Is the Fantastic Four...fantastic?

 Spoilers maybe potentially...

As a Marvel kid who from a very young age had comics in my collection from before my time, and a handful were very old (I had some issues that were between original FF issues 12-60...lotsa Wyatt Wingfoot, Diablo, and Dragon Man) and I really loved those. That eventually inspired me as a young adult in the 80's and early 90's to collect new issues for some years (until those fuckers started to cost like 250 or more a pop).

Loved those great Kirby touches. Like having
Namor take a big fish dump while watching TV

But so many of us who are not total seniors yet, we experienced Jack Kirby through reprints and graphic novels. That distinctive 60's futurepunk look for technology and outer space objects (often just a big wall made of abstract shapes and who the hell knows what it is kind of stuff). 

We don't really get it in its purest Kirby form in this new film, but it is there. That homage is what was making me hopeful about this. The Kirbyness was most present in Galactus scenes. 

First, the cast. Not bad. Pretty much unknowns except for very overexposed Pedro Pascal. He was fine as Richards, but he was a different Reed than I was familiar with. Quiet and moody. My Mr. F is a nerd, but also had a 60's manliness and a can-do attitude. 

and maybe a little rough when he is 
explaining to his wife how to listen

But I think my real problem is they got an overexposed guy to play him. I saw a commercial the other day for the FF appearing at Universal Citywalk or something, and that unknown Reed would have been better. For one thing, Mr. F and Sue Storm are kind of old for the parts. In the comics Reed is in his 40's and Sue in her 20's. A trophy wife deal. Vanessa Kirby is 37 and Pedro is 50. C'mon. 

There is some chemistry between the leads. Though at least Kirby is in a relationship with somebody else last I read, they had many instances of public affection at interviews. 

Yes, this blog is a gossip page now

But seriously, I'm pretty sure there is one main thing about him that would keep Pedro for pursuing his lovely lead...

not that there is anything wrong with that..

Ben Grimm was...ben Grimm. No cartoonish Bronx accept or way of talking. He sounds more like a college literature grad than the "Crips! Shut yer yap! Why I outta!" comic book Noo Yawk working stiff stuff. But ok. Johnny Storm is not as woke as I expected. I heard they were going to make him gay. But he is a bit of a hot shot, he liked to get sniz on the reg, but he is also often a voice of reason here, and I think also a bit of a scientist now. I think they all are. But yeah they keep the horndog aspect. He's hot for Silver Surfer, and she pretty much looks like the Oscars trophy. Really, Human Torch is the big standout in the film. Smart, funny, and fearless. He was the big suprise here. 

As far as FF films I still think ...

we all know what the best FF movie was

Some basic dislikes:

The eye candy was good, but it still moved too slow. The action was...not very actiony. Ben Grimms big display of power was running through some pillars to know a building down. 

I guess I mention Sue's age. She should be just out of college, not at an age where her biological clock is running out. 

Pedro again. Tired of his face. And his interview comments in the marketing leading up kind of made him the new Rachel Zegler (look her up). 

They are from the 60's but are coming to modern day. I feel like they will become about being time displaced. The 60's of their world has high tech thanks to Reed, but still they will be out of touch. How will they approach that. Constant Beetles references?

I heard Reed will be leading character in upcoming films, even leading the Avengers. So where does that leave the rest of the FF?

Some basic Likes:

Gratitude that Kang is no longer the threat (though I hear he will show up at some point). Should have been Doom all the way (though he might have been ruined in Ant Man 3).

Herbie. As a kid I hated that he was in the cartoon rather than Torch. But he works well here. 

The whole 60's vibe. Very Fallout..out of place tech.

The early montage where many FF classic villains were mentioned. Actual action against the Red Ghosts super apes and Mole Man...plus mentions of Diablo and Puppet Master. 

Cheers