Marvel's Fantastic Four

[Disney Irish]

And here is the translated text for those that don't speak Japanese -

"I watched "Fantastic Four: The First Step." Not only the fashion, color usage, design, cityscapes, TV and animated programs, costumes, space suits, rockets, and cars, but even the company names, food (cereal, soft drinks), and storage media (magnetic tape, disks) were all thoroughly created with a 60s look and a futuristic feel. I felt nostalgic, like watching "Bewitched" as a child. Or, I felt like I was watching a live-action version of "The Incredibles," which has a family theme. When I found out that he was the director of "WandaVision," I nodded in agreement.

Superhero movies in the post-COVID era seem to be shifting away from their previous dark and realistic tone and towards a nostalgic, colorful, retro-futuristic trend.

What's clever is that the TV show at the beginning succinctly summarises the Fantastic Four's achievements, their position, and their accomplishments. If they had carefully explained how they became superhumans from the beginning, it would have become too explanatory and the pace would have been poor. "Superman" also cleverly omitted this part. The plot is designed to allow the audience to get into the story from the moment "they" form a new family (the beginning of the turmoil and crisis). It is "fantastic" in the sense that it is the "first step" to "restart" the series."

 

[LSLS]

Ok, so I did go see it this weekend. Overall, it was Ok. Honestly nowhere close to my top MCU film. Pedro was a much better Reed than I was expecting, and honestly I liked the Silver Surfer a lot more than expected. Galactus looked cool, but I get the complaints about him not being setup very well. It felt REALLY slow to me. My wife and I took the kids separately, and about halfway through the movie she sent me a message about how boring it was (she doesn't really watch any MCU). She did say she liked it in the end, but was horribly bored the first hour or so.

I will say I'd agree the way they handled the origins was great. I completely got it without needing a 2 hour movie for it.

Spoiler: Spoiler

More detailed, is Sue Storm supposed to be THAT powerful? I always thought Galactus was a big bad, and she kind of took him out on her own. Also, the 60s with insane tech REALLY bothered me for some reason. We have flying cars and super advanced image scanners, but the press had 1920's style cameras and 60s style TVs still. At least go all in with the tech and just keep the designs more in the 60s.

 

[JackCH]

Ok, so I did go see it this weekend. Overall, it was Ok. Honestly nowhere close to my top MCU film. Pedro was a much better Reed than I was expecting, and honestly I liked the Silver Surfer a lot more than expected. Galactus looked cool, but I get the complaints about him not being setup very well. It felt REALLY slow to me. My wife and I took the kids separately, and about halfway through the movie she sent me a message about how boring it was (she doesn't really watch any MCU). She did say she liked it in the end, but was horribly bored the first hour or so.

I will say I'd agree the way they handled the origins was great. I completely got it without needing a 2 hour movie for it.

Spoiler: Spoiler

More detailed, is Sue Storm supposed to be THAT powerful? I always thought Galactus was a big bad, and she kind of took him out on her own. Also, the 60s with insane tech REALLY bothered me for some reason. We have flying cars and super advanced image scanners, but the press had 1920's style cameras and 60s style TVs still. At least go all in with the tech and just keep the designs more in the 60s.

I’m higher on it than y’all seemed to be but I get the criticisms. I’m the opposite though- I think the first half was near perfect and the third act it plummets.


SPOILER

Sue is pretty powerful in the comics. I think the idea is she couldn’t beat Galactus but could push him back just enough to get him through the portal. Not in a straight up fight. That being said, I hated how they handled the final fight for many reasons.

I liked the retro-future vibe of this alternate universe. Made it charming for me.

 

[LSLS]

I’m higher on it than y’all seemed to be but I get the criticisms. I’m the opposite though- I think the first half was near perfect and the third act it plummets.


SPOILER

Sue is pretty powerful in the comics. I think the idea is she couldn’t beat Galactus but could push him back just enough to get him through the portal. Not in a straight up fight. That being said, I hated how they handled the final fight for many reasons.

I liked the retro-future vibe of this alternate universe. Made it charming for me.

Do you read the comics? I wonder if that is a bit of a difference in our perspectives.

 

[Phroobar]

Ok, so I did go see it this weekend. Overall, it was Ok. Honestly nowhere close to my top MCU film. Pedro was a much better Reed than I was expecting, and honestly I liked the Silver Surfer a lot more than expected. Galactus looked cool, but I get the complaints about him not being setup very well. It felt REALLY slow to me. My wife and I took the kids separately, and about halfway through the movie she sent me a message about how boring it was (she doesn't really watch any MCU). She did say she liked it in the end, but was horribly bored the first hour or so.

I will say I'd agree the way they handled the origins was great. I completely got it without needing a 2 hour movie for it.

Spoiler: Spoiler

More detailed, is Sue Storm supposed to be THAT powerful? I always thought Galactus was a big bad, and she kind of took him out on her own. Also, the 60s with insane tech REALLY bothered me for some reason. We have flying cars and super advanced image scanners, but the press had 1920's style cameras and 60s style TVs still. At least go all in with the tech and just keep the designs more in the 60s.

True, there were old 40s style builds with super modern skyscrapers. There seemed to be a division between haves and haves not. It's like aliens dropped tech in the city a few years ago and it is still being upgraded.

 

[JackCH]

Do you read the comics? I wonder if that is a bit of a difference in our perspectives.

Oh yes - I'm a big Fantastic Four fan. I have no doubt that elevates the film for me because I do think they nailed the characters. I totally get this film just feeling middle-of-the-road for most people.

BUT I think the film needed a few things to move it from that 7/10-8/10 range to a 9/10. It needed a more exciting climax, one more solid action scene, and I really think this film needed to build up Doom more but that has more to do with the next two films than this one. I also wish it would have explored Galactus just a little more. I know he can come off as just "he eats planets," but he actually has some really compelling themes. He represents cosmic forces and nature, and in that grand scheme, what value does humanity really have? That is the theme that is often explored in his stories.

