Product Description

Jessica Alba Chris Evans and Michael Chiklis head a sexy star-powered cast in this explosive adventure about a quartet of flawed ordinary human beings who suddenly find themselves with extraordinary abilities.After exposure to cosmic radiation four astronauts become the most remarkable if dysfunctional superheroes of all time. Unfortunately the mission's sponsor has also been transformed into the world's most lethal supervillain setting the stage for a confrontation of epic proportions. Packed with nonstop action big laughs and awesome special effects Fantastic 4 is "powerful fun" (The Baltimore Sun) from start to finish!System Requirements:Running Time 105 Mins.Format: BLU-RAY DISC Genre: ACTION/ADVENTURE Rating: PG-13 UPC: 024543395843 Manufacturer No: 2239584

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #5959 in DVD
• Brand: TWENTIETH CENTURY FOX HOME ENT
• Released on: 2006-11-14
• Rating: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
• Aspect ratio: 2.35:1
• Formats: Anamorphic, Color, Dolby, DTS Surround Sound, Subtitled
• Original language: English, Spanish
• Subtitled in: English, Spanish
• Number of discs: 1
• Dimensions: .20 pounds
• Running time: 106 minutes

Amazon.com
Marvel Comics' first family of superherodom, the Fantastic Four, hits the big screen in a light-hearted and funny adventure. It begins when down-on-his-luck genius Reed Richards (Ioan Gruffudd, Horatio Hornblower) has to enlist the financial and intellectual help from former schoolmate and rival Victor Von Doom (Julian McMahon, Nip/Tuck) in order to pursue outer-space research into human DNA. Also on the trip are Reed's best friend, Ben Grimm (Michael Chiklis, The Shield); his former lover, Sue Storm (Jessica Alba, Dark Angel, Sin City), who's now Doom's employee and love interest; and her hotshot-pilot brother, Johnny Storm (Chris Evans, Cellular). Things don't go as planned, of course, and the quartet becomes blessed--or is it cursed?--with superhuman powers: flexibility, brute strength, invisibility and projecting force fields, and bursting into flame. Meanwhile, Doom himself is undergoing a transformation.

Among the many entries in the comic-book-movie frenzy, Fantastic Four is refreshing because it doesn't take itself too seriously. Characterization isn't too deep, and the action is a bit sparse until the final reel (like most "first" superhero movies, it has to go through the "how did we get these powers and what we will do with them" churn). But it's a good-looking cast, and original comic-book cocreator Stan Lee makes his most significant Marvel-movie cameo yet, in a speaking role as the FF's steadfast postal carrier, Willie Lumpkin. Newcomers to superhero movies might find the idea of a family with flexibility, strength, invisibility, and force fields a retread of The Incredibles, but Pixar's animated film was very much a tribute to the FF and other heroes of the last 40 years. The irony is that while Fantastic Four is an enjoyable B-grade movie, it's the tribute, The Incredibles, that turned out to be a film for the ages. --David Horiuchi

The Fantastic Four at Amazon.com

Comics and Graphic Novels	Disney animated series	The classic comic book
Movie tie-in graphic novel	The Xbox game	Fantastic Four Soundtrack

The Fantastic Cast

Jessica Alba as Sue Storm	Michael Chiklis as The Thing
Ioan Gruffudd as Reed Richards	Chris Evans as Johnny Storm

Stills from Fantastic Four (click for larger images)

From The New Yorker
If you prefer your cataclysms free of terrorist overtones and your superheroes unburdened by Freudian subtext-sometimes a comic book is just a comic book, after all-you could do worse than this flick. Four scientists and their corporate sponsor (guess who's the bad guy) are conducting experiments on a space station when they're hit by an unexpectedly powerful blast of solar radiation, altering their DNA and giving them freakish powers that cleverly reflect their personalities. Playing the characters created by the Marvel Comics master Stan Lee, the actors Ioan Gruffudd, Jessica Alba, Chris Evans, and Michael Chiklis inhabit their dual identities gracefully; they're superheroes without being superstars. It may not have the emotional sweep of "Superman" or "Spider-Man," but "Fantastic Four" glides along free of the dark, pretentious weight of some recent superhero films. The director, Tim Story ("Barbershop"), tells his tale with clarity and wit. It's a simple popcorn movie-not fantastic, but fun.-Ken Marks -Ken Marks
Copyright © 2006 The New Yorker

