Thursday 6 August 2015

Fantastic Four




With the constant success of Marvel and the slew of comic book movies form DC and others coming up along with remakes and reboots, it was inevitable that Fantastic Four got its reboot.

And while not a marvel movie, a dark reboot seemed the be only way to save an otherwise boring property. The first two movies where indeed this, boring. The only redeemable factor from ether for me was The Silver Surfer, this was one of the few things it got right.

Anyway back to the present and a new reboot of Fantastic Four. From the outset of the production the whole thing seemed getting off to a good start. The casting of both Miles Teller and Micheal B. Jordan were very interesting and when the first trailer came out i was more than intrigued. The reworking of the origin and the darker feel was definitely what was needed. I was looking forward to this.

Fantastic Four (2015)


Plot
Four young outsiders teleport to an alternative and dangerous universe which alters their physical form in shocking ways. The four must learn to harness their abilities and work together to save Earth from a former friend turned enemy.






Arriving in the cinema early on a Thursday, I have got to admit, I was a little excited for Fantastic Four. But that didn't last very long. It became apparently that this was going to be an origin story, plain and simple.

Following Reed Richards(Miles Teller) from a boy genius building inter dimensional portals in his parents garage right up till he creates one for the government at the age of....., actually I'm not sure. Both he and school friend Ben Grimm (Jamie Bell) seem to be in a science fair while looking in their late twenties.
Then from said science fair they are recruited to work in the Baxter Institute along with some more kids.
I can live with having someone older playing a supposed teenager but this did not work for me. And the Reed Richards origin, including Ben Grimm, just took up too much time.
After being recruited by Dr. Franklin Storm (Reg E. Cathey) and his adopted daughter Sue (Kate Mara), he moves into the Baxter Building and begins working on inter dimensional travel.
Then we meet Johnny Storm (Micheal B Jordan), cocky street racer, with unused potential of coarse, who crashes and has to work for daddy to get back his car. Everyone is here.

But wait we are missing someone, oh yes, perennial FF villain Victor Von Doom (Toby Kebbell). He is still from Latveria but now is a reclusive, government hating genius who stared the original inter dimensional project.

So then comes a massive montage of all of them working on the machine. and it lasts far too long.

With the machine finally finished and tested they are all set to go to another dimension when government goon steps in and takes that away from them.
But they decide to go anyway and Richards calls old school pal Grimm to tag along. What can go wrong, eh??? A lot.

They find themselves on another world and they start exploring and touching things. Victor seems a little fascinated by the energy.
Piece of advice for anyone travelling to another world in another dimension, probably best not to stick your hand straight into an unknown pool of glowing green energy! Just saying.
Anyway things go wring and Victor is lost trying to get back to the machine and the rest return but are now experiencing some changes, and not late onset puberty.



By now we are halfway through the movie and they have only got their powers. On to power testing, but they throw in a little twist, Reed Richards escapes and is missing for another small chunk of the movie.
They are whisked off to a secret government facility and held. The government of coarse wants to use them as weapons, and proceed to with Grimm/The Thing. But we only see a few glimpses of that, as with the other two.
While at this facility they are working on rebuilding the portal again.

Reed is brought back, the portal is finished. And its back to the other dimension where surprise surprise, Victor is not dead and is waiting for them.Brought back, he quickly becomes the Doom we all know and possible love, and starts the killing and travels back to the other dimension and opens a portal back that will destroy the earth (original).

Finally its time for the Fantastic Four, oh wait they are not called that yet, to work together to take down Doom, as they are only strong enough together!!


Overall it is not a great movie, all build up and very little action. It looks good but this is thanks to the fact that everyone now wants to Nolanise their movies and have them dark and gritty, but that is not enough.
Story is also needed and this was a simple origin story, granted its nice to see it reworked but still it shouldn't take up the majority of the movie.
I did enjoy the effects of the powers, and in particular The Thing looked great, much better than the asymmetrical one in the original, he looked like he was broken from rock. Wasn't a fan of the look of Doom ether if I'm honest.
I am good with the cast and hope they return for a sequel because that us what this was, a long build up to to a mediocre end fight but a promising sequel.

Rating: 2/5