I still think the 2005 cast is more well-suited for the roles, but this group proved to be the right successors in their own way.
Having received a lot of flak, I’ve gotten quite cautious about watching this film. People kept saying it wasn’t as good as it should be, and that it didn’t match all the other Marvel films. After finally seeing it, I’ll have to say most critics are right.
The film finally gave clarity as to the origin of the power of the four superheroes for people who do not follow the comics like me. I finally understood how they got their powers, and how they became the “Fantastic Four”. The name is still very 20th Century, but there really isn’t much of a problem with it, really.
It’s basically a story of four different teenagers who have high IQs (except for one) with their own kinks and quirks from different backgrounds who eventually became super-powered friends.
To cut down to the chase, I think the film was horribly fast. There wasn’t enough room for character development and buildup. There was just this idea of a group of highly intellectual teenagers who managed to create this high-tech machine that would teleport you to a different dimension, which has the potential to save the planet earth and eventually does so by protecting it from an evil frenemy Victor Van Doom.
The movie had great visual effects (as expected) but didn’t give justice to the plot. I mean, really. There was a promise to their story, but the editing and the plot was just so fast-paced, it even skipped an entire year of getting to know their own powers just to get to the saving part. There was too much backstory to dwell on, there wasn’t much time to work on the buildup.
Also, the friendship was so sweeping, you wouldn’t really think they actually became friends. They were just laughing along with each other then *POOF* they became best friends for life. Seriously, this film has lacked the character buildup it deserves that there was no time for the audience to emotionally connect with the characters. Reed Richards is your usual amazing nerd that nobody believes. Susan Storm is the hipster nerd who listens to music nobody listens to but is amazing in science. Johnny Storm the rockstar rebel who happens to be intelligent enough to work on a highend science project and Ben Grimm the shy, quiet but buff sidekick who gets tangled in to the entire mess because Richards can’t stand not travelling without him. There’s really just no emotional connection.
Also, what happened to that confrontation with Doom? There was no distinction and time for Doom to even provide his own backstory and why he’s so suddenly powerful and strong and villainous – he just is, and everything else is left to the viewer’s imagination. I find it so impossible that they worked together so well considering they were apart for a year.
Also, I’m sorry but Miles Teller needs to learn how to be heroic. When he was delivering his lines during the fight, it didn’t seem like he was being a hero at all – it was like he was mocking some other superhero, like Captain America. Kate Mara and Michael B. Jordan handled their characters well but they could use a little more push – it’s like they’re very disappointed they’re not going to be part of the Avengers.
What about you guys? What’s your take on the film?
//SRV
STEPHEN VELEZ 