Customer Reviews

One of the worst Marvel films!
There is clearly a reason it took me so long to watch this. I wanted to see it in the theater, but something did not allow me to go. I wanted to get the DVD, but I could not do it. I got the BD because I got it at a decent rice. After watching it, I walked away with a bad feeling...

My rule on movies is simple. If it is 90 minutes, it is bound to suck. It means that no one took the time to write a deep and detailed story, let alone do anything else. 9 times out of 10 this holds to be true. If a film is an hour and 45 minutes, it is usually decent with a little more time for a complete story and thought out scenes. Again, this holds true 9 times out of ten. If a film is 1 hour and 50 minutes or better, it is usually a masterpiece as you can tell that time was given to tell a story and everything else involved. It shows that it has substance. I don't have to tell you that the beloved films of all time are at least 2 hours long and the worst are 1 and a half hours or less!

This one is on the level of Elektra and Cat Woman - maybe a little better. The look was ok, but Sue, Doom and Reed were wrongly cast and I still cannot understand how Alba is playing a white character! Johnny and Ben were cast well enough. The story should have been deeper, but maybe before filming began they knew that it was going to be short. I believe that some directors who never read comicbooks don't take the approach to these films seriously.

Now, the special effects were cheesy and unbelievable in most cases. Alba looked like a child and not white as Sue is in the comics. Reed looked like a C list actor and I believe he is the same guy who played in the prototype FF4 movie. The actor who played Doom was horrible and had no type of feeling.

The writing and/or budget caused a problem with the story. They get powers, discover them and then they already have them mastered? Doom starts to change and then for NO REASON at all, he dons a clasic Dr. Doom mask and uniform without any reason given for the mask to exist and for him to have put it on other than the fact that the character wheres it! He just gets the uniform out of no where and puts it on for what reason? His face did not even come close to the hideous looks of the comic for him to even think about covering it up.

The writing is EVERYTHING is a movie. When that is bad, NOTHING can save a movie - NOTHING. This is only good if you are a Marvel fan. Now I am off to watch part two. If that is more fo the same, then maybe The Punisher and The Hulk are not the only other films who need a complete overhaul...

These actors suck!
I've watched the Fantastic Four cartoons and always found their charismatic witty personalities and their dialogues very entertaining. However, the actors in the movie just don't have that edge to them, they seem like second rate actors, like they had to lower the costs or something for Jessica Alba to be in the movie. I mean, they are supposed to be SUPERHEROES! Not medicore schmucks who just happen to have superpowers! Very disappointed in the acting, which I find destroys the movie, put in all the special effects that you want, point of the matter is, you need actors that have to know who their character is that they are playing.

Extended Cut makes the movie truly FANTASTIC!
Much like the Daredevil Director's Cut, the Extended cut of F4 is the only way to watch the movie, the theatrical release pales in comparison.

While the movie itself is much too focused on the comedic aspects and sight gags in either format, with the extended cut you at least feel like you are getting more for your money.

The major addition to the film is the Ben Grimm and Alicia Masters romance subplot that is just glossed over in the original cut. Included is a wonderful scene in Alicia's studio where you actually see the romance begin and a real relationship form. As well as a scene at an Art Show where Ben is embarassed for Alicia to be seen with him and leaves.

The other footage is mostly of Dr. Doom dealing with his transformation, spying on the F4 and meeting with every member other than Reed trying to convince them that Reed doesn't care about them.

I highly suggest replacing any theatrical cut copies of the DVD with the extended cut, you won't be disappointed.