Fantastic Four ** (2015, Miles Teller, Kate Mara, Michael B Jordan, Jamie Bell, Toby Kebbell) – Movie Review

It is ten years since the first Fantastic Four (2005) and eight since Fantastic 4: Rise of the Silver Surfer (2007), but nothing much has changed since then in director Josh Trank’s reboot of the Marvel superhero comic. Everyone has short memories in the movies, but this film is just re-telling the same story in a not very different way, just stretched out like Indiarubber man’s limbs. The star should be called Miles Re-Teller.

Triumph and disaster both evade it. It is workmanlike, slick and efficient – and notably short at around 90 minutes, so it is painless. But it is also thin, underwhelming and a moderate achievement.

The casting is good enough, though the actors are not as likeable or bonded as a group or superhero team as they were last time. Miles Teller, Kate Mara, Michael B Jordan and Jamie Bell are the scientists in question, who start off as Reed Richards, Sue Storm, Johnny Storm and Ben Grimm. But their DNA is changed after a radiation storm in space, and they end up as Mr Indiarubber, the Invisible Girl, the Human Torch and The Thing. Toby Kebbell is gravely impressive as the villain Dr Victor Von Doom, who is changing into Dr Doom.

There is not much of a yarn in Josh Trank, Simon Kinberg and Jeremy Slater’s screenplay (based on the comic and characters by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby), with the entire film taken up with the setup of the Fantastic Four, which is a mere prelude to an actual story that took about 2o minutes in the original 2005 movie.

This time the leads are more than just decorative, but only Teller establishes any authority on the piece. Initially way too talky, the film is slow to start and get going into top gear. But no one can complain at the awesomely staged action in the busy climax, the fiery CGI special effects, the smart-looking production, the nice cast and the smooth, seamless handling.

It all adds up to a very shaky start for a new franchise and a rethink over Fantastic Four 2 must be a certainty.

Stan Lee (1922–2018).

Stan Lee, the legendary comic book writer, editor and publisher, who was executive vice president and publisher of Marvel Comics, died on 12 November 2018, aged 95. Lee co-created Spider-Man, the Hulk, Doctor Strange, the Fantastic Four, Iron Man, Daredevil, Thor and the X-Men.

© Derek Winnert 2015 Movie Review

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