"FANTASTIC FOUR"
DVD Review
by Kevin Carr
| MOVIE: **** (out of 5 stars)
DVD EXPERIENCE: **** (out of 5 stars) STARRING Ioan Gruffudd as REED RICHARDS Jessica Alba as SUE STORM Chris Evans as JOHNNY STORM Michael Chiklis as BEN GRIMM Julian McMahon as VICTOR VON DOOM Rated PG-13 Studio: 20th Century Fox Directed by: Tim Story Back to DVD Review Home |  |
This summer, when “Fantastic Four” came out in the theaters, I took a lot of crap for liking it. I took it from other critics. I took it from comic book fans. I took it from average people on the street. However, considering that it was one of the hits of the summer, at least someone out there agrees with me.
I loved “Fantastic Four” the movie. I had a lot of fun watching it, and that doesn’t diminish at all watching it again on DVD.
Over the past several months, I’ve had a chance to reflect on the criticisms this film has gotten. First, the comic book purists have said the characters were ruined. They said that the Fantastic Four themselves were too campy. But if you look at the characters in the original comics – I mean the ones from the 60s – they were campy. That’s what Stan Lee was all about. It wasn’t until comics moved into the 1990s that comic geeks grew up and demanded more serious stories.
Another criticism was that they ruined Doctor Doom’s character. And it is true that the mythology behind Doom has been greatly changed. He was given super powers and his backstory was different. However, it actually works better in the movie. The story of Doctor Doom from the original comic books is so complex that it would take a movie in itself to tell it. For example, the “Fantastic Four” cartoon from ten years ago was released on DVD, and they devoted three or more episodes of the show just to tell Doom’s backstory.
Plus, you’ve got Stan Lee all over the DVD saying he loves this version of “Fantastic Four.” If the flippin’ creator of the characters is okay with a little mythology tinkering, then I’m okay with it. (After all, it can’t be any worse than what they’re doing with the new Superman movie coming out.)
Part of what I loved about “Fantastic Four” was it brought me back to my childhood. I even brought my four year old son to see the film in the theatres. He loved it, too (although being so young, he did get a little bored in the middle). The bottom line is the film is a lot of fun.
And I will go on record and say that in retrospect, I was a little hard on Jessica Alba. Yeah, she doesn’t exactly come across well as the brilliant scientists, but she was fine in her role. It’s not Oscar material, but few summer blockbusters are. Oh, and she’s absolutely gorgeous, which doesn’t hurt anything.
The DVD has a nice selection of special features. A highly touted feature on the box is an Inside Look at the new “X3” movie with Marvel guru Avi Arad. In fact, this is rather lame. You can get more from the trailer, downloadable now from the Internet. Arad’s Inside Look basically sets up the story but shows no footage or tests from the film.
There’s also a commentary track on this disc, featuring Ioan Gruffudd, Jessica Alba, Chris Evans, Michael Chiklis and Julian McMahon. As far as actor commentaries go, this was quite good. Each of the cast members seems competent enough, and believe it or not, it was Alba herself who kept them focused throughout. I gained some respect for her by listening to this commentary track and watching her video diary. She’s not just another pretty face.
There are a couple deleted scenes that are mildly decent, the trailers from the film and a “Making of Fantastic Four” featurette. However, the best featurette is a “Making a Scene” bit that takes the viewer through the shooting of the bridge scene – which I never realized was entirely digital. Just watching this segment makes me realize how far the technology for film has come over the years.
Finally, Stan Lee steps in with a “Casting Session” featurette and gives his blessing to the stars of this film. Whether motivated by artistic integrity or profit, it’s nice to see good old Mr. Lee supporting his own creations.
When it comes to “Fantastic Four,” give it another chance. Defy the critics and have some fun.
Specifications: Dolby 5.1 Surround Sound. DTS 5.1 Sound. Widescreen (2.35:1). Spanish language track. Spanish subtitles. English language subtitles for the hearing impaired.
