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Fantastic Four (2005)

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1:08 | Trailer
A group of astronauts gain superpowers after a cosmic radiation exposure and must use them to oppose the plans of their enemy, Doctor Victor Von Doom.

Director:

Tim Story
Popularity
1,179 ( 178)
4 wins & 12 nominations. See more awards »

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Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Ioan Gruffudd ... Reed Richards
Jessica Alba ... Sue Storm
Chris Evans ... Johnny Storm
Michael Chiklis ... Ben Grimm
Julian McMahon ... Victor Von Doom
Hamish Linklater ... Leonard
Kerry Washington ... Alicia Masters
Laurie Holden ... Debbie McIlvane
David Parker David Parker ... Ernie
Kevin McNulty ... Jimmy O'Hoolihan
Maria Menounos ... Sexy Nurse
Michael Kopsa ... Ned Cecil
Andrew Airlie ... Compound Doctor
Pascale Hutton ... Nightclub Girlfriend
G. Michael Gray ... Nightclub Boyfriend
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Storyline

Four astronauts have their lives changed forever, when they end up being hit by a cloud of cosmic radiation. Reed Richards now has the ability to stretch his body like elastic. Sue Storm (Alba) is now the invisible woman. Johnny Storm becomes the human touch and Ben Grimm becomes the 'Thing', a man made out of rock. But there is one problem. The journey's sponsor, Victor Von Doom has also been affected and with full power, is a dangerous force which needs to be stopped, before it's too late. Written by Film_Fan

Plot Summary | Add Synopsis

Taglines:

Fun. Fabulous. Fantastic. See more »


Certificate:

PG | See all certifications »

Parents Guide:

View content advisory »
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Did You Know?

Trivia

Steven Soderbergh and Sean Astin were both interested in directing. See more »

Goofs

FDNY firefighters wear leather boots not rubber ones as seen in the film. See more »

Quotes

[first lines]
Ben Grimm: Typical of Victor Von Doom to build a 30 foot statue of himself.
See more »

Crazy Credits

There is a scene in the closing credits: Dr Doom is seen on a ship heading to his home country Latveria. See more »

Alternate Versions

The extended cut released in the US is basically the previously released modified version with the addition of the deleted scenes that were presented as bonus material on some European DVD editions (first US DVD release included just a few of these scenes). See more »

Connections

Referenced in B.O.B Feat. Bruno Mars: Nothin' on You (2010) See more »

Soundtracks

Waiting (Save Your Life)
Written by Derek A.E. Fuhrmann
Performed by Omnisoul
Courtesy of Wind-Up Records, LLC
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User Reviews

 
Captures a time when superhero films were more joyful
13 August 2015 | by StevePulaskiSee all my reviews

Fantastic Four is one of the last superhero films, that I can recall, that wasn't insufferably bleak or incredibly serious to a point where any shred of humor was seen as obtuse to the film's narrative. Yes, Christopher Nolan's Batman trilogy is an indisputable breakthrough in superhero films, but it also made the seriousness of superhero films standard, something that would follow into the late 2000's and early 2010's as Marvel built up The Avengers. Fantastic Four reminds of the quirkiness superhero films were once predicated upon, and while it may get a bit too corny at times, and its focus can never really settle, it's also a very commercial film that satisfies on some level of entertainment when it gives every card in its deck a fair time to shine.

We open by looking at a physicist named Dr. Reed Richards (Ioan Gruffudd), who is convinced evolution was triggered millions of years ago by stray elements of cosmic energy in space, some of which will pass near Earth very soon. His pal, astronaut Ben Grimm (Michael Chiklis), works by his side on this potentially revolutionary discovery by helping him convince their old classmate Dr. Victor Von Doom (Julian McMahon), the CEO of Von Doom Industries, to allow both of them access to his private space station to further experiment with the effects of these cosmic energy particles. While Doom agrees, he winds up walking away with most of the profits that this experiment will bring, affirming Reed's desperation to make his project work.

Still, he persists on and brings his close friends Susan Storm (Jessica Alba) and her brother Johnny (Chris Evans) along for the ride. However, when a trip to outer space goes awry, exposure with the cosmic energy results in the four receiving deformities and enhanced human abilities that have never before been seen: Reed possesses the ability to stretch every limb of his body, Susan has the ability to disappear and reappear at her leisure, Johnny can have his body engulfed in flame simply by reciting the phrase "Flame on!," and Ben turns into a hideous, orange rock monster.

Following the four's mutations, writers Michael France and Mark Frost focus a great deal of their time on the agony that these mutations bring, particularly The Thing, who experiences his wife leaving him shortly after revealing his deformity. While this agony is a solid angle (one I'd argue necessary in most superhero films), too much of the time is spent profiling The Thing and not enough on the remaining characters of the film. Reed and Ben, who are ultimately the film's main focus, wind up monopolizing too much of the picture, and any time we see Johnny is when he's right in the middle of making a smug comment or being his typical, womanizing self.

The action in Fantastic Four has a colorful commercial look to it, brilliantly bold and very vibrant in a way that makes many of the scenes pop with life. It manages to achieve a comic book aesthetic without resorting to picture-in-picture editing. One particularly involving scene takes place on a suspension bridge, where The Thing is seen pummeling everything in his sight and the remaining three members of the team must resort to either relaxing him or protecting drivers and innocent bystanders.

The goofiness in Fantastic Four, however, in an age of dark superhero films that come with slick aesthetics and brooding characters, is a delightful change of pace. Yes, there is a point when one wishes director Tim Story, France, and Frost would command a tighter grip on the seriousness of the writing, but the pulpy fun of Fantastic Four, in addition to the effects and the neatly choreographed action, keep it a moving, satisfying spectacle that is more than just colors flying around on screen, trying to find their place.

Starring: Ioan Gruffudd, Jessica Alba, Chris Evans, Michael Chiklis, and Julian McMahon. Directed by: Tim Story.


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Frequently Asked Questions

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Details

Country:

USA | Germany

Language:

English

Release Date:

8 July 2005 (USA) See more »

Also Known As:

Les quatre fantastiques See more »

Filming Locations:

New Orleans, Louisiana, USA See more »

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Box Office

Budget:

$100,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$56,061,504, 10 July 2005

Gross USA:

$154,696,080

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$333,535,934
See more on IMDbPro »

Company Credits

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Technical Specs

Runtime:

| (extended edition)

Sound Mix:

DTS (DTS HD Master Audio 5.1) (5.1 Surround Sound) (5.1)| Dolby Digital (Dolby Digital 5.1) (5.1 Surround Sound) (5.1)| SDDS (8 channels) (5.1 Surround Sound) (5.1)| D-Cinema 48kHz 5.1 (D-Cinema prints) (5.1 Surround Sound) (5.1)

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1
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