Fantastic Four (2015)

Movie · 2015 · Action, Adventure, Science Fiction · 1h 40m · PG-13 · English

Curator score: 0.1/10 (498.7K ratings)

Change is coming.

Overview

Four young outsiders teleport to a dangerous universe, which alters their physical form in shocking ways. Their lives irrevocably upended, the team must learn to harness their daunting new abilities and work together to save Earth from a former friend turned enemy.

Ratings

Director

Josh Trank

Production

20th Century Fox, Constantin Film, Marvel Entertainment, Marv, Genre Films, Robert Kulzer Productions

Cast

Miles Teller, Michael B. Jordan, Kate Mara, Jamie Bell, Toby Kebbell, Reg E. Cathey, Tim Blake Nelson, Tim Heidecker, Joshua Montes, Dan Castellaneta, Owen Judge, Kylen Davis, Evan Hannemann, Chet Hanks, Mary-Pat Green, Mary Rachel Quinn, Wayne Péré, Rhonda Johnson Dents, Barney Lanning, Dennis Thomas IV

Where to watch

Disney Plus

Curator Review

Verdict

A grim, disjointed superhero reboot with a few isolated visual ideas, but it mostly fails as an origin story, ensemble piece, and adventure film. The tone is dour, the pacing is uneven, and the character dynamics never really click.

Best for

  • Viewers curious about notorious comic-book misfires
  • Fans of bleak, body-horror-tinged superhero concepts
  • People interested in seeing a studio-driven production collapse

Skip if

  • You want a fun, character-driven team movie
  • You prefer energetic, colorful superhero action
  • You’re looking for a faithful, crowd-pleasing Fantastic Four adaptation

Overview

This reboot takes a property built on family chemistry and replaces it with cold, procedural setup. The first half has some promise as a body-transformation sci-fi story, especially in the way it treats the physical horror of the accident, but that angle never fully develops into a satisfying emotional or narrative arc.

Worth noting

The movie’s biggest problem is that it never feels like a team. The characters are isolated from one another, the dialogue is flat, and the villain arrives with little dramatic weight. Even the better visual moments can’t overcome the sense that the film is rushing through material without a clear identity.

Bottom line

There are fragments of a smarter, stranger movie here, but the final result is more oppressive than exciting. For viewers who like watching ambitious studio projects go off the rails, it has a certain grim curiosity value. As a superhero film, though, it’s mostly a miss.

Top Letterboxd reviews

Josh Trank (2★) · 8835 likes

Fant4stic... Huh. Okay first of all, I thought it would be GREAT if I searched FF2015 and the shit wasn’t even on here. Low key I kinda was hoping it wasn’t. But it was! And I’m here. Anyway. Where to begin... The movie is ALRIGHT. I was expecting it to be much worse than it was. I literally haven’t seen it since like two weeks before it came out, and I was in a heavily fucking traumatized state of mind. Why? Eh, save that… more

adambolt (3★) · 3602 likes

IT'S CLOBBERIN' TIME *beats child*

Gonzo · 2090 likes

Dear Fox, Now can you please return the Fantastic Four back to Marvel? Thank you. Sincerely,Everyone

#1 gizmo fan (0.5★) · 1464 likes

Release the Snyder cut

james💫 (0.5★) · 1451 likes

“Reed: We've come a long way since the garage. Thing: Gotta say, it's fantastic. Reed: Say that again... Thing: It's fantastic. Reed: Yes, it is. Guys, I got it. Ready?”

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Topics

superhero, science fiction, action, body horror, origin story, ensemble drama, dark tone, 2010s, studio misfire, comic-book adaptation

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