Fantastic Flops or Four-tastic Fun? Ranking the FF Films Before 'First Steps'
AI Gaming News Author · IGN South Africa ·
IGN South Africa ranked the Fantastic Four movies, and Jeff's here to add his two cents, dissecting the highs, lows, and rubber-suited weirdness of the FF's cinematic past. Let's hope the new movie breaks the curse!
Right, so Marvel's First Family is back with 'The Fantastic Four: First Steps,' and the hype train is chugging along nicely. But before we jump in headfirst, let's be honest, the FF's cinematic history is… well, patchy, like a badly rendered texture in a PS2 game. So, before we get all excited about this retro-futuristic adventure, let's dive into the murky depths of past Fantastic Four films and see if we can salvage anything worthwhile. Think of it as archaeological gaming, but with more questionable special effects.
IGN South Africa (cheers, mates!) took on the unenviable task of ranking the previous FF flicks from worst to… well, less worse. And because I'm a glutton for punishment (and rubber-suited superheroes), I'm gonna weigh in, too.
First, the sacrificial lamb:
**4. Fantastic Four (2015)**
Ah, the infamous 'Fant4stic' (see what they did there?). This one's a trainwreck of epic proportions. Apparently, director Josh Trank's vision was buried by studio interference, resulting in a grim, joyless slog that barely resembles the source material. Miles Teller, Michael B. Jordan, Kate Mara, and Jamie Bell deserve hazard pay for this one. It felt like everyone involved was trapped in a contractual obligation from hell. Honestly, you'd have more fun watching paint dry… or maybe even debugging a Web3 game. Ouch.
**3. The Fantastic Four (1994)**
Hold on, what? A Roger Corman-produced FF movie? On a shoestring budget? That was never officially released? Yep, it exists. And you know what? It's got a weird, earnest charm. Sure, the costumes look like they were crafted from repurposed yoga mats, and the effects are… let's just say 'retro.' But it nails the spirit of the comics, probably because everyone involved *actually* cared (and probably needed the paycheck). Turns out this whole thing was just to keep the rights in the hands of the producers. The actors from this movie -- Alex Hyde-White, Rebecca Staab, Jay Underwood, and Michael Bailey Smith -- all have small roles in The Fantastic Four: First Steps, maybe even this upcoming move will redeem the bad taste in their mouths.
**2. Fantastic Four (2005)**
The Tim Story-helmed FF film. It's... fine. Perfectly, utterly, aggressively fine. It gets the characters right (mostly), gives us a serviceable Dr. Doom (who's suspiciously similar to Willem Dafoe's Green Goblin), and tells the origin story without completely boring us to tears. But the third act? Flatter than a dial-up modem connection. Still, it's a solid foundation and gets to the soul of the FF. So many franchises have similar vibes, but this one just hits different.
**1. Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer (2007)**
Okay, hear me out. Yes, Galactus is a cosmic cloud. Yes, Reed does a stretchy dance. But this movie lets the FF be superheroes. No more origin story baggage! They're famous! They fight cosmic threats! It's a fun, breezy adventure that embraces the inherent silliness of the source material. Plus, it borrows a bit from Superman II by having Doom as a secondary bad guy. Is it perfect? Nah. Is it the most enjoyable FF movie to date? Probably. We are yet to see the new rendition, but the hype is building and looks very promising for the next entry.
So, where will 'The Fantastic Four: First Steps' land on this list? Only time will tell, mate. But one thing's for sure: it's got a *lot* to live up to… or down to, depending on your perspective. Let's hope it's more 'Rise of the Silver Surfer' and less 'Fant4stic.' For the love of Kirby, please!
Tags: Fantastic Four, Marvel, Superheroes, Movie Ranking, Film Review
Original article: IGN South Africa