So, I went to a preview screening last night of Fantastic 4 - I was cautiously optimistic, with medium expectations of the movie based on the most recent trailer. Going in with that frame of mind, I was pleasantly surprised by the film. I liked it more than I thought I would. First off, the special effects for their powers are very well done. Gone is the camp and not-quite-right-digital creepiness of previous movies. |
A ton of pre-movie debate surrounded the casting of Michael B. Jordan as Johnny Storm. Even the press tour was beleaguered by stupid questions about how two siblings can be black and white - like no one has ever heard of adoption or blended families before. |
I felt like there were major scenes missing for no reason I can fathom. The beginning and middle are pretty solid, but the ending is incredibly rushed. All the character and relationship development is dropped in the third act for the big action finale. While the effects are excellent - I left with the feeling that the formation of 'team' in the end wasn't earned. In the end, it totally fell flat. In fact the last scene, to presumably set up a sequel, is laughably terrible.
Also - THERE IS NO MID OR AFTER CREDIT EASTER EGGS - so don't bother waiting.
For comic purists, they mess with canon A LOT. Reed and Sue are not much changed -except younger and not yet a couple. Johnny is also a super genius engineer with only a small, youthful rebellious streak, and a ton less ego than usually portrayed (and of course, black.) Ben isn't a pilot, he's just a loyal friend who grew up with Reed from an abusive blue collar family. Franklin Storm isn't a drunk who goes to jail leaving Sue to raise Johnny - he runs the the Baxter Institute and adopted Sue from Kosovo as a child. Victor is an Earth-hugging, government hating ideagogic that is part of the Institute project team. His character is by far the greatest departure from any previous version of Doctor Doom - which I still haven't decided is a good or bad thing.
The team, BTW, doesn't go 'into space to be transformed by cosmic radiation,' but transports to some parallel dimension (Negative Zone/Planet Zero) to try and find alternate power sources for Earth. 'Living' energy, mechanical failures, explosions - wackiness (and super powers) ensue...
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