Fantastic Four: I Want a Sequel

We-e-e-e-e-ll . . .

If you’ve read anything about the new FANTASTIC FOUR movie at Rotten Tomatoes, or local reviews, or the blogosphere, or, well, anywhere, you probably know it’s a bomb, and I don’t mean “da bomb” in the sense that things used to want to be.

Actually, reviewers and fanboys have trashed this movie worse than maybe any superhero movie ever. Despite that, Fox is apparently still planning to make a sequel.

And I really, really hope they do.

Yes, as a dedicated Marvel moviegoer who is working on a book about Marvel movies and real-life spirituality, I trotted off to see this film a few days after it came out. (I hadn’t read any reviews so I didn’t know what a giant flop it was supposed to be.) And the thing is, although it had some obvious problems, it was not the worst superhero movie ever made — and definitely not the worst Fantastic Four movie ever made — and I actually liked it. The film’s biggest problems were in pacing and story structure, such that it essentially set up a really good story and then never finished it.

But I cared about the characters, and I want to know what happens to them.

To me, if a sequel doesn’t happen, this movie will have been a waste. And if a sequel DOES happen, and it’s good, then I will quite happily continue to enjoy this movie as the prequel that it is.

Of course, how all that plays out remains to be seen.

(Incidentally, my dedicated Marvel movie-going does have limits. I won’t be seeing Fox’s R-rated DEADPOOL, and jury’s out on whether I’ll take in the MCU’s DR. STRANGE. Depends on how they handle the occult elements.)

Given all of that setup-that-doesn’t-really-go-anywhere, though, there isn’t a ton for me to work with as far as those real-life, Bible-based applications I like to make. (I mean, the movie definitely agrees with Proverbs that people in power shouldn’t get drunk. But that feels a little weak for a post here on Adventures.)

I could say that it reminded me not to judge an end by its beginning: a lot can happen in the course of a story told over time.

For me today, that’s good enough. This has been your friendly neighbourhood Marvel movie report. I’ll see you in May for thoughts on CIVIL WAR!