long-running Marvel Comics.

So, here's the deal: Reed Richards and his team are basically trying to track down some wild cosmic phenomenon heading straight for Earth. To get the job done, they set up their whole operation at a high-tech space station owned by the big-shot industrialist Victor von Doom. Joining Reed on this mission are Ben Grimm, who’s a pilot and astronaut, along with Sue Storm—a geneticist working under von Doom—plus her brother Johnny Storm, who handles the flying, and of course, Victor von Doom himself. But things go south fast, right? During the mission, the crew gets hit by a freak cosmic storm, and the radiation ends up messing with their DNA. Suddenly, they aren't just scientists anymore; they're walking around with some seriously strange new powers. Talk about a bad day at the office!

So, Reed Richards discovers his body has gone totally elastic, allowing him to stretch in ways that just shouldn't be possible. Then you've got Sue Storm, who picks up the ability to vanish into thin air and whip up these force fields. Johnny Storm turns into the Human Torch, gaining control over fire and the power to fly. Unfortunately, poor Ben Grimm ends up transformed into the monstrous Thing. He’s incredibly strong now, sure, but his whole body has turned into this rocky, orange skin. But wait, how exactly was Victor von Doom transformed by the accident?

After a string of crazy accidents, Reed and the crew suddenly find themselves in the spotlight, with the media labeling them The Fantastic Four. But even with all that superhero fame, this quirky little family deals with plenty of real-world drama. Reed is struggling just to keep up with his bills. Sue is feeling the sting because Reed has such a hard time actually showing his affection for her. Then there’s Johnny, who is totally head over heels for the celebrity lifestyle. And Ben? He’s constantly leaning on Reed, desperate to find a fix for his condition. Meanwhile, Victor von Doom is watching all this friction and using it to drive his old teammates apart, all to settle a score after his corporation went under. Can The Fantastic Four actually pull together and survive his schemes?

The Fantastic Four is rated PG-13 because of all the intense action scenes and a little bit of suggestive content.

What Worked:
I've been a Fantastic Four fan for over 25 years now. Seriously, I've read most of the FF Comics, so I’ve had this specific vision in my head for a long time regarding what a proper FF movie should actually look like. The good news? This Fantastic Four actually captures a ton of what made the original comics so much fun. But here's the kicker—the bad news is that the final product just doesn't quite hit the heights it could have reached.

To get this story onto the big screen, the filmmakers definitely took some creative liberties with the source material. The origin stories aren't exactly the same, the powers have been slightly tweaked, Alicia Masters is Black, and Victor von Doom actually pursues Sue Storm. But honestly? Most of those shifts feel pretty minor. The core spirit of the comics is definitely still alive and kicking. It feels like a blend of the classic FF runs and that more modern Ultimate FF vibe where everything gets a fresh reimagining. Like, for instance, they actually link Doctor Doom’s origin directly to the team's origin. They also turned him into this organic-metallic powerhouse who can blast lightning, instead of just a guy with burns hiding in a suit of armor. Even with those changes, they still give him that iconic mask and keep his roots tied to his home territory. All in all, it stays pretty faithful to what we know and love about the comics.

They absolutely nailed the chemistry between Ben Grimm and Johnny Storm in this one. Honestly, the constant bickering and playful rivalry between those two feels like it was ripped straight from the pages of the FF Comics. Johnny just won't stop messing with Ben, constantly poking fun at him. There’s this one specific part I loved where Johnny starts teasing Ben with a little action figure of himself—it was hilarious! For me, those little character moments were easily the best parts of the whole movie.

