The Not-So-Fantastic 4

[cathyr19355]

Last weekend, esrblog and I went to see the latest Fantastic 4 movie.

No spoiler cuts are necessary for any review of this one, because in overall mediocrity it was a lot like the original one two years ago.

Ioan Gruffudd, as Mr. Fantastic, made a valiant but doomed effort to be convincing in his role despite the comic-book thinness of the script. Jessica Alba, as Sue Storm, his financee, did a reprise of her unconvincing I-just-wanna-be-a-regular-all-American-girl performance from the first movie, while Chris Evans and Michael Chiklis as Johnny Storm and Ben Grimm did amiable, sit-com level comic relief.

Doug Jones, playing the Silver Surfer with the aid of Laurence Fishburne's voice, gave the most convincing performance of the movie. esrblog, who once followed the Marvel comics on which these movies have been based closely, claims that the plot was surprisingly true to the original comics. He was particularly hostile to Alba's performance, which he dissed as "plastic", and he considers her unattractive.

Overall, not an awful movie, nor a great one. If you're not a big Marvel fan, wait till it comes out on DVD and get it from Netflix or something, and save yourself $10.

Comments

[bippimalin.livejournal.com]

"Alba's performance, which he dissed as "plastic"
Yeah, she's got something plastic over her. It worked in Sin City, but I keep expecting her to turn all stiff limbed like a barbie everytime I see her in other movies. :)

[cathyr19355.livejournal.com]

I missed out on "Sin City". Is it worth renting?

[bippimalin.livejournal.com]

There's a lot of violence in it and it's made to look like a comic book. Which I think works pretty good in this film. Most of it is black and white, with accents of colour. They also make a lot of effective use of silhuettes. Mickey Rourke makes what is probably one of his best acts ever. :)
Over all I like it, but it's not for the squeamish or those expecting a well thought out plot. It's mostly violence in a pretty package. :D

[cathyr19355.livejournal.com]

Like a comic book, eh? Sounds like the "300" movie.

[bippimalin.livejournal.com]

Even more like a comic book then 300. And they are both Frank Miller comics originally. So there's to some extent a similar feel to them.

[cathyr19355.livejournal.com]

That figures. Thanks for the summary.