Bifrost
16-02-2006, 08:12 AM
THE DETAILS
Director: Tim Story
Writer(s): Mark Frost & Michael France (with Jack Kirby & Stan Lee)
Starring: Ioan (pronounced "Johan") Gruffudd; Jessica Alba; Chris Evans; Michael Chiklis; Julian McMahon
Released: 2005
Distributed by: 20th Century Fox (http://www.foxmovies.com)
IMDB Link: Fantastic Four (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0120667/)
Before I get into this, there are a few things I have to admit:
I'm a long-time collector and fan of the Fantastic Four comic
I've always loved the Fantastic Four
I stopped collecting the series when Mark Waid turned Reed Richards into George W. Bush to make a point
Jessica Alba (hubba hubba)
THE MOVIE
So, with that out of the way - I really enjoyed Fantastic Four. I managed to ignore the ridiculous non-relationship between Victor Von Doom and Sue Storm, I managed to ignore the fairly clumsily handled rise of the 4's celebrity, I managed to ignore the fact that Sue's invisibility power couldn't extend to her clothes (hey - it's Jessica Alba, of course I overlooked it) and I ended up really enjoyed the spectacle of seeing the 4 on the screen (in this case the small screen). This is no X-Men, but then it could never have been. Fantastic Four - the comic - was the X-Men of the 60s. It was the family super team of a far more innocent era, to translate them to the big screen and make them hard-boiled would have been absurd. In terms of the characters, I think they were translated almost perfectly into the modern world.
Victor Von Doom (rarely referred to as "Doctor"): I actually think their handling of Doom is good. Having a similarly super-powered villain seems to work in the context of the film, that and I like his powers. Basically instead of making him capable of building an astronomically advanced suit of power armour, they just turn him into the suit of power armour. I am comfortable with it and they handled it well. In fact, they handled it better than Mark Waid did during his latest run on the comic title (what is with that magic crap?). Julian McMahon walks through his lines, but then this is not Shakespeare.
Sue Storm: Jessica Alba has the perfect look. She does struggle with the whole "genius scientist" thing, but that feature of Sue Storm is raely mentioned, nor used. Sue has been given a silly inability to not put a light refractable force field around her clothes (and yet hubba, hubba). The fact that she was made a genetic scientist is a testament to the fact that it is a new world from when the Fan Four started in the 60s. Women are no longer considered good only for the home and I think (much like its addition to Ultimate Fantastic Four) this is a perfectly acceptable change.
Reed Richards: not enough opportunities provided to demonstrate his intelligence, well casted. How could Horatio Hornblower NOT play the thinking man's super team leader?
Ben Grimm: almost perfect. Michael Chiklis did a superb job of the big, dumb rock guy with a heart of gold. Just didn't like the head of the rock suit. Needs more BROW.
Johnny Storm: perfect. Chris Evans delivers. Chris Evans IS Johnny Storm.
Other than that - all characters were faithful adaptations and all actors delivered their material as well as required. In terms of look, every actor had it and every actor is pretty well respected for their previous work, so they coasted through this.
The plot - the what? Come on, it's the origin story of the Fan 4, who cares about some redundant narrative cohesion, right? Right. For those who have never read, nor heard about Fantastic Four, it goes a little like this:
Reed Richards (genius scientist) and his girlfriend/ex-girlfriend Sue Storm, her brother Johnny and test pilot Ben Grimm are all exposed to horrible space stuff when something goes all wrong during a scientific expedition. In space. Victor Von Doom (Reed's college rival and fellow genius) is also in space being exposed to space stuff. Why? He owns the station, he can do whatever he wants. He also wants to get into Sue Storm's panties, but then who wouldn't? So, the space stuff makes Reed capable of stretching like a rubber man, it makes Sue capable of turning invisible and making awesome invisible shields and other invisible stuff which is evidentally very hard, it makes Johnny capable of turning to fire and turns Ben permanently to rock. Bummer, Ben gets stiffed (rock - stiffed...ah shaddap).
Anyway, the four heroes save a bunch of people and become famous. But what happened to Victor? Oh did I mention he gets turned into metal-skin-I-can-control-magnetism-and-fire-electricity-but-I'm-a-genius-and-can-build-a-suit-of-armour Guy? Well he does. And he's evil. EVIL I tell you!
Anyway...
Fantastic Four is a neat, well made roller coaster without anything standing out to make it a classic. At least they didn't include the Mole Man. I have read here (http://insomniacmania.com/fullrelated.php?id=2577), here (http://www.comicbookmovie.com/news/articles/2028.asp) and here (http://www.superherohype.com/news/fantasticfournews.php?id=3804) on the DVD to make another Fan 4 film and work on their plot a little harder this time.
Did I mention Jessica Alba is a hottie?
THE EXTRAS
For a single disk release, the Fantastic Four DVD contains substantial number of extra features. Unfortunately, being a movie released in the last 6 months, it's worst extra feature is the "YOU WOULDN'T STEAL A CAR" tripe as soon as you start the DVD. Fortunately you can fast-forward it (though not skip it entirely). Makes me want to burn the thing just so I can skip it. Anyway...
Menus: Not as swanky as X-Men DVDs, still look good.
Deleted Scenes: Nothing too much happening in these. Glad they deleted them. At least one of them made it into the Australian release and the DVD anyway, so technically it wasn't delete. Thankfully they deleted the part where Reed Richards (somehow) morphs his head into the head of Wolverine. He's stretchy, you dopes, not a shape-shifter.
Cast Commentary featuring Ioan Gruffudd, Jessica Alba & Michael Chiklis: The commentary is (as with most cast commentaries) just actors chatting about the film they just starred in. But it is, as always, interesting to hear actual top actors talk about their work rather than just promoting a movie. Much like it's interesting to hear top chefs talk about their work. It's also nice when each of the cast members sound like very normal, pretty grounded people and these three guys certainly do. VERY funny hearing about Michael Chiklis (tough guy of The Shield) talking about being yelled at by an extra on their first day of shooting and how he asked the director how to deal with it. FYI the extra wasn't fired, rather he appologised and it sounds like Chiklis handled the situation very calmly and intelligently.
The Fantastic Tour: Although it's just a Fox Movie Channel mini doco, The Fantastic Tour is something pretty unique which I have never seen on another DVD (not that I've watched the extras on all of them), but basically the cast (all 5 mentioned at the top) are given a camera and told to film their promotional tour. Obviously Jessica Alba features heavily (winner), but also she's pretty decent at working a handheld camera. We get to see actors talking to each other and horsing around a bit, but what I found most interesting was seeing the back rooms of shows I know (yes - there's a substantial Australian portion) and seeing at least what it looks like from the guest's point of view before and after they go on stage and seeing them sitting in the same seat over and over and over as journo after journo comes to ask them the same questions (yes, the fast-forward through this for us, but damn, that must be boring). Fortunately The Fantastic Tour allows the world to see actors as normal people doing late nights and long (albeit fairly expensive) flights all in the name of promotion. For once we get to see something other than sculptured idols who do not visit the toilet (not that they featured this in the doco).
Fantastic Four - Making a Scene: Another Fox Movie Channel doco. Here we get the crew and directorial perspective of the issues, mechanics and visual effects requirements of making the disaster scene on the Brooklyn Bridge. Obviously these guys are not as charasmatic as their actor counterparts, but this doco is a gret deal more interesting for anyone interested in film making.
FantasticFour - Casting Session:Yet another Fox Movie Channel thing. Not a doco. Total promo shite. Not at all interesting.
The Standard Stuff: The Making of Documentary
Teaser Trailer
Theatrical Trailer
Music Videos
TV Spots
-- Bifrost
More (full-size) images available at Rotten Tomatoes (http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/fantastic_four/gallery.php) & IMDB (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0120667/photogallery)
Director: Tim Story
Writer(s): Mark Frost & Michael France (with Jack Kirby & Stan Lee)
Starring: Ioan (pronounced "Johan") Gruffudd; Jessica Alba; Chris Evans; Michael Chiklis; Julian McMahon
Released: 2005
Distributed by: 20th Century Fox (http://www.foxmovies.com)
IMDB Link: Fantastic Four (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0120667/)
Before I get into this, there are a few things I have to admit:
I'm a long-time collector and fan of the Fantastic Four comic
I've always loved the Fantastic Four
I stopped collecting the series when Mark Waid turned Reed Richards into George W. Bush to make a point
Jessica Alba (hubba hubba)
THE MOVIE
So, with that out of the way - I really enjoyed Fantastic Four. I managed to ignore the ridiculous non-relationship between Victor Von Doom and Sue Storm, I managed to ignore the fairly clumsily handled rise of the 4's celebrity, I managed to ignore the fact that Sue's invisibility power couldn't extend to her clothes (hey - it's Jessica Alba, of course I overlooked it) and I ended up really enjoyed the spectacle of seeing the 4 on the screen (in this case the small screen). This is no X-Men, but then it could never have been. Fantastic Four - the comic - was the X-Men of the 60s. It was the family super team of a far more innocent era, to translate them to the big screen and make them hard-boiled would have been absurd. In terms of the characters, I think they were translated almost perfectly into the modern world.
Victor Von Doom (rarely referred to as "Doctor"): I actually think their handling of Doom is good. Having a similarly super-powered villain seems to work in the context of the film, that and I like his powers. Basically instead of making him capable of building an astronomically advanced suit of power armour, they just turn him into the suit of power armour. I am comfortable with it and they handled it well. In fact, they handled it better than Mark Waid did during his latest run on the comic title (what is with that magic crap?). Julian McMahon walks through his lines, but then this is not Shakespeare.
Sue Storm: Jessica Alba has the perfect look. She does struggle with the whole "genius scientist" thing, but that feature of Sue Storm is raely mentioned, nor used. Sue has been given a silly inability to not put a light refractable force field around her clothes (and yet hubba, hubba). The fact that she was made a genetic scientist is a testament to the fact that it is a new world from when the Fan Four started in the 60s. Women are no longer considered good only for the home and I think (much like its addition to Ultimate Fantastic Four) this is a perfectly acceptable change.
Reed Richards: not enough opportunities provided to demonstrate his intelligence, well casted. How could Horatio Hornblower NOT play the thinking man's super team leader?
Ben Grimm: almost perfect. Michael Chiklis did a superb job of the big, dumb rock guy with a heart of gold. Just didn't like the head of the rock suit. Needs more BROW.
Johnny Storm: perfect. Chris Evans delivers. Chris Evans IS Johnny Storm.
Other than that - all characters were faithful adaptations and all actors delivered their material as well as required. In terms of look, every actor had it and every actor is pretty well respected for their previous work, so they coasted through this.
The plot - the what? Come on, it's the origin story of the Fan 4, who cares about some redundant narrative cohesion, right? Right. For those who have never read, nor heard about Fantastic Four, it goes a little like this:
Reed Richards (genius scientist) and his girlfriend/ex-girlfriend Sue Storm, her brother Johnny and test pilot Ben Grimm are all exposed to horrible space stuff when something goes all wrong during a scientific expedition. In space. Victor Von Doom (Reed's college rival and fellow genius) is also in space being exposed to space stuff. Why? He owns the station, he can do whatever he wants. He also wants to get into Sue Storm's panties, but then who wouldn't? So, the space stuff makes Reed capable of stretching like a rubber man, it makes Sue capable of turning invisible and making awesome invisible shields and other invisible stuff which is evidentally very hard, it makes Johnny capable of turning to fire and turns Ben permanently to rock. Bummer, Ben gets stiffed (rock - stiffed...ah shaddap).
Anyway, the four heroes save a bunch of people and become famous. But what happened to Victor? Oh did I mention he gets turned into metal-skin-I-can-control-magnetism-and-fire-electricity-but-I'm-a-genius-and-can-build-a-suit-of-armour Guy? Well he does. And he's evil. EVIL I tell you!
Anyway...
Fantastic Four is a neat, well made roller coaster without anything standing out to make it a classic. At least they didn't include the Mole Man. I have read here (http://insomniacmania.com/fullrelated.php?id=2577), here (http://www.comicbookmovie.com/news/articles/2028.asp) and here (http://www.superherohype.com/news/fantasticfournews.php?id=3804) on the DVD to make another Fan 4 film and work on their plot a little harder this time.
Did I mention Jessica Alba is a hottie?
THE EXTRAS
For a single disk release, the Fantastic Four DVD contains substantial number of extra features. Unfortunately, being a movie released in the last 6 months, it's worst extra feature is the "YOU WOULDN'T STEAL A CAR" tripe as soon as you start the DVD. Fortunately you can fast-forward it (though not skip it entirely). Makes me want to burn the thing just so I can skip it. Anyway...
Menus: Not as swanky as X-Men DVDs, still look good.
Deleted Scenes: Nothing too much happening in these. Glad they deleted them. At least one of them made it into the Australian release and the DVD anyway, so technically it wasn't delete. Thankfully they deleted the part where Reed Richards (somehow) morphs his head into the head of Wolverine. He's stretchy, you dopes, not a shape-shifter.
Cast Commentary featuring Ioan Gruffudd, Jessica Alba & Michael Chiklis: The commentary is (as with most cast commentaries) just actors chatting about the film they just starred in. But it is, as always, interesting to hear actual top actors talk about their work rather than just promoting a movie. Much like it's interesting to hear top chefs talk about their work. It's also nice when each of the cast members sound like very normal, pretty grounded people and these three guys certainly do. VERY funny hearing about Michael Chiklis (tough guy of The Shield) talking about being yelled at by an extra on their first day of shooting and how he asked the director how to deal with it. FYI the extra wasn't fired, rather he appologised and it sounds like Chiklis handled the situation very calmly and intelligently.
The Fantastic Tour: Although it's just a Fox Movie Channel mini doco, The Fantastic Tour is something pretty unique which I have never seen on another DVD (not that I've watched the extras on all of them), but basically the cast (all 5 mentioned at the top) are given a camera and told to film their promotional tour. Obviously Jessica Alba features heavily (winner), but also she's pretty decent at working a handheld camera. We get to see actors talking to each other and horsing around a bit, but what I found most interesting was seeing the back rooms of shows I know (yes - there's a substantial Australian portion) and seeing at least what it looks like from the guest's point of view before and after they go on stage and seeing them sitting in the same seat over and over and over as journo after journo comes to ask them the same questions (yes, the fast-forward through this for us, but damn, that must be boring). Fortunately The Fantastic Tour allows the world to see actors as normal people doing late nights and long (albeit fairly expensive) flights all in the name of promotion. For once we get to see something other than sculptured idols who do not visit the toilet (not that they featured this in the doco).
Fantastic Four - Making a Scene: Another Fox Movie Channel doco. Here we get the crew and directorial perspective of the issues, mechanics and visual effects requirements of making the disaster scene on the Brooklyn Bridge. Obviously these guys are not as charasmatic as their actor counterparts, but this doco is a gret deal more interesting for anyone interested in film making.
FantasticFour - Casting Session:Yet another Fox Movie Channel thing. Not a doco. Total promo shite. Not at all interesting.
The Standard Stuff: The Making of Documentary
Teaser Trailer
Theatrical Trailer
Music Videos
TV Spots
-- Bifrost
More (full-size) images available at Rotten Tomatoes (http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/fantastic_four/gallery.php) & IMDB (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0120667/photogallery)