Fantastic Four: Directorās Cut
After an abortive attempt by Roger Corman in the early 90s to adapt the comic book worldās most famous superhero team, we finally got this big-budgeted effort by Tim Story, the most distinctive feature probably being that it really feels like a film aimed directly at kids with enough special effects to keep the adults awake. Indeed, with the exception of Dr. Doomās brutal murder of a corporate shark in an underground parking garage (arguably the highlight of the film), it essentially plays just like a live action cartoon. The film starts well, introducing the characters and getting them into space to have their little āaccidentā, but sadly once the heroes become aware of their powers after the well-done bridge rescue scene, too much of the story becomes bogged down with them in the lab, desperately trying to cure themselves. The whole crime-fighting aspect of the team never gets fully realized, unless you count their big showdown with Doom in the finale. As such, the cast turns out to be a mixed bag: Ioan Gruffold sorta looks the part of Mr. Fantastic, but he sorely lacks the presence or authority needed to make him believable as the confident leader of the group (gotta love the way his graying temples come and go over the course of the film); on the other hand, Jessica Albaās Invisible Woman is immensely watchable, despite a lack of chemistry with Gruffold. When you have looks like hers, who needs acting talent? Thus she becomes very easy to root for; Sadly though, Chris Evansā Human Torch is all cocky bravado and not much else. The film gets so carried away with showing how ācoolā he is that the viewer almost starts to hope that he gets brought down to earth; Julian McMahonās Doom is passable enough, if a bit too swishy, but when he gets his full gear on, the voice is just all wrong, bringing back memories of Topher Graceās nasally Venom; but then thereās Michael Chiklis as The Thing: Basically becoming the heart and soul of the movie with near brilliant acting, his Ben Grimm never ventures into annoying self-pitying dreck, mostly because Chiklis is allowed to act with his eyes thru the suit, and inspire empathy in the viewer, never turning into a morose CGI graphic like Ang Leeās Hulk, and is ably supported by Kerry Washingtonās cute blind girl who falls for him. In the end, a fun kidās movie that reaches its full potential on that scale, but not much elseā¦
7/10