Summary
The 2000sFantastic Fourmovies broughtMarvel’s first superhero team together on the big screen, but some scenes have not stood the test of time. 2005’sFantastic Fourand 2017’sFantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer. While they were fun and entertaining at the time, certain scenes have not aged well. What was once accepted as blockbuster material is now often viewed as outdated or cringeworthy.
Produced by 20th Century Fox, the initialFantastic Fourduology were certainly products of their time, filled with the quirks and trends of early superhero cinema. While they introduced audiences to Marvel’s First Family, many scenes have not aged well, reflecting outdated storytelling techniques, questionable humor, and missed opportunities for more compelling narratives. With theMCU’sFantastic Four: First Stepsin 2025, Marvel can redeem the Fantastic Four’s cinematic legacy when the team finally jointhe MCU timeline.
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10The Invisible Woman Strips
Fantastic Four (2005)
One of the mostunnecessary and gratuitous scenesinFantastic Fourinvolves Sue Storm, played by Jessica Alba, stripping down to her underwear to become invisible. The scene occurs during the bridge rescue. Sue, in an attempt to sneak by the police unseen, strips down to her bra and underwear. However, once Sue is naked, Johnny Storm and Reed Richards simply stroll past the officers.
This sequence inFantastic Fourdoesn’t contribute to the story or character development. Considering how wholly unnecessary it clearly was, it feels likean excuse to objectify Alba. This wasn’t the only time the filmmakers employed this tactic - Sue strips or partially undresses multiple times for flimsy reasons. In a superhero movie aimed at a broad audience, including young viewers, these scenes feel out of place and reflect a period in filmmaking where female characters were often sexualized to appeal to male audiences.
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9Victor Is Dropped By His Investors
InFantastic Four, Victor Von Doom, portrayed by Julian McMahon, experiences a career setback when his investors back out of Von Doom Industries. In hindsight, this sceneis a poor imitation of a similar sceneinSpider-Man(2002), where Norman Osborn is ousted by his company’s board. However, inFantastic Four, the scene is confusingly vague and lacks the dramatic impact of itsSpider-Mancounterpart.
Doom’s investors backing out feels clumsy and poorly justified inFantastic Four. The scene fails to build the necessary tension or sympathy for Victor,making his transformation into Doctor Doom less compelling. Moreover, it’s incredibly vague precisely what is happening in the scene, with Doom’s reaction carrying the narrative while the other characters only allude to leaving him. In contrast, Norman Osborn’s ousting was a well-executed moment that highlighted his descent into madness. TheFantastic Fourversion comes off as a pale imitation.
8The Bathroom Montage
After the Fantastic Four first gain their powers, there’s a fun montage of them experimenting with their new abilities, which fits well within the narrative. But almost immediately after that, the film cuts to another montage, this time showing the team dealing with their general lives, butinexplicably focusing on mundane bathroom activities- shaving, using the toilet, and showering.
This bathroom montage adds nothing to the story and feels likean unnecessary attempt at humor that falls flat. It disrupts the pacing of the film and serves as filler that could have been better used to explore the characters or advance the plot. Watching superheroes go through ordinary bathroom routines does little to endear them to the audience and, instead, feels like a waste of screen time. The scene epitomizes the mid-2000s trend of inserting unnecessary montages, even when they didn’t serve the story.
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7Johnny Storm Seduces His Nurse
In one ofFantastic Four’s more awkward moments,Chris Evans' Johnny Stormflirts with and seduces his nurse before taking her snowboarding. This scene is intended to showcase Johnny’s playboy personality, butthis has already been firmly established, so it just comes off as more creepy and unnecessary than charming. The scene is a classic example of the lecherous behavior that was often portrayed as humorous in the 2000s but is now viewed as problematic.
The sequence inFantastic Fouradds nothing to the plot or Johnny’s character development and instead reinforces outdated gender dynamics where women are reduced to mere objects of desire for male characters. Today, this scene is more likely to elicit eye rolls than laughs, as it starkly contrasts with modern portrayals of respectful interactions, particularly when he kisses before she’s actually agreed to the date. Furthermore, the scene culminates in Chris Evans topless in a pool of water,another gratuitous excuse to ogle the castin what is ostensibly a children’s movie.
6The Thing Action Figure
In one of the more bizarre moments inFantastic Four, Johnny Storm presents Ben Grimm, aka The Thing, with an action figure, designed by an unseen marketing team. This scene is perplexing for several reasons. First, this isthe first and only mention of any marketing team, and it’s unclear how they were able to design and manufacture an action figure so quickly. Second, the scene is another example of unnecessary padding that doesn’t contribute to the narrative.
The action figure plot point inFantastic Fourfeels shoehorned in, perhaps as a means to sell merchandise orestablish the Thing’s famed catchphrase-“It’s clobberin’ time!”The scene could have been an opportunity to explore Ben’s feelings about his new identity and the public’s perception of him. However, instead it’s reduced to a trivial gag that adds little to the narrative.
5Defeating Doctor Doom
The final battle against Doctor Doom, the Fantastic Four’s primary antagonist, is meant to be the climactic showdown ofFantastic Four. However, it ends up beingone of the most anticlimactic moments in the movie. After a build-up to what should be an epic battle, the fight culminates in the Human Torch heating Doom and then the team dousing him with water.
This conclusion feels underwhelming, especially considering Doom’s status as one of Marvel’s most formidable villains. Instead of a thrilling and intense battle, the movie proffereda poorly choreographed sequence that ends in a lackluster fashion. The use of water to defeat Doom obscures the action, making it difficult to see what’s happening on screen, and ultimately diminishes the impact of the final showdown. It feels like a truly wasted opportunity for a dramatic final fight.
4Silver Surfer’s Stomach Story
Fantastic Four: Rise Of The Silver Surfer
Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surferintroduces one of Marvel’s most iconic characters, the Silver Surfer. However, the film features a strange moment where the Silver Surfer projects images onto his own stomach to explain his backstory to Sue Storm. The visuals, while intended to be otherworldly, come off asawkward and out of place.
This scene inRise of the Silver Surferis reminiscent of the Teletubbies, where characters would display images on their bellies - a comparison thatdoes little to enhance the gravitas of the Silver Surfer. The decision to present his tragic and complex story in such a peculiar way diminishes the impact of the scene. It feels like a gimmick rather than a meaningful narrative device, and in hindsight, it’s hard to take seriously.
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3The London Eye Scene
One of the more puzzling sequences inFantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surferinvolves the Fantastic Four saving the London Eye, the iconic Ferris wheel, from disaster. While the Silver Surfer is wreaking havoc elsewhere, the team spends an extended amount of time fixing the London Eye, a moment that feels like unnecessary filler. This scenedoes little to advance the plotand serves as a distraction from the film’s central conflict.
The focus on saving the London Eye, while visually impressