Fantastic Four (2015)

In 2005, when the adaptation of superhero comics began to pick up again in Hollywood, Marvel Comics in collaboration with studio 20th Century Fox produce a movie about a superhero team, the Fantastic Four. Replacing stars Jessica Alba, Ioan Gruffud, Michael Chiklis and Chris Evans, the film director Tim Story was drafted quite comical, with elements of fantasy and humor is thick, not too far from the tone version of the comic or cartoon. Not too useless, this film succeed at the box office globally, so as to produce a sequel titled Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer (2007), although less could match the achievements of his first film.

A few years later, Marvel already has its own movie studio and produce a successful superhero movies like Iron Man and The Avengers. Fantastic Four, which still "stuck" in Fox's copyright (along with the X-Men franchise), has not been clear outcome after last film less encouraging response. Moreover, Chris Evans who had become Johnny Storm, aka the Human Torch has now changed the image into the other Marvel heroes, Captain America. Not lost my mind, Fox and Marvel finally agreed to make a reboot Fantastic Four, by recruiting young director Josh Trank, who previously successfully passed themed superhero movie with found-footage style, Chronicle (2012).

Long ago, the film is described not only repeat the Fantastic Four story from the beginning, but drafted differently, darker, realistic and grounded. In terms of casting the film was put on a relatively young players, namely Miles Teller as Reed Richards (Mr. Fantastic), Kate Mara as Sue Storm (Invisible Woman), Jamie Bell as Ben Grimm (The Thing), and Michael B. Jordan as Johnny Storm (Human Torch), plusToby Kebbell as Victor von Doom (Dr. Doom). Although the name and the power of the same superclass, but the building background and their characters in this new version of the film made different.

The origin of the super powers gained by the character was changed. In the movie version of the comic as well as their predecessors, they are described as researchers and space explorers are exposed to a foreign substance in space. However, in this latest film, they all plotted as a group of researchers who discovered antardimensi engine, and the power they obtained when they go to another dimension.

Reed Richards since childhood was very interested in the manufacture of machine teleportation (movement of objects long distances instantaneously), until finally he and his friend, Ben Grimm was recruited by Dr. Franklin Storm to develop a large-scale teleportation machine antardimensi in leadership institute, which had previously been developed by Victor von Doom. Powered by two sons Storm, Sue and Johnny, five of them managed to make it functioning teleportation machine.

However, this success does not necessarily be celebrated. Institute parties want this experiment taken over by the US government. No thanks hard work they countered, this daring young researchers made themselves the first people who tried the machine and pay a visit to another dimension. Illegal experiments is also a major impact.

Not only makes Victor left behind in the other dimension, they are all exposed to substances foreign energy that makes their body condition is not like a human being again: Reed so bodied elastic like rubber, Johnny bodied smoldering fire, Sue can become invisible, and Ben becomes a monster bodied stone. They eventually became the object of research agencies, even used for defense and security interests of the country. Some are receiving, some are rejected. However, the return of Victor in a barely recognizable form of four former colleagues were forced to act.

Fiddling with the superhero comic story into a film with a more realistic approach does not haram done, especially in Hollywood. X-Men film series and the trilogy The Dark Knight has proven that this approach can still be successful sepert and received unfortunately less successful for Hulk (2003). Fantastic Four caught once that the new version is going to lead to it. Using characters from well-known, this film runs like a drama sci-fi thriller that more highlight on the character and their research as a driver of the plot, rather than their actions as a superhero.

But is it the right approach is applied to the Fantastic Four, is unquestionable. Bright impressions and fun rather difficult to be removed from the Fantastic Four. Not just for those who are already familiar with the comics, cartoons, or films predecessor, but the concept of their own super powers unsuitable for "diseriuskan". Contortionist, fire man, rock man, and man invisible, plus the enemy that can be magic, all of these descriptions are very qualified for a round movie scene and, well, fantastic. When they were all placed in a more realistic environment, there is an impression that the names of the superhero is betrayed by the lifting element of its bright and fun of it.

At the beginning of the film is running, Fantastic Four was successfully demonstrated the concept in question. Slowly the film is to introduce the members who later called the Fantastic Four with earthy like a drama, peppered a bit of humor that works well enough. Then the story was brought to the discovery of a new dimension that might be an answer to the energy crisis of the earth, and culminate in a matter of who has the right to manage it. Only later, the superhero element to enter.

To get there, the film goes well and safe. The problem may be the placement of a new superhero elements entered almost an hour after the film rolling. Plus absence during the action scenes, this section will indeed feel longer than it should.

But, after the superhero element comes in, the film is dipped sharply changed the style, as film-makers regret with what has been presented in the early half that changed his mind. So the story is told in a hurry, even the exploration of new power these people as if digampangkan by leaps "one year later" in a heartbeat. When the first half of this film wants to have a more dramatic approach, eventually part then stuffed with a variety of action scenes, no matter whether the scenes were obviously meant it or not, the important thing is no big scene to vent the "quiet" of the film in the beginning. Changes in these patterns unfortunately very smooth and somewhat forced.

Apart from the chaos behind the scenes-director Trank supposedly at odds with the studios that did not approve the final results of this movie, Fantastic Four new version is indeed in a difficult position to be able to satisfy all parties. For those who are looking for full action movies, this film would be hard pleased. Also for those who enjoy real-realisnya drama worked well, this movie actually ends with a scene of chaos and dialogues are very cliche and ruin the atmosphere, if you do not want to be called embarrassing.

Had this film chose only one pattern-realist drama action entirely or entirely, perhaps this film will be more readily accepted, not least because of its consistency. Somehow respond to this film, which was willing to abandon the elements of fun (and silly) from previous films, but instead ultimately be more ridiculous than the previous ones. If that makes any movie confusion, how the audience?

 

Fantastic Four
(2015 - 20th Century Fox)
Directed by Josh Trank
Screenplay by Jeremy Slater, Simon Kinberg, Josh Trank
Based on the comic books by Stan Lee, Jack Kirby
Produced by Simon Kinberg, Gregory Goodman, Matthew Vaughn, Robert Kulzer, Hutch Parker
Cast: Miles Teller, Kate Mara, Michael B. Jordan, Jamie Bell, Toby Kebbell, Reg E. Cathey, Tim Blake Nelson