Superhero Media: Fantastic 4 (2005)

Is this the best Fantastic Four film? Probably. Unless the backlog is so great that this comes out after a Marvel Cinematic Universe version, I guess? Not that Fantastic 4 is all that good, though it is better than most give it credit for, most of the major issues stemming from the poor script around which the rest of the film is built. For those waiting for it, no I don't mind that Sue Storm is played by mixed-race Jessica Alba whilst Johnny is played by white Chris Evans, neither character is really defined by race, I just wish that someone would cast two actors that look like siblings, regardless of what race they be. Aside from that hiccup, though, it is the cast of Fantastic 4 which brings it back from train-wreck territory, with the above-mentioned Alba and Evans being joined by Ioan Gruffud (Reed), Michael Chiklis (Ben) and Julian McMahon (Doom), each doing their best to be engaging with what they're given. Yes, Doom isn't presented very much like his comic version, but McMahon is certainly threatening in many scenes and carries an excellent air of malice. 

In light of the success of the MCU, it's easy to say that Fantastic 4 "failed" because it wasn't close enough to the comics, but I really feel that it was more a case of it trying to be another Rami Spider-Man, but for a younger audience. Most of the pertinent details are kept, with Ben Grimm being a pilot, Reed and Doom having been at college together and the existence of Latveria, but they're more references than major plot elements, which can annoy fans of the comics. Ben Grimm is handled well, he and Johnny get on each other's nerves and Sue constantly has to compete with science for Reed's attention; Doom not withstanding, Fantastic 4 is almost a faithful adaptation if you squint at it just right. What the film really reminds me of is the 1990s cartoon series, which also flattened out the rough edges of the characters and setting to present a very "child-friendly" version of the comics, which have always been more about exploration and super-science than fighting villains every issue. 

Given the time in which it was made, I don't feel that Fantastic 4 could really have been much better than it was; the world wasn't ready for a comic-accurate Doctor Doom or something as esoteric as the Fantastic Four can get at times. As much as Fantastic Four is one of the most beloved and iconic comic series ever written, there is a lot to it that doesn't directly translate to a successful film, even with more than a decade of MCU behind it. Not that I'm not looking forward to seeing a "good" version brought to the screen, merely that I'm not expecting the Future Foundation, Council of Reeds or Doom conquering Hell when it does. But hey, bring on Mole Man, Puppet Master, High Evolutionary and all that crazy stuff if you can, Marvel Studios, I'm keen to get as nuts as you're willing to.