Fantastic Four - movie review

This summer it feels as though the studios have colluded to generate one of the least-competitive slate of film releases in recent memory. With only one major film opening each weekend, the movie-goers choice has been drastically streamlined. This week's selection was Fantastic Four.

To begin, I should mention that I have never read a Fantastic Four comic. I have no opinon on "how well" the film upholds or destroys the elements of its source material. What is evident is that the makers of the film version decided to produce an effects-laden genesis story in the hopes of laying the groundwork for a franchise. The downside of this approach is that the Fantastic Four really doesn't go anywhere or do anything in the sense of story development. By the end of the film it is hard to forgive the fact that nothing happened other than the establishment of the team. And, frankly, in the wake of Batman Begins this summer and the marvelous opening chapters of Spiderman and X-men, F4 falls shy of fantastic.

But this is not to say that the film is all bad. In fact, for a PG-rated picture it dishes out a good time. This satisfaction is derived from two things: the cast and the effects. Taking a page from the X-men series, F4 rests on the shoulders of a group of up-and-comers. Actors who offer a flicker of recognition but not enough to overshadow anyone else in the cast (or carry a film on his/her own). The stand-out in talent is Mike Chiklas as The Thing, who moved me to almost-tears in his struggle to deal with his new appearance. Ioan Gruffud fascinates with a look that can only be called manly-boyishness, and is perfect for the finicky Mr. Fantastic. Jessica Alba dazzles as expected but offers little to Sue Storm that couldn't have been provided by any starlet. And finally, if F4 doesn't make Chris Evans an instant pin-up, then something has malfunctioned in the Hollywood machine. As a cocky, adventure-seeking piece of eye-candy, Evans is in his element as the Human Torch. That is to say, in his numerous shirtless moments, he is seriously hot.

With respect to the effects, F4 hits all its marks. Thankfully, The Thing is created through prosthetics, rather than CGI, and the believability factor is increased by 10. Knowing that fire is the most difficult effect to generate (after water), the "Flame On" sequences are exceptional. And the bendy, twisty moves of Mr. Fantastic are remarkable. I'm sure the decision to keep the team in their slick suits was partially for ths sake of the effects (the other being chest exposure - for both genders!) as the uniformity of colour is manipulated with realistic results.

Finally, the Fantastic Four is a fun film. It's alive with action, colour, and comraderie. It doesn't break any new ground or challenge the comic book movie formula but it gets the job done. Although a poor experience for story-telling, the intent to introduce the team and have an audience like them is solidly accomplished. I'm sure we'll see at least one sequel - lets hope it actually goes somewhere