Fantastic Four

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Year:	2005
Country of origin:	USA / Germany
Director:	Tim Story
Genre:	Comic book super team
Starring:	Ioan Gruffudd, Jessica Alba, Chris Evans, Michael Chiklis, Julian McMahon
Rating:	3/5
IMDB link:	http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0120667/
Tagline:	4 times the action. 4 times the adventure. 4 times the fantastic.
Favourite line:	"You guys look like an '80s rock band!"

When this movie first appeared at the cinema, I avoided it like 'Piss Your Pants Eileen' down at the local boozer, as it seemed a predictably drab, CGI-heavy, laugh free affair aimed squarely at the type of people who fall over if they try to eat a packet of crisps and walk down the street at the same time.
And I was only half right.
The CGI is in evidence as it had to be to realise a concept such as this, which is fair enough, but I was surprised that some of the humour actually hit the mark.
Listen, I'm not talking Derek and Clive quality mirth here, but I did laugh at least five times, which was five times more than I expected.

The plot:
Four scientists head off into space to conduct experiments and are exposed to potentially lethal levels of cosmic radiation.
The fools.
As perilous as that sounds, the four boffins did not actually die, instead acquiring superpowers with which they could wow the world; Mr. Fantastic can stretch his body like rubber, The Invisible Woman who can be, well, invisible, The Human Torch, whose body can burst into flames at will, conducting enormous amounts of heat as well as being able to fly and The Thing, a man made of stone gifted with incredible strength. Their first mission: stop Victor Von Doom from doing evil things.

Whilst certainly throwaway and not one to live in the memory for too long after the credits roll, for fantasy family fodder it wasn't too painful.
How's that for a ringing endorsement?
They should have put that on the poster....