# First Look at the Fantastic Four **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 22, 2004, 3:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-look-at-the-fantastic-four/265434 "2004-09-22T03:05:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Ephemera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8baadc/32.png) [@Ephemera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ephemera)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2004, 3:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-look-at-the-fantastic-four/265434/1 "2004-09-22T03:05:06Z")
> **[ComingSoon.net - New Movies, Movie Trailers, TV, Streaming, Anime & Video...](https://www.comingsoon.net/)** > > New Movies, Movie Trailers, TV, Streaming, Anime & Video Game News I have to admit, I wasn’t very happy when I first found out that Jessica Alba and Ioan Gruffudd were cast to play Sue and Reed Richards but they both look passable in these pictures, if still a bit too young. Chiklis as Thing and Evans as the Torch both look perfect though. I’m cautiously optimistic about this now… let’s just hope it’s all flash and no substance like _The Hulk_ was though. ---
**Author:** ![Terminus\_Est](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terminus_est/32/3087_2.png) [@Terminus\_Est](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terminus_Est)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2004, 3:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-look-at-the-fantastic-four/265434/2 "2004-09-22T03:14:07Z")
> [@Aesiron](#): > > let’s just hope it’s all flash and no substance like _The Hulk_ was though. 😕 Really? You liked The Hulk? ---
**Author:** ![wolfman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a8b319/32.png) [@wolfman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfman)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2004, 3:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-look-at-the-fantastic-four/265434/3 "2004-09-22T03:17:10Z")
Personally I’m of the opinion that you could use Jessica Alba as anything from the Queen of England to a '69 Buick and it would be a perfect casting selection as long as she’s on screen a lot. ---
**Author:** ![shy\_guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a6a055/32.png) [@shy\_guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shy_guy)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2004, 3:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-look-at-the-fantastic-four/265434/4 "2004-09-22T03:21:21Z")
Chris Evans is _hot_. That is all. ---
**Author:** ![Ephemera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8baadc/32.png) [@Ephemera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ephemera)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2004, 3:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-look-at-the-fantastic-four/265434/5 "2004-09-22T03:22:58Z")
> [@Terminus Est](#): > > 😕 Really? You liked The Hulk? There was supposed to a be a not in there “Let’s just hope it’s not all flash and no substance like _The Hulk_ was.” ---
**Author:** ![smiling\_bandit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9a140/32.png) [@smiling\_bandit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smiling_bandit)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2004, 3:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-look-at-the-fantastic-four/265434/6 "2004-09-22T03:44:39Z")
That’s odd. I thought Hulk arguably had the most substance of any of the new Marvel flicks, and the least flash. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2004, 4:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-look-at-the-fantastic-four/265434/7 "2004-09-22T04:29:17Z")
I agree with **smiling bandit**. I thought _The Hulk_ had a surprising amount of depth. My only real complaint with it was the ending, which was impossibly contrived, even by the standards of a superhero comic. They should have had Hulk smash his way into that military base, instead of Banner just waltzing in to talk with his dad. Besides, the pacing really needed one more big fight scene. ---
**Author:** ![Kaspar\_Hauser](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b3f665/32.png) [@Kaspar\_Hauser](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kaspar_Hauser)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2004, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-look-at-the-fantastic-four/265434/8 "2004-09-22T16:56:28Z")
> [@Miller](#): > > I agree with **smiling bandit**. I thought _The Hulk_ had a surprising amount of depth. My only real complaint with it was the ending, which was impossibly contrived, even by the standards of a superhero comic. You mean you _understood_ the ending? I agree, though – _Hulk_ is tremendously underrated. But having read the script review for _FF_ at Aint It Cool News, I’m kinda wary about this whole movie… ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2004, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-look-at-the-fantastic-four/265434/9 "2004-09-22T17:19:27Z")
I’ll admit, I think Chiklis is inspired casting. But that costume looks horrendous. Sorry, but Thing is much, much taller. And he’s ginormous! That just looks like a guy in an orange [Slim Goodbody](http://www.ket.org/cgi-plex/watch/series.pl?&cd=1&&id=KSLGB) suit. ---
**Author:** ![JThunder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e95f7d/32.png) [@JThunder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JThunder)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2004, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-look-at-the-fantastic-four/265434/10 "2004-09-22T17:30:45Z")
> [@shy guy](#): > > Chris Evans is _hot_. Only 'cuz he’s the Torch. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2004, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-look-at-the-fantastic-four/265434/11 "2004-09-22T19:13:23Z")
> [@](#): > > 'll admit, I think Chiklis is inspired casting. But that costume looks horrendous. Sorry, but Thing is much, much taller. And he’s ginormous! That just looks like a guy in an orange Slim Goodbody suit. How are you getting a sense of scale? From all we can tell from that picture, he could be fifteen feet tall. ---
