It’s strange being caught between a rock and a hard place, and that's kind of how I feel about this film. Reed Richards (Ioan Gruffudd), Sue Storm (Jessica Alba), Johnny Storm (Chris Evans), Ben Grimm (Michael Chiklis) & Victor Von Doom (Julian McMahon). They all embark on a space mission that results in them being enveloped by an unusual storm, granting each of them unique abilities. Fantastic Four is often considered the most popular of Marvel's superhero comic creations, and it’s certainly their main attraction within the superhero genre. So it’s odd that when it finally makes its way to the big screen they spend a lot on it but hire the director of "The Firing Squad" & "Taxi"? The entire movie feels hesitant, as if director Tim Story was either worried about messing up this important film or, even worse, being told how to direct by studio executives who were afraid of ruining it. The casting choices are baffling – Gruffudd seems lifeless, Alba appears to be there mostly for her figure, and McMahon is clearly not suited for the role of a villain. The special effects aren't very good and fail to make the action scenes exciting; the final confrontation between the four heroes and Von Doom looks like something from a made-for-TV movie. Despite all this, it still has some entertainment value that makes spending an afternoon watching worthwhile. Chiklis and Evans are the highlights of the film, with the former bringing some heart to the story and the latter adding some charm and much-needed humor. The script also tries to explore the dangers and downsides of fame, which is a nice touch. And who could deny that hearing "flame-on" & "clobbertime" for the first time doesn't give comic book fans a little thrill (okay, maybe that’s just me missing my childhood). It’s disappointing that the film played it so safe and wasn’t handled by someone more capable. But hey! the movie made $230 million worldwide, so what do I know? A sequel was bound to happen, and one can only hope that those involved will not only learn from their caution but also remain true to the original material and give it some much-needed energy. Note: The extended version, which is twenty minutes longer, is a better experience because it has more of that energy. So I’d rate the theatrical cut 5/10 and the extended version 6/10.

Source on TMDB