OK, I have a confession to make: despite being a comic-book fan, I haven't exactly been looking forward to the Fantastic Four movie. The lack of A-list movie-star talent combined with what seems to be a decision to make the property seem dark and cool (at least based on preview teasers) makes me suspect the filmmakers have missed the mark. In other words, it looks as though the creators are emulating an X-Men style, a la Bryan Singer, instead of something lighter. The plot of this adaptation leads me to the same conclusion, but then again, the dialogue boasts some goofier moments that indicate otherwise. Ultimately, this adaptation feels and looks rushed; a single comic book just doesn't pass muster when it comes to adaptating a 90-plus minute movie.
Reed Richards has some interesting theories about the effects of cosmic radiation on living cells, and he suspects his research might hold the answer to solving a wide array of human health concerns. Accompanied by friend and pilot Ben Grimm, Reed approaches his college rival, Victor Von Doom, who has become a business tycoon. Von Doom agrees to Reed's proposal, if only to see him squirm by forcing him to work with his ex-girlfriend, Susan Storm. A team of five -- Reed, Ben, Susan, her hotshot brother Johnny (also a pilot) and Von Doom himself, travel to a space station research facility, only to be exposed to cosmic radiation themselves, which sparks changes in their physiologies.
I was surprised when I saw Sandu Florea listed as the inker on the main story, because it looks more like Klaus Janson's or Al Milgrom's grittier inking style over Jurgens's pencils. Maybe the penciller turned in loose line art, or maybe Florea's style has shifted a bit. The nature of the story and characters calls for a slicker, more polished look, though. I did like that Jurgens doesn't attempt to convey the likenesses of the actors. He just draws the Fantastic Four, right down to the traditional look for the Thing.
The one plot element I was really taken with was the treatment of Ben Grimm. He's given a girlfriend, a woman he truly loves and plans to marry, before his transformation, and what happens with her really drives home his plight. Furthermore, we even see him contemplating suicide. It's a little more mature, maybe a little too dark for the character, but it made his unfortunate circumstance really come to life.
Other aspects of the plot are a bit hard to swallow or are painfully predictable, though. The love triangle never rings true, for example, and Dr. Doom as an evil Tony Stark instead of the ruler of a sovereign nation seems to take away from the character's presence and unique nature.
The backup story -- a short story originally publisher in Fantastic Four #358 -- gives us a glimpse of Doom the dictator, and it's a fun piece that boasts a surprising level of relevance. Doom's manipulation of facts and history to suit his own ego reminds me more than a little of what we've seen going on in the United States for the past four years. Still, I'm at a lossas to why this Doom story was included in this one-shot, other than the need to fill out a few leftover pages. 5/10
