Little to marvel at in 'Fantastic Four'

Apparently it takes time to churn out new installments of X-Men and Spider-Man movies, but Marvel Comics has plenty of other mutants up its sleeve. Like the Fantastic Four, a quartet cursed with oddball super-powers when an attempt in outer space to unlock the secrets of the human genetic code goes horribly wrong.

Twentieth Century Fox 'Fantastic Four' C- The verdict: More Marvel mutants in a comic book movie that lacks the relative sophistication of an X-Men. Director: Tim Story Starring: Ioan Gruffudd, Jessica Alba, Michael Chiklis, Chris Evans, Julian McMahon Run time: 123 minutes Release date: July 8, 2005 Rating: PG-13 for sequences of intense action, and some suggestive content. See showtimes On the web Official movie site View the trailer    Trailers require Quicktime Rate "Fantastic Four"   Go see it   Make it a matinee   Wait to rent   Don't bother Voter Limit: Once per Hour View Poll Results

So does this movie, directed by Tim Story (Barbershop), geared to comic book fanatics and 12-year-olds. It spends most of its time watching the Four adjust to their new skills and to the media attention. Then they occasionally lose those powers, pick petty fights among themselves and wage war against billionaire industrialist Victor Von Doom, who is having mutation problems of his own.

The Four are led by do-gooder Reed Richards (Ioan Gruffudd, winner of the unpronounceable name contest, last seen as Lancelot in King Arthur), who can contort his body into any shape.

And there's his ex-girlfriend, Sue Storm (Jessica Alba, TV's Dark Angel), who can become invisible at will, and her hotshot brother Johnny (Chris Evans, Cellular), a human fireball. They at least can appear normal, unlike Reed's astronaut pal Ben Grimm (The Shield's Michael Chiklis), who turns into a traffic-stopping, craggy orange hulk with super strength.

Do not go expecting the thematic subtexts of X-Men. This is just four geeks melting stuff, blowing stuff up, smacking through walls and positioning themselves for a sequel.

But surely, as Reed Richards might put it, that would be a stretch.

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