Fantastic Four

THE GIST: Genius Reed Richards creates a teleportation device that he decides to test himself. He's joined by four others and they're all exposed to an element on the alien world that reacts to their bodies on a genetic level, conferring to each new and fantastic abilities. Unfortunately, one of them decides to use the Earth as his playground, so it'll be up to the other four to team up and stop him.

After an unsuccessful attempt to adapt Marvel's original and longest-running superhero team in 2005 with Fantastic Four, a second attempt ten years later brings us this new Fantastic Four, which wasn't well received by audience and critics, but I found actually enjoyable and certainly better than the predecessor.

The kernel of the story is quite clever and the new team comprises four good actors, Miles Teller, Michael B. Jordan, Kate Mara, and Jamie Bell, who do their best to make it all work. Reg E. Cathey and Tim Blake Nelson also bring their A game as supporting players.

THE BOTTOM LINE: Certainly not the best superhero movie out there, but given the difficulties so far in developing the property, I'd say this is entertaining enough. Now that the team has returned under the supervision of Marvel Studios, via Disney's absorption of 20th Century Fox, it'll be interesting to see what they concoct for them next.

Grade: 7