I really think they nailed the casting for this Fantastic Four flick. Honestly, Chris Evans might be the standout here as Johnny Storm. He’s got that cocky, immature vibe down pat—a total daredevil, just like you'd see in the FF Comics. He captures that spirit perfectly. And man, when he finally leaps off a building and shouts "Flame On"? That’s one of those pure geek moments that comic fans are going to live for. Plus, it’s easily one of the best action beats in the whole movie, especially when he's trying to outrun that heat-seeking missile. Michael Chiklis is also fantastic as Ben Grimm. I’ll be honest, I always figured The Thing would need to be full CG, but the practical makeup actually works surprisingly well here. Chiklis brings exactly the right amount of grit and surliness to the part. You can't help but feel for him while he's struggling to deal with his new rocky body. Between breaking cups and accidentally biting through forks, he’s clearly having a rough time, which makes him super relatable. Ioan Gruffudd does a solid job as Reed Richards, too. They play around with his stretching powers in some fun ways, like him squishing his face against a keyboard or shifting his features. They even throw in the classic moves, like using him as a slingshot to restrain Ben. Then you’ve got Jessica Alba as Sue Storm. She wasn't my top pick for the role, but she honestly did a great job. She plays so many layers—the team's maternal figure, Johnny's sister, and Reed's love interest—and she handles all of it effortlessly. Lastly, there's Julian McMahon playing Victor von Doom. He’s quite the leading man, and hearing that smooth voice coming through the intimidating mask? Pretty chilling. Oh, and definitely keep an eye out for Stan Lee making a cameo as Willie Lumpkin the mailman!

At the end of the day, I thought Fantastic Four was a fun ride, even if it didn't quite hit the heights I was hoping for. I'm dying to see more Fantastic Four movies, you know? But honestly, I'm just not sure this one has enough juice to really kickstart a whole series of sequels. Is it enough to keep the franchise moving? Who knows!

What didn't quite hit the mark:
It’s funny how one of the biggest strengths of Fantastic Four is also its biggest flaw. Humor has always been a staple of the Marvel Comics, and the movie really tries its hardest to lean into that vibe. When it actually hits? It works. Like that banter between Ben Grimm and Johnny Storm—that was great. But man, sometimes it veers way too far into camp territory. There’s a moment where a fire truck is heading toward total disaster, and a Dalmatian in the front seat literally covers its eyes with its paw. Seriously? Then you've got a scene where a pigeon poops on Ben Grimm, and another where he just lets out a huge burp after eating. Honestly, the only thing they missed was a fart joke. All that silly stuff just drags the whole movie down.

Then there was that whole weird subplot involving Ben Grimm and his fiancée. Once he’s turned into The Thing, he heads home to see her. Suddenly, she’s running out into the middle of the street to greet him... wearing nothing but lingerie. Seriously? Like, what? Then, not long after, she pops up right at the site of a massive accident on the Brooklyn Bridge just to return a ring... which she decides to just leave sitting on the pavement where he can't even reach it. Huh? Again? It was just one of those silly moments that didn't even try to be clever.

Some parts of the story felt a little thin, too. Like, take Ben Grimm—he spends the whole movie absolutely desperate to find a way back to being human. Then, right at the end, when Reed finally offers him a fix, he’s just like, "Oh, don't worry about it." Makes zero sense, right? Honestly, there are plenty of other plot holes scattered throughout the movie, but you catch my drift.

I should probably mention that I wasn't really feeling the score by John Ottman. I mean, where was the actual FF theme? It just wasn't there. A lot of it felt more like something you'd hear during a TV show rather than a big Hollywood production. Honestly, the soundtrack felt pretty weak to me. As for the special effects, they were kind of all over the place. On one hand, the Human Torch looked awesome! But then you look at the scenes around the space station or that final showdown, and they just didn't hit as hard. Compared to the other big summer blockbusters, the effects in FF just don't seem to hold up as well.

The Bottom Line:
Fantastic Four Review Is it exactly the cinematic masterpiece we’ve all been dreaming about? Not quite. But is it still worth a watch? Honestly, yeah, it’s pretty entertaining. Even though the whole thing could have used some more polish, they actually managed to capture a good chunk of that classic comic book magic.

And honestly, all those other reviews aren't even that bad... I mean, the movie pulled in $20.8 million on its opening day! That's actually the third-best opening of the year, right behind Star Wars Episode III and Sky Captain & The World of Tomorrow!

casualotter21 said:Exactly! Stupid comic books! Before they started turning everything into a movie, Hollywood actually made some pretty great, smart films! Just look at things like Riddick, then King Arthur, then Troy, followed by Jurassic Park 2 and 3—not to mention those Adam Sandler comedies...

You totally forgot Ben Stiller's comedies. 😁

Brian Edwards78 said:You completely overlooked the Ben Stiller comedy bits. 😁

It’s easy enough for Ben Stiller, but once I start thinking about Adam Sandler or those truly dark movies, I just feel a sense of profound gloom.

I catch the FF cartoon on Fox every once in a while, and honestly, I can't say I care. (c) by gnn

Lame, lame, lame.