**Author:** ![Optihut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/edb3f5/32.png) [@Optihut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Optihut)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2004, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-look-at-the-fantastic-four/265434/12 "2004-09-22T19:14:01Z")
> [@Miller](#): > > I agree with **smiling bandit**. I thought _The Hulk_ had a surprising amount of depth. My only real complaint with it was the ending, which was impossibly contrived, even by the standards of a superhero comic. They should have had Hulk smash his way into that military base, instead of Banner just waltzing in to talk with his dad. Besides, the pacing really needed one more big fight scene. Depth? _Depth_? I only remember mutated poodles and a completely ridiculous power sucking monster-nolte. The ending with the rebels raiding his hospital in the jungle was actually the only good and almost redeeming moment in the whole movie. ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2004, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-look-at-the-fantastic-four/265434/13 "2004-09-22T19:26:59Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > How are you getting a sense of scale? From all we can tell from that picture, he could be fifteen feet tall. I can at least get a sense of body proportion from that photo. In that regard, he’s Thing Goodbody. Hopefully, they’ll attach motion capture balls to him, and beef him up in the CGI chamber. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2004, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-look-at-the-fantastic-four/265434/14 "2004-09-22T19:59:41Z")
> [@Kaspar Hauser](#): > > You mean you _understood_ the ending? I agree, though – _Hulk_ is tremendously underrated. Sure. Basically, the source of Banner’s bottomless anger is his hatred of his dad. When his dad becomes Absorbing Man, he tries to absorb his son’s hatred to make himself more powerful, but there’s literally no end to it: he tries to drain the Hulk but the anger just keeps coming, until it’s more than he can contain and he blows up like a neutron bomb. I thought it was a great ending, because it shows how strong Banner has always been, that he’s been able to keep this anger inside of him without cracking. Stronger than his father, even, who created that anger in the first place. ---
**Author:** ![Kaspar\_Hauser](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b3f665/32.png) [@Kaspar\_Hauser](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kaspar_Hauser)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2004, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-look-at-the-fantastic-four/265434/15 "2004-09-22T20:32:58Z")
That’s an interesting take. I’ll need to watch it again with that in mind. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2004, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-look-at-the-fantastic-four/265434/16 "2004-09-22T20:44:45Z")
> [@](#): > > he tries to drain the Hulk but the anger just keeps coming, until it’s more than he can contain and he blows up like a neutron bomb. Actually, I’m inclined to think that his blowing up like a neutron bomb had more to do with the, you know, neutron bomb the military jet dropped on them at right around that point. I think that the biggest flaw was that it should have been two movies, to handle the two main plots (Hulk vs. the military and Hulk vs. Absorbing-freak Dad) and to make room for more exposition. As an example, at the beginning of the movie when Freak-Dad isn’t freaky yet and still working, he’s trying desperately to find a cure for little Bruce. Um, a cure for what? Until he also got dosed with the nano-thingies and zappified by the gamma rays, Bruce was apparently perfectly normal. With that said, I don’t see any problems with the Thing’s proportions (he looks about like I’d expect a walking boulder to look), but then, I never read the comic books. ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Ashtar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ea924/32.png) [@Lord\_Ashtar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Ashtar)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2004, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-look-at-the-fantastic-four/265434/17 "2004-09-22T20:45:27Z")
> [@wolfman](#): > > Personally I’m of the opinion that you could use Jessica Alba as anything from the Queen of England to a '69 Buick and it would be a perfect casting selection as long as she’s on screen a lot. I was just about to post the same thing. Jessica Alba can do no wrong. Especially when she’s wearing a blue jumpsuit. I…uh…have to go now… ---
**Author:** ![Binarydrone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3da27b/32.png) [@Binarydrone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Binarydrone)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2004, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-look-at-the-fantastic-four/265434/18 "2004-09-22T20:51:31Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > With that said, I don’t see any problems with the Thing’s proportions (he looks about like I’d expect a walking boulder to look), but then, I never read the comic books. He looks a lot more like Thing did in the original comics. Problem is that I liked the way his look evolved over the years. ---
**Author:** ![ouryL](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ouryl/32/6067_2.png) [@ouryL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ouryL)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2004, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-look-at-the-fantastic-four/265434/19 "2004-09-22T21:27:07Z")
> [@Binarydrone](#): > > He looks a lot more like Thing did in the original comics. Problem is that I liked the way his look evolved over the years. They explained that as a progression in his mutation. ---
**Author:** ![Chairman\_Pow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/838e76/32.png) [@Chairman\_Pow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chairman_Pow)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2004, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-look-at-the-fantastic-four/265434/20 "2004-09-22T21:41:01Z")
I may have to preemptively post a THE FANTASTIC FOUR IS THE WORST MOVIE I HAVE EVER SEEN (in reponse THE PUNISHER IS THE WORST MOVIE I HAVE EVER SEEN). But then again, I probably won’t see it, so I really couldn’t post that at all. If they wanted to show Ms. Alba’s titties off, why didn’t they just go with that godawful costume from the early 90s, the one with the hot pants and where the 4 was cut out and showed her sternum? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-look-at-the-fantastic-four/265434.md?page=2)