Scientist Reed Richards convinces millionaire businessman Victor von Doom to finance his latest project: an experiment to test the effects of a storm of Cosmic Rays. Doom agrees, and he and Reed are joined for the experiment on Doom's space station by Reed's best friend Ben Grimm, Doom's personal assistant (and Reed's former love) Sue Storm and Sue's younger brother, pilot Johnny Storm. Unfortunately, the experiment goes wrong and they are bombarded by the Cosmic Rays. Although all survive, they soon realize that they have not been left unscathed. Each is exhibiting strange powers and each is dealing with these changes in their own way. But even as Reed, Sue, Johnny and Ben try to deal with the effects of their powers on their lives and personal relationships, Doom begins to show signs of similar effects and also shows no indication of using his powers for good...

Eleven years after the last attempt to bring the Fantastic Four to the big screen, a full-blown big-budget film finally saw the light of day in 2005. The Fantastic Four is a pivotal group in the history of comics in general (and Marvel in particular), as they were the first creations of Stan Lee and Jack Kirby as Lee built what would come to be known as the Marvel Universe. The FF's original take on the super hero team, where everyone wasn't always on the best of terms with each other, paved the way for the more angst-filled characters like Spider-Man and more complex inter-personal relationships like the X-Men. Both of those comics made it to the big screen before the FF, but at last the original Marvel Universe team follows suit.

Fantastic Four takes much the same approach as the low-budget 1994 version, The Fantastic Four. It tells the story of the team's origin, as well as their first encounter with arch-nemesis Doctor Doom. Of course, details are changed. Unfortunately, not always for the better. The biggest problem is with Doom, who is given powers in the same accident as the FF. This actually diminishes him as a villain, as the power of Doom has always come from his megalomania and the blind devotion of his people. By giving him super powers, he becomes just another super villain. Thankfully, a plot point is set up that could lead to a more traditional Doom in future films.

Despite these changes, the script does a fine job of portraying the characters in a way that doesn't stray too far from their comic book portrayals. Ben and Johnny's good-natured ribbing (and often violent scraps) aren't given a lot of screen time, but come through strong. Their dialogue is also sharp, with Johnny's many boastful and wild antics and Ben's loneliness evident. The strained, awkward nature of Reed and Sue's romance is shown right from the start, but never comes off as cheap manipulation. Despite setting up the powerful and handsome Doom as a rival for Sue's hand, it never comes across as a threat. Sue and Reed are obviously meant for each other and it's just a matter of how they find their way. This allows the characters to have a new dynamic, without ever losing sight of who they really are.

But even a storyline as simple as the one in Fantastic Four can be sidetracked by unnecessary distractions. A big one is Ben's love life. The addition of a wife whose reaction is less than supportive (she dumps him) seems superfluous. We never really get to know her. We never even see the two of them together before the accident. It just seems a way to solicit cheap sympathy. Also, the introduction of Ben's new love interest, Alicia Masters, seems tacked on. Alicia as a character would have been much better served by being held back for a potential sequel, where she could be the central figure she was in her original introduction in the comics.

The cast is surprisingly top notch. While I knew that Ioan Gruffudd and Michael Chiklis were capable of strong performances (from Horatio Hornblower and The Shield, respectively), there's been little from Jessica Alba to suggest she could play a character as strong as Sue is typically portrayed. And Chris Evans' career highlights don't exactly point to "action star". But all four inhabit their characters well. Even with the relatively deep portrayals from the comics cut down to "Cliff's Notes" versions, they easily convey the emotional dynamic that existed right from the first comic. They should develop well in the inevitable sequel(s).

Oh, and Stan Lee makes his greatest cameo in Fantastic Four. (For those who didn't know, he's made several appearances in Marvel Comics films, even in Daredevil.) He portrays Willie Lumpkin, Reed's mailman. Lumpkin actually made many, many appearances in the comics, mostly in the early days, so this marks the first time Lee actually portrays one of his own creations or co-creations. It's almost worth the price of admission all by itself.

The effects in Fantastic Four are not particularly original or ground-breaking, but they compare well to those in other comic films, such as Spider-Man and the X-Men films, but falling far below higher-end movies like the Star Wars films. It's worth noting that this year's other big comic book movie, Batman Begins, succeeded in standing out with its many practical effects, while Fantastic Four's digital effects now seem run-of-the-mill. The tide may be turning.

Overall, Fantastic Four doesn't break new ground, nor stand out from other comic-themed movies. But it is a fun, engaging romp that succeeds more often than it fails. It presents entertaining characters with a unique dynamic, all without degenerating into darkness and angst. And in this day and age, with so many movies, games and television shows chasing each other to be the "darkest" and the most "meaningful", that's more than enough for me.

• screenplay by Michael France and Mark Frost
  The Fantastic Four created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby
• directed by Tim Story
• music by John Ottoman
• Cast: Ioan Gruffudd (Reed Richards / Mr. Fantastic), Jessica Alba (Sue Storm / Invisible Woman), Chris Evans (Johnny Storm / The Human Torch), Michael Chiklis (Ben Grimm / The Thing), Julian McMahon (Victor Von Doom), Kerry Washington (Alicia Masters), Maria Menounos (Sexy Nurse), Stan Lee (Willie Lumpkin)