I feel a little sorry for the “Fantastic Four” franchise. The 2005 and 2007 entries are competent children’s movies that failed to catch fire at a time when adult superhero movies were taking off. For the 2015 “Fantastic Four” – which I’ll call “Fant4stic,” based on the logo — director/co-writer Josh Trank (“Chronicle”) and co-writers Jeremy Slater and Simon Kinberg craft an adult superhero film, going for a brooding tone that would make Zack Snyder proud, complemented by dimly lit cinematography by Matthew Jensen.
Unfortunately, this was a time when people were digging the comedic side of the trend-setting Marvel Cinematic Universe. This property can’t get the timing right.
Not a kids’ film this time
Despite not being a kids’ film like its predecessors, “Fant4stic’s” narrative starts with the child versions of Reed and Ben, and even when we jump ahead, they are young adults played by Miles Teller (“Divergent”) and Jamie Bell. (Strangely, the kid-friendly “Fantastic Fours” feature adult superheroes and the adult-friendly version features young superheroes.)
“Fantastic Four” (2015)
Director: Josh Trank
Writers: Jeremy Slater, Simon Kinberg, Josh Trank
Stars: Miles Teller, Kate Mara, Michael B. Jordan
Before they are a famous quartet – rounded out by adoptive siblings Sue (Kate Mara) and Johnny Storm (Michael B. Jordan, later of “Black Panther”) — they are a quintet. Victor Von Doom (Toby Kebbell) is also on the scientific team overseen by Dr. Franklin Storm (Reg E. Cathey, later of “Luke Cage”). The team aims to perfect the matter transporter invented independently by both Reed and Victor.
The relationships are less cheery and cartoony than in the Aughts movies, but ultimately more believable, as nerd Reed and potential bully Ben strike up an odd-couple friendship in high school. The film’s slow pace asks us to accept nothing at face value and instead watch the relationships build organically.
Given that approach, it’s strange and disappointing that the Reed-Sue-Victor love triangle fizzles out and there are no remarkable moments of bonding among the Fantastic Four (although they seem to like each other well enough, and they have the standard “We’re better together than apart” moment).
Second half is a letdown
The second half of “Fant4stic” is not as good as the first half, which nicely (and perhaps accidentally) builds a mystery of what’s in the dimension the matter is being transported to. The answer is ultimately nothing much, although it is the place where the gang acquires their powers thanks to glowing green goo. “Fant4stic” spends some time brooding over the quartet’s adjustments to their new traits, suggesting there’s physical pain involved, especially for Johnny with his fire ability.
Despite the slow pace, the film is overstuffed with themes and doesn’t do justice to them all. After everyone adjusts to their powers, “Fant4stic” shifts gears to the question of whether or not the heroes should serve the U.S. government, which aims to exploit this newly discovered world, which they call Planet Zero.
For some reason, Johnny’s really into the idea, Ben is reluctantly on board, Sue knows it’s a bad idea, and Reed has run off. The soldiers’ reacquisition of Reed allows for a nice display of his stretchy limb action, something that was amusing in the Aughts duology as well.
I kind of daydreamed through the final showdown on Planet Zero against Dr. Doom, who – as with the previous films – doesn’t land as a great villain (although his method of murdering people with his mind is neat).
The more interesting villains are the government, personified by Dr. Allen (Tim Blake Nelson, always on hand to play a sniveling baddie). But after dispatching Doom, the gang talks their way out of their indentured servitude — basically by having Ben/The Thing loom over a conference table looking threatening — and into a giant laboratory and the right to retain ownership of their inventions.
More watchable than good
“Fant4stic” is a more watchable movie than it is a good movie. Several things don’t line up on close examination. But on a scene by scene basis, the movie exudes competence, in no small part because of Cathey as the wise patriarch. We also know several of the other actors from better films and TV shows, so “Fant4stic” gives an illusion of being better than it is. (I mean, there’s no way Jordan can be in something bad, right?)
I’d say the 2015 origin story is slightly better than the 2005 version because it gives an air of caring about the material more. But, while it’s not a totally down-in-the-dumps experience, “Fant4stic” is much less interested in fun and humor than the previous go-around.
It focuses on the teammates’ interactions more, yet their friendships and the potential Sue-Reed romance resonate less. So oddly, I’m less interested in a sequel than I was after watching the ’05 version. As it turns out, it’s a non-issue, as this incarnation of the Fantastic Four is almost certainly one and done.