With the fifth attempt at Marvel’s First Family finally hitting theaters, our “Super-Fantastic Summer” is now complete! And let me tell YOU, it was well worth the wait.
I’d like to say for thematic reasons, this is the FOURth theatrical release. I mean, technically, Roger Corman’s Fantastic Four never got an “official” release. For years, I thought stills of it were from a fan-casting or some kind of test fitting of costumes but it did exist. It DOES exist. And I finally watched it a couple years ago. It was…something. To be fair, it had the feel of an early 90’s TV Pilot. I’ll be honest, in 1994…? I’d have watched it.
Growing up in comic books, I never gravitated toward the FF. I was an X-Men and Spider-Man fan. I felt the FF’s stories were unattainable. Admittedly, the high numbers intimidated me from jumping in their waters. Their history was deep. Not to say, I wouldn’t pick up a book here and there, I just never added them to my read pile. And respect is due for Marvel’s “First Family” just by longevity, alone.
I was excited to see THIS Fantastic Four, though. Even as far back as May of 2021. “Hey, Chris, that’s oddly specific.” I know this because at the time, Marvel put out a sizzle reel for their upcoming slate for Phase 4. And wouldn’t you know it, toward the end of it, that Avengers’ “A” formed the number 4, if ever so briefly. I thought it was my imagination!…They called me the Silver Surfer but for my tinfoil hat, scrolling through the dark web…This time I was right! As the info came in, I was ready for another take on these characters.
I wasn’t sure when I was going to see Fantastic Four. I just knew I had to get ahead of the spoilers. Luckily enough, I came across an ad for my local Cinemark. They were holding a Fan Event prior to the movie’s release. As an added bonus, people attending would receive a free patch with purchase of a ticket. Cinemark, you had me at “free”. The only catch…it would be in 3-D. And I hate, HATE 3-D! BUT not enough to stop me from getting my free patch and to see The Fantastic Four.
I love the fact that this movie catches you up through exposition in the guise of a talk show. Ted Gilbert fills in his audience (and us viewers) with the last four years of these explorers’ lives. No need to rehash their origin. The world knows the story by now. Come on, there’s FIVE of these movies!
Another positive for this newest version is, you don’t need to see any other MCU entry. It stands on its own. You get to enjoy this on the ground level. No homework is necessary. While it’s not necessary, it’s very much appreciated. I will continue saying this until the cows come home: Read Comic Books! Okay, let me step down from my soapbox.
It took almost thirty years to get these characters right and treat them with the respect they’re due. Not that the other versions were mishandled. In fact, I quite enjoyed the 2005/2007 entries. However, what works in this version is, you have the 60s aesthetic that reflected the era the comics were first published. The characters were comic book accurate. The suits made sense. No need to mute them or update their look. They were as vibrant as the four colors they were printed from.
You can establish a look of these characters but you need the actors to really sell the roles. I was a bit apprehensive with the casting of Pedro Pascal as Reed Richards/Mr. Fantastic. Personally, I don’t see the hype. I mean, he’s okay in the roles I’ve seen him in but everyone needs to calm down with how great he is. That being said…he was perfect in this role. Reed is a man of science, first and foremost. His brain is in constant thought. He even ponders the possibility of giving up his and Sue’s son Franklin to the World Devourer known as Galactus or sacrifice all humanity by letting Galactus have earth as his next meal in his planetary buffet.
Which brings me to the heart of the team, Sue Richards/Invisible Woman. She is, of course, the matriarch, the voice of reason, and a good balance for Reed. Vanessa Kirby brings a gravitas to Sue the other iterations squandered. Relegating her to being a side character. Underutilizing her as a teammate. Not here. She is one-fourth of the team’s foundation.
Speaking of “foundation”. Ben Grimm/The Thing (Ebon Moss-Bacharach) is a juxtaposition in as much as, on the surface, a hard shell of a man but inside he’s caring and loyal to his team and Ebon does a great job emulating that under the veneer of the rock-like Thing. Another juxtaposed character is Johnny Storm/Human Torch. Johnny (Joseph Quinn) is a hotshot (pun intended) pilot, brother to Sue and friend to Reed and Ben. He can be impulsive at times but cool under pressure. A real asset to the team.
But wait. Hark! The Herald of Galactus sings…Shalla-Bal (Julia Garner) hovers over earth to heed warning of Galactus’ impending arrival. What an introduction! There should be a lock on keyboards before a movie’s release because the HATE toward having a female surfer was unwarranted. Listen, I have no loyalty to the gender of Silver Surfer. To me, the Surfer is just a messenger. All style, no substance. Julia did a fine job. And to tell you the truth…? I think it’s scarier hearing from a female that your planet was chosen to be a meal. Women are seen as nurturers and yet, her words have no inflection. Matter of fact. Soulless. Think about it…
As teased in Rise of the Silver Surfer, the image of Galactus was silhouetted as a cloud. And dispatched as quickly as one. It would take almost twenty more years to bring the towering threat to the screen and do the character justice. No longer in the shadows, the cosmic being was front and center, moving easily through the city of stone and steel like it was a field of wheat. Being somewhat knowledgeable with movies and comic book structure, I was still unsure HOW our heroes were going to get out of this alive. Thanks to the capable hands of Director Matt Shankman.
I’ve been telling people this is comparable to how I left the theater seeing Superman. It was good. I wasn’t running haphazardly through the parking lot shouting “Flame on!” Or “It’s Clobberin’ Time!” No, I walked out of the theater with a smile on my face. This and Superman came at a perfect time. A necessary distraction. In a world filled with cynicism, we needed a brighter outlook. A better tomorrow. Maybe the 3-D glasses I had on had a tinge of rose in them but when I look to the future, I think it’s looking good.
Arguing With Myself 