Fantastic Four

When I was researching during the writing of this review, I soon came to realize that the original "Fantastic Four" was released in 2005. Can you believe it?! Ten years ago! It is amazingly difficult that it has been ten years. So now we have yet another "Fantastic Four" in the offing this time around with a relatively predictable, however different premise to consider.

This is a contemporary re-imagining of Marvel's original and longest-running superhero team, centers on four young outsiders, Reed Richards (Miles Teller), Johnny Storm (Michael B. Jordan), Sue Storm (Kate Mara) and Ben Grimm/The Thing (Jamie Bell) who teleport to an alternate and dangerous other dimensional universe, which ultimately alters their physical form in completely different shocking ways. Their lives irrevocably upended, the team must learn to harness their daunting new abilities and work together to save Earth from a former friend turned enemy, Victor Von Doom/Dr. Doom (Toby Kebbell).

Others to round out the cast are Reg E. Cathey as Dr. Franklin Storm, the head of Baxter Corporation, Tim Blake Nelson as Dr. Allen, Dan Castellaneta as Mr. Kenny, Owen Judge as Young Reed and Evan Hannemann as Young Ben.

This version of the franchise apparently centers around what exactly happened to the foursome of the metamorphosis transformation that took place on that infamous journey. This was credibly directed by Josk Trank ("Chronicle" '12) plus some TV. To be totally objective here, the staging and pacing of this was better than the resume of this director dictates. He will undoubtedly receive more work in even more contemporary flicks, because of his youth, he certainly can relate to other younger upcoming stars as with this. It was written by Jeremy Slater, Simon Kinberg and Trank based on the Marvel comic book by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby. I can't help but think that where this screenplay started out with a good deal of quick-witted dialogue subsequently went south and became a bit boring with sappy, unoriginal dialogue. Even though this particular genre has a tendency to be predictable, when one combines predictability with a sappy script, it certainly doesn't help.
Considering two out of the three writers here are virtual newbies in the writing arena, it's surely no surprise that this screenplay started going south. Kinberg is the only real seasoned writer here and he obviously didn't have enough clout to notice and act upon changes that clearly needed to be made. I would suggest that these writers not team up in the future, lest they come up with another questionable script. The visual effects predominantly created by Weta Digital and MPC (Moving Picture Company) were seamless, but one has to realize this before you enter the multiplex.

If you have to see this, it would be best to see it on the large screen since it's chock full of visual and special effects, otherwise it will seem even worse on a small screen. It's actually not a total wash--good casting, great production values abound, plus it's great escape fare. Break out the popcorn!

Out of 4 Stars: 2.5                                Rated: PG-13                                 100mins.