Fantastic Four [2015] (1½ Stars)

It's difficult for me to write about this film without feeling angry. It's so bad, I don't understand how it could ever have been made. It's not the worst film I've ever seen, but it's not far off. It's definitely the worst Marvel film ever made. How did it ever come to this? Stan Lee was executive producer, which gave him a veto right. Why didn't he use it? Recently, when talking about Captain Marvel being changed to a woman in the new film, a friend of mine said, "If Stan Lee could accept a female Captain Marvel, then traditionalist fanboys ought to be able to as well". That's no argument. My reply is that if Stan Lee could accept his greatest super-heroes being downgraded in this piece of trash, then it's proof that in his final years he'd lost control of the company he loved so much.

Maybe Stan Lee didn't realise this 2015 film was so bad. Maybe he did, but he wasn't in a position to stop it. Either way, it's a disgrace. Reed Richards is too young. Susan Storm is too intelligent. Ben Grimm is too scrawny before his change. Johnny Storm is the wrong skin colour. Doctor Doom bares almost no resemblance to the original character. And while we're on the subject, what's the modern obsession with sending Victor Von Doom along for the ride when the Fantastic Four get their powers?

Maybe the film is interesting as a sci-fi romp. Apart from the poor special effects during the first visit to Planet Zero, it looks like fun. But it's not a film about the Fantastic Four. Not even close.

George R. R. Martin has said, "You can't go wrong if you stick with Stan Lee. That's always been my opinion on these Marvel movies. The best ones are the ones that are closest to what Stan Lee did. It's when they start to be creative, when they think they can be better than Stan Lee, mostly they can't". He knew what he was talking about. That's why the 1994 Fantastic Four film is still the best. Roger Corman had a deep respect for Stan Lee's comics, which can't be said of the later directors and producers.

I didn't intend to buy this film after seeing it in the cinema. Last week I changed my mind when I saw it on sale for five Euros. Now that I've watched it I think the price was five Euros too high. It doesn't even have a Stan Lee cameo to give it some sentimental value. Maybe he refused to do a cameo in order to show that he didn't want to be identified with this film.

The Fantastic Four were the first super-heroes that Stan Lee created in the 1960's. From the third issue on he called it "The World's Greatest Comics Magazine", which was printed on the cover for over 400 issues. The film shows nothing of this greatness. It's a stain on Stan Lee's magnificent legacy, and it deserves to be forgotten.

Success Rate:  - 0.6

	Order from Amazon.com
	Order from Amazon.co.uk
	Order from Amazon.de