  I often feel like Johnny Storm at night since menopause…Flame On! If you laughed at that, you probably would enjoy my wisecracks more than the Fantastic 4 reboot. I’m giving it a C- as in see it at home! Don’t spend your $$.  Fantastic 4 tells the story of Reed Richards, brainiac and geek who along with his good friend, Ben Grimm, create a small transporter to another dimension. Capturing the notice of Dr. Storm, Reed goes to work with Dr. Storm, his adoptive daughter- Sue, his fast driving son- Johnny and a reluctant Victor Doom to create a larger transporter. When the four guys (Reed drags Ben into the shenanigans) decide to be the first on this new world, something goes horribly wrong and gives everyone a unique superpower.  First, this movie didn’t feel like a Marvel movie. No Stan Lee cameo. No after credit sneak peek. The audience when I was there called it an “epic fail” that the ending credits were just that…the end. And while the movie seems to follow the Ultimate Fantastic Four comic series’ storyline about the creation of the Fantastic 4, there were enough changes to upset fans.  Secondly, Marvel isn’t known for its compelling roles for women. But in Fantastic 4, Sue Storm spends most of her time in a literal bubble protecting others rather than doing any fighting of her own. In this storyline, she only gets her powers when the ship returning from the other planet explodes and she’s in the room.  Thirdly (and I’ll make it my finally because I could go on and on), Fantastic 4 is a morose movie. Everyone is sad, down, depressed (except maybe Johnny). Reed feels that he’s let everyone down. Ben is mad at Reed. Sue is only interested in telling her brother how to act and trying to prove she’s smart. The families in this movie are dysfunctional bordering on abusive. No one is happy to have these new powers. No one wants to do anything good with them (except maybe Johnny who has a danger addiction). Some of the gaping storyline holes could have provided us with some more upbeat moments or even clarity but according to the director… “…the studio sabotaged the movie.”  Whether or not the studio did…we are subjected to another remake that really doesn’t show us anything new or interesting. How many times are the movie studios going to remake movies just because they were “fun” shows of our youth?? When will they realize that we like new concepts and new movies?? I know it won’t be this year, since we have a Point Break remake and a live action Jem and the Holograms coming soon.
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Melissa KeirIt's all about the movies... Archives
January 2020
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