What a mess "Fantastic Four" is. Everything about it bears the stench of amateurs, from the unspectacular special effects
to the sitcom-lame dialogue to the butchered storyline. Hard to believe that in one 15-month period we have endured "The Punisher," "Elektra," "Catwoman" AND "Fantastic Four," the four very worst comic book adaptations, all lined up. We deserve medals, you and I. Most of this film, directed by Tim Story -- whose experience with the lightweight comedies "Barbershop" and "Taxi" somehow failed to prepare him for a big-budget superhero adventure -- has a tone to it that is utterly wrong. It's too silly to be taken seriously, but not silly enough to be funny. It feels inconsequential, weightless even, like nothing that happens really matters. This is exactly the opposite of how a superhero movie should feel, of course. You want the audience to be afraid when the hero is in peril and cheer when he prevails. I just kept looking at my watch.
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