So I went to two movies last weekend and I’m just now getting around to the second. KC, Breezomatic and I went to see Fantastic Four. I’ve been thinking about this movie a lot and have decided it was very much true to the Marvel Comic that the movie draws on for its characters. In the other recent Marvel Comics made into movies, Stan Lee (the creator of Marvel Comics) had small, pretty much background roles. In this one he has a bit larger role; more that background but if you didn’t know him you’d miss him.

The Fantastic Four are Reed Richards/Mr. Fantastic (Ioan Gruffudd), Ben Grimm/The Thing (Michael Chiklis), Johnny Storm/The Human Torch (Chris Evans) and Susan Storm/The Invisible Girl (Jessica Alba). Each one plays their role quite well. It’s a real kick to see Johnny Storm come to grips with his new powers so quickly because early in the movie he just seems to be a real dick. Ben Grimm seems the most devastated by his powers as it costs him what he believes to be everything. You see the true acting ability come through in Chicklis’ portrayal. Reed Richards seems a bit more aloof in the movie than his comic book character, but it seems after he comes to grips with his change he is a bit more of a leader. And, of course, Susan Storm is GORGEOUS (when she’s visible). The villian (every good superhero comic has a villian, right?) is Victor Von Doom/Dr. Doom (Julian McMahon), and it could be said that he steals the show. Dr. Doom is probably the most formidable of all of the Marvel Comics villians, and McMahon plays him to a “T”. I believe he has honed his “bad-guy skills” in roles in Charmed and Nip/Tuck; it definitely shows as he plays an excellent villian. While none of these actors are movie stars (most have achieved their fame on TV series and not in movies), it looks like they are definitely headed down the movie star path.

Again, you are NOT going to get plot lines from me but if you have read the comics you know this plot line. As I stated earlier this movie follows the comic closely, unlike Spiderman, Spiderman 2 or Hulk (not that these are necessarily bad movies, they just don’t follow their respective comic). The effects are top-notch. Even watching Johnny Storm turn into a fireball was not “cartoonish” at all. With all this going for it, I rate the movie a 9 out of 10. Again, this is a movie that I would watch again in the theater and plan to own on DVD when it comes out.