For better or for worse, the most recent additions of Batman, X-Men, and Spider-Man all made serious attempts at rising above a simple action flick and telling an engaging, enlightening story. Fantastic Four didn’t even try.

Let’s start with the Fantastic Four themselves; banal characters who are only fantastic insofar as they have gained special powers. The four were scientists (two of which we have no reason to believe are actual scientists) on a spaceship that was hit with some strange atomic energy and now find themselves with special abilities.

None of the characters ever act like human beings. Upon the discovery of their abilities, though no harm is done – except disfiguration to Ben Grimm (Michael Chiklis), now The Thing – they immediately set out trying to figure out how to change themselves back; excepting Johnny Storm (Chris Evans), whose ability to turn into fire has lit up a desire to show it off to all who will pay him attention. Grimm, meanwhile, immediately runs home and throws a hissy fit when his wife doesn’t respond well to the monster he has become.

We get one fun episode where the four are out and about and save lives through the creative use of their individual powers. But the greater part of the rest of the film wastes away on a horrendous love triangle between Reed Richards (Ioan Gruffudd), Sue Storm (Jessica Alba) and Victor Von Doom (Julian McMahon). Doom, originally a part of the group, falls to the dark side and fortunately becomes just powerful enough so that he can sustain a fight with all four of the others at once for the length of a good battle.

Strange enough, though it seems like I’ve said this before, Fantastic Four is one of the most reflective of an actual comic book for kids. Its images are bright and colorful, its romance is clichéd, its dialogue and humor is campy, and it’s content unsubstantial. So, it might just be exactly what a large portion of the comic book crowd is looking for.

Year: