The group of pop culture lovers known as “fanboys” are quite the community. Giddily lapping up the next superhero property, TV adaptation, and sci-fi bonzana, you can typically count on two things: whatever it is will make loads of cash, and the fanboys will bitch incessantly about it.
Take “Fantastic Four,” for example, arguably the most hated superhero franchise this side of Joel Schumacher. When the first film bowed in 2004, fans rightly lambasted the film, from the terrible writing and crappy jokes to Julian McMahon’s slimy scumbag industrialist version of Dr. Doom.
The 2007 sequel fared no better, bringing favorites the Silver Surfer and Galactus, and proceeding to completely botch the latter by turning the devourer or worlds from a giant guy with a purple helmet (save the dick jokes, guys) into the much more realistic Giant Space Cloud of Fire.
When it was announced that Fox, in a use-it-or-lose-it situation with the rights, rebooted the franchise, you’d think the chance to do it right would have energized the fanbase. Not so fast, though, as reboots are looked upon with the same level of excitement as Giant Space Clouds of Fire. When Josh Trank, he of the tremendous superhero found footage flick “Chronicle” was hired to direct, a buzz settled over the group…until it was announced that Michael B. Jordan, a hot young actor who happens to be black, would be playing the decidedly Aryan (in complexion, anyway) hero Human Torch.
We got cries of “reverse racism” (an ignorant, ridiculous term to begin with) and gripes that this would be the Worst Superhero Movie Ever, and many fans launched a crusade to ensure this FF would suffer the same fate as its predecessors, which is become profitable but not a runaway hit, and find itself on the Island of Misfit Superhero flicks within 5 years.
Suddenly the franchise is toxic…once again, before even a frame of footage from the film is released. Trailers that present a slightly different vision of the group, but that were somewhat promising just the same, were met with boos and sneers. Each report, from the cosmic rays that spur their transformation coming from a different source to the choice of their uniforms, were met with scorn and were another reason this is the Worst…Thing…EVAR.
So the film’s release is finally upon us, and we will get the chance to judge the film–and it’s pretty strong cast–on its own merits. Well, some of us anyway. Those whose myopic view of what a superhero movie should be, those who are eternally hoping for the ridiculous, self-centered version of the movie they made in their bedrooms with their action figures 20 years ago, will hate it. And if it’s good, it will be their loss.
