The Fantastic Four (1994)

User Rating:

3.7/10   

Director:

Oley Sassone

Writers:

Craig J. Nevius (screenplay) and
Kevin Rock (screenplay)

Genre:

Action | Adventure | Sci-Fi | Fantasy

Tagline:

Part Elastic, Part Invisible, Part Fire, Part Stone

Plot:

In this Marvel Comic adaption, four astronauts get bombarded with cosmic rays when an accident occurs...

Plot Keywords:

Space | Marvel Comics | Fantastic Four | Superhero | Human Torch

Cast

Alex Hyde-White	...	Mr. Fantastic / Prof. Reed Richards
Jay Underwood	...	Human Torch / Jonathan 'Johnny' Storm
Rebecca Staab	...	Invisible Girl / Susan 'Sue' Storm
Michael Bailey Smith	...	Ben Grimm
Ian Trigger	...	The Jeweler
Joseph Culp	...	Dr. Doom / Victor von Doom
George Gaynes	...	The Professor
Kat Green	...	Alicia Masters
Carl Ciarfalio	...	The Thing
Chuck Butto	...	The Weasel (as Charles Butto)
Annie Gagen	...	Mrs. Storm
Howard Shangraw	...	Kragstadt
David Keith Miller	...	Trigorin
Robert Alan Beuth	...	Dr. Hauptman (as Robert Beuth)
Patrick Richwood	...	Messenger

Runtime:

90 min

Country:

Germany | USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Certification:

USA:PG

Company:

New Horizons

Trivia:

In an interview with filmmaker Kevin Smith, Fantastic Four creator Stan Lee said that, unbeknown to the cast and crew, this movie was never intended to be released, and was made only because the studio who owned the rights to make a Fantastic Four movie would have lost the rights if they did not begin production by a certain date.

Goofs:

Factual errors: The laser has fired before the Johnny can even say "Flame On", and minutes pass before the laser reaches New York. But as a laser, the beam should be moving at the speed of light, which means Johnny should not be able to intercept it.

Quotes:

The Jeweler: [the Jeweler holds a gun to Alica's head] Stand back or I'll shoot her!
Dr. Doom: Go ahead.
The Jeweler: I mean it!
Dr. Doom: No, Please, don't let me stop you.

Movie Connections:

References Batman Returns (1992)

Oh come on guys this is a great little film.

The only way to describe this Roger Corman produced flick, is to compare it to an episode of Power Rangers or VR Troopers, on a $1million budget. It is fast paced and fun, over the top and cheesy, and its short comings are there for everyone to see.

In all honesty the cast make the most of what they are given. Alex Hyde White has just the right dryness for the part of Reed Richards, and Rebbeca Staab is quite fitting as Sue Storm. The other characters are less well represented with Dr Doom being the worst offender, over acting as he does through the heavily cheap body armour. The realisation of The Thing and The Human Torch is quite good. The Things full body costume is similar to those used in the Turtles movies, and the Torch is brought to life via some slick animation. Oley Sassone actually gets the best out of the action scenes and coaxes a good atmosphere.

This is a movie worth seeing. It manages to capture a little of the heart of Marvel comics in ways that Captain America(1991) and The Punisher(1989) weren't able to. It is a petty that more money couldn't have been made available because as a representation of the F4 it isn't bad at all. Don't get me wrong, its no Superman The Movie, and this years Fantastic Four movie will rock. But the film is no Plan 9 or Gigli either, and is worth seeing at least once.