Tanya Batson-Savage, Freelance Writer
Jessica Alba in a scene from the movie 'Fantastic Four'. - CONTRIBUTED
THE FANTASTIC Four, the latest Marvel comic to make it to the big screen, falls shy of actually being fantastic. It is entertaining in a very unimaginative way. It was too much to expect that in one summer when Hollywood rolls out the big guns, some loaded with popshot and others with real entertainment - that there would be two great superhero movies.
So, when Batman Begins came out and Christian Bale proved a wonderful caped crusader (deep voiced and all) in a movie combining thoughtful, imaginative writing with great action, one should have known not to expect too much from the Fantastic Four. Yet, one did dare to dream, and so disappointment came.
By themselves, the Fantastic Four are not bad, but lagging in the shadow of Batman, they pale considerably. Director Tim Story and writers Michael France and Mark Frost merely scratch the surface of what allows superheroes to thrive in the human subconscious. Of course, if the movie had simply been pumped full of unadulterated adrenaline action, it would have been great fun. As is, it has a few cool moments and provides some worthy chuckles and it is better than both Catwoman and Dare Devil.
In the Fantastic Four, five scientists boldly go into space and end up where no man, or very sexy woman, has gone before. They return to Earth seeming fairly normal (as superheroes are wont to), but over time, they exhibit amazing, or at least interesting, powers. Four of them will go on to become the Fantastic Four.
SUPER POWERS
Sue has a tendency to disappear, while John becomes as fiery as his disposition and can burst into flame. Reed becomes more rubbery, which suits his inability to ever make a solid decision when it comes to his emotions. The least of Ben's problems is that he ends up with only four fingers and no ears. Unlike the others, his rocky exterior is skin deep and he cannot change at will.
As far as comic book villains (who are really like bond villains on speed) go, Victor Von Doom (Julian McMahon) is not half bad. Alas, that is the main problem with this flick - it isn't half bad, which means it is only half good. The script needed sharper, wittier writing and the characters needed more than surface treatment, as they come daringly close to bland.
Though there is some attempt to play with the latent sexual energies between Sue (Jessica Alba) and Reed (Ioan Gruffudd) the two do not simmer. Ben's (Michael Chiklis) issues are also not enough and John (Chris Evans) provides something of a distraction, but as one of the four, he should be more than that.
CHARACTERISATION
In truth, the key to bringing comic book heroes to life is characterisation. Batman is brooding and battles with his inner demons, which constantly threaten to push him over to the side of evil. Spiderman has growing pains as he struggles with his responsibilities and realises that he is no superman, just a boy in tights with wonderful powers, which he must use carefully even at great sacrifice to himself. Wolverine has that gritty, ultra-sexy gruff exterior, reminiscent of a barely caged animal, with a hint of a more sensitive tortured side and what more does one need?
The Fantastic Four, on the other hand, are rather ordinary characters. And quite frankly who needs ordinary, certainly not in a block buster - that's what reality TV was invented for. Taking comics to the movies is a chance to see the geeks and freaks become the inner heroes, and that would have been fantastic. The Fantastic Four are just okay.