 

[LSLS]

Oh yes - I'm a big Fantastic Four fan. I have no doubt that elevates the film for me because I do think they nailed the characters. I totally get this film just feeling middle-of-the-road for most people.

BUT I think the film needed a few things to move it from that 7/10-8/10 range to a 9/10. It needed a more exciting climax, one more solid action scene, and I really think this film needed to build up Doom more but that has more to do with the next two films than this one. I also wish it would have explored Galactus just a little more. I know he can come off as just "he eats planets," but he actually has some really compelling themes. He represents cosmic forces and nature, and in that grand scheme, what value does humanity really have? That is the theme that is often explored in his stories.

Oh, I'm more thinking of if that's why we liked different parts of the movie. I think you have a lot greater understanding of Galactus and Surfer which probably contributes to you disliking the ending a bit and enjoying the beginnings. Me having virtually no knowledge (like I said before I watched, I did not even know how they got their powers) thought there was just more excitement later on (though I did see some issues with it) while just not being as entertained with what was initially going on.

 

[JackCH]

Oh, I'm more thinking of if that's why we liked different parts of the movie. I think you have a lot greater understanding of Galactus and Surfer which probably contributes to you disliking the ending a bit and enjoying the beginnings. Me having virtually no knowledge (like I said before I watched, I did not even know how they got their powers) thought there was just more excitement later on (though I did see some issues with it) while just not being as entertained with what was initially going on.

I could see that. I think I just felt the opening was pretty good introducing the world and characters, and then I think the entire space sequence is the best part of the movie.

I think a little more action might have helped?

 

[LSLS]

I could see that. I think I just felt the opening was pretty good introducing the world and characters, and then I think the entire space sequence is the best part of the movie.

I think a little more action might have helped?

Definitely this. I really appreciated how they introduced the characters quickly, but it just dragged too long for me, and I kept waiting for these epic battles where we see all their skills on display, and really only got like 3 minutes of it.

 

[JackCH]

Definitely this. I really appreciated how they introduced the characters quickly, but it just dragged too long for me, and I kept waiting for these epic battles where we see all their skills on display, and really only got like 3 minutes of it.

Potential Spoilers:

I would of had one full fight with one of their smaller villains (like Wizard, Red Ghost, or Diablo) after that opening montage. I envision it as they come out after that TV show they were in, their alarm goes off, and they go and fight someone and showoff their powers and teamwork.

Then, at the end, I would of had Galactus 1) start devouring the planet to raise the stakes and intesnity, and 2) have more actual action in there with Galactus using more of his power. The third act should of had more of that world-ending intensity that was built up in act 2.

 

[Prince-1]

Definitely this. I really appreciated how they introduced the characters quickly, but it just dragged too long for me, and I kept waiting for these epic battles where we see all their skills on display, and really only got like 3 minutes of it.

I've said the same thing. I loved the look and thought the cast was great but the movie was flat and dragged a lot.

 

[Phroobar]

Potential Spoilers:

I would of had one full fight with one of their smaller villains (like Wizard, Red Ghost, or Diablo) after that opening montage. I envision it as they come out after that TV show they were in, their alarm goes off, and they go and fight someone and showoff their powers and teamwork.

Then, at the end, I would of had Galactus 1) start devouring the planet to raise the stakes and intesnity, and 2) have more actual action in there with Galactus using more of his power. The third act should of had more of that world-ending intensity that was built up in act 2.

I think that was originally the case. Galactus would eat the planet and the F4 would escape to Earth-616. They would be sad they failed and find the strength to fight Dr. Doom and Galactus all over again.

Now you have the McGuffin of Jack Jack Franklin to alter reality.

 

[coffeefan]

"…Even though, for instance, there have been Fantastic Four movies before, we kind of consider the one we did an original property in many respects, because we're introducing those characters to people who are not familiar with them at all.""

 

[doctornick]

Finally got around to seeing this but I loved it. I have quibbles with things that could have been done better but it was a masterful take on the FF. Clearly shows that the filmmakers loved the source material and wanted to do right for the characters.

 

[CoastalElite64]

 

[DisneyWarrior27]

Least it will break even and avoid losing money.

 

[MisterPenguin]

Least it will break even and avoid losing money.

Hey, you're back.


Remember when you said this?....

Deadline, which also tends to lowball a lot and used different tracking than independent box office trackers.

I’ll believe the independent ones over one owned by Penske Media, which is also owned by Disney.

And I asked....

Please provide a citation that Disney owns any part of Penske Media.

Still waiting for a citation that Disney owns Penske Media.

 

[DisneyWarrior27]

Hey, you're back.


Remember when you said this?....




And I asked....




Still waiting for a citation that Disney owns Penske Media.

Well they did lowball by $7M.

And this was what I found where I learned they DID own parts of Penske Media at one point, but not anymore: https://www.nytimes.com/2014/08/20/business/media/penske-to-buy-fairchild-media-for-100-million.html.

 

[MisterPenguin]

Well they did lowball by $7M.

And this was what I found where I learned they DID own parts of Penske Media at one point, but not anymore: https://www.nytimes.com/2014/08/20/business/media/penske-to-buy-fairchild-media-for-100-million.html.

I don't see anything in that article that shows the NYT owned parts of Penske Media.

Could you cut and paste the relevant section?

 

[DisneyWarrior27]

I don't see anything in that article that shows the NYT owned parts of Penske Media.

Could you cut and paste the relevant section?

“Condé Nast had purchased the assets from Disney Corporation in 2003 for over $650 million. Two of Fairchild's properties, Style.com and W, remained under Condé Nast's ownership.”