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Alex Hyde-White, Jay Underwood, Rebecca Staab, Michael Bailey Smith, Carl Ciarfalio ... see more see more... , Joseph Culp , George Gaynes , Ian Trigger , Michele Brown

Unreleased to the general public and infamous for its poor quality within geek circles, this Roger Corman adaptation of the Marvel Comics supergroup is an interesting cult item that ranks up there wit... read more read more...h the dismal Captain America feature and the cheap Hulk TV movies. The story of the film goes back to the late '80s when Marvel Comics were licensing out their characters for mild profit in a time when the comic industry was failing. Enter a German company called Neue Constantin and producer Bernd Eichinger, who held the rights for almost four years before their contract was about to run out. In order to retain the rights to future remake/options and get out of paying a five-million-dollar fee, Neue were forced to put something to film, so they made a deal with Roger Corman's New Horizons studio to make the film quick and on the cheap for $1.5 million. Once the film was finished, Eichinger bought out Corman's interest, then turned around and sold it to 20th Century Fox, who were then prepping a 50-million-dollar adaptation with director Chris Columbus. The film then dove into virtual obscurity, save for the comic convention bootlegs and later through the internet. The storyline follows the basic framework of the comic, with the exception of a few minor details, including the introduction of a new villain, The Jeweler, who directly becomes responsible for the team's mishap in space and takes liberally from another one of the comic's famous villains, The Mole Man. In reference to its underground popularity, Corman now regards it as his most profitable film that never saw release, while Marvel president Avi Arad reportedly burned Fox's only print. ~ Jeremy Wheeler, Rovi

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5 critics

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Directed by: Oley Sassone

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Flixster Reviews (354)

  • kiriyamakazou
    February 28, 2009
    kiriyamakazou
    A marvelous curiosity of a film. Never intended for release, this was made to stop the rights from expiring. It's cheap, it's shoddy but it IS entertaining. The effects are amazingly bad, though should be commended given the circumstances. When the Human Torch is some bizarre ani... read moremated, possibly computerish orange thingy, you can see that the filmmakers did the best with what they had. The "stretching" sequences are so painful, though always bring a smile. The Thing actually looks pretty good, shame he can't move about much. One thing the film does have going for it it a decent Dr Doom. Unlike the bastardised version in the 00's versions. Had we had this Dr Doom in those they would almost be perfect. It was an easy watch and never boring. This truly is a Roger Corman production and actually makes you wonder about if Corman took on other super-hero tales. This is a wonderful antidote to the crowded market place of today and a reminder that once Super-Hero movies were virtually impossible. It's not the multimillion dollar box office, it's the taking part.
  • superclerk25
    November 22, 2007
    superclerk25
    This is a really bad movie. I like it a little just because I am a big fan of the characters but the movie was just poorly made. All of the effects were sub par and the acting was really bad. Johnny Storm was so annoying you want to skip all the scenes that he is in. It's als... read moreo a little creepy as the beginning of the movie opens showing you that Reed and Ben are college students living at the Storm boarding house. Sue and Johnny are little kids. Sue is in love with this college kid and when they meet up in later years she might be 19 or 20 and Reed with the gray hair is all lovey dovey over her. And the story is just poor with a part put in that reveals that the Thing could change back into a man if he really wanted to.
  • YosemiteSamFan
    July 24, 2007
    YosemiteSamFan
    Roger Corman's 1994 "The Fantastic Four" film is definitely low-budget, but there's something charming out it; which can't be touched in the big-budget 2005 blockbuster about the same heroes. The characters seemed closer to the comic book. The first half of the movie was their or... read moreigin story. Then the Four go up against a Leprechaun-like jewel thief and then Doctor Doom. The effects are cheapo and hilarious. We don't get to see the heroes utilize their super-powers enough.
    Sadly only a poor-quality dubs exist for the fans to experience, but it's a curious-flavoured treat to view.
  • staindslaved
    July 22, 2011
    staindslaved
    It's AMAZING how close to the source material this follows. The films creation is that of hollywood lore, Fox was about to loose the rights to the film and had to make a movie fast. So they hired a director that was known for making low budget films on time and at cost, then li... read moreed to everyone involved that they were making a legitimate film. Of course it never saw the light of day (though bootleg versions abound on the internet). The story is actually not half bad but there isn't even close to the production design needed to do it justice and the actors are laughably bad (in a good way). Dr. Doom is portrayed as a dorky Darth Vader but it's a far superior adaptation than the character in the 2004 Fantastic Four film. The film, as it is, is good hokey fun a must see for comic fanatics, though anyone who isn't a fan of Ed Woodesc cinema should star clear.
  • nickymo89
    April 25, 2009
    nickymo89
    No wonder it didn't get released lol
  • sjcole4
    April 22, 2008
    sjcole4
    HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!
  • BantamDraper
    May 9, 2010
    BantamDraper
    Super low budget. The casting was really bad and the storyline was, well, strange. They changed the abilities of some characters. Dr Doom was kind of interesting but this whole film felt like it was thrown together just to keep the rights to the name.
  • droidmakr
    August 20, 2009
    droidmakr
    I love comic book movies, and this one is no exception. It was well cast, and well put together. Plenty of action and lots of fun.
  • starlimitz2
    December 20, 2008
    starlimitz2
    The name "Craptastic Four" is right. I don't know what brainiac in Marvel Comics thought to make Roger Corman the producer of this lame film, but I hope they were fired. Every single person in this film either did not care anything about their role, or are some of the worst actor... read mores of the twentieth century. Dr. Doom was a lame Power Rangers villain, who surprisingly didn't grow to the size of the Mega Zord. The actors who play our four heroes, especially the human torch, had to be some of the dumbest-looking people the producers could find, because anytime they attempted to look distressed, they ended up looking either constipated, or having symptoms of mild gas. I can understand why Marvel bought this film and threw it in the back room, but what I can't understand is how this movie ended up seeing the light of day in any manner.
  • mpghoul1973
    February 19, 2008
    mpghoul1973
    Pretty much a lost film to the mainstream. But if your a geek like me you can find a copy at the closest Con. Alright the Roger Corman produced FF is definatly a flawed film. The acting is bad, the effects are almost as bad as the acting. BUT this film has heart. Its way better t... read morehan that shit Hollywood put out in 05. For the budget this film was made on its a wonder they could pull half of the shit off that they did. Seriously..this was made with heart on a budget that would only buy most a can of peas.

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Critic Reviews

Scott Weinberg
May 13, 2011
Scott Weinberg, eFilmCritic.com

A painfully silly movie, one with more heroic intentions than actual assets. Full Review

James Plath
April 15, 2007
James Plath, Movie Metropolis

With the exception of Chiklis as Ben, the actors and their characters just don't seem charismatic enough. Full Review

Rob Gonsalves
June 24, 2006
Rob Gonsalves, eFilmCritic.com

More interesting as a cinema footnote than as actual cinema; it sets modest entertainment goals for itself and flunks those. Full Review

Kevin Carr
July 11, 2005
Kevin Carr, 7M Pictures

The Fantastic Four is a must see for any lover of bad movies. It's that awful. Full Review

Phil Hall
July 8, 2005
Phil Hall, Film Threat

Roger Corman's unreleased cheapo version is not a lost classic nor a so-bad-it's-good yukfest. It is just a mundane B-Movie. Full Review

Felix Vasquez Jr.
November 24, 2011
Felix Vasquez Jr., Cinema Crazed

Click to read the article Full Review

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The Fantastic Four Trivia

  • What is the tittle of the second movie of "Fantastic Four"?  Answer »
  • What did Reed Richards use as an engagement ring for Susan Storm in the movie 'The Fantastic Four'?  Answer »
  • Name the movie that featured the following quote: "Chemistry 101: What happens when you super heat rubber?"  Answer »
  • Which member of the Fantastic Four can't turn their power on and off?  Answer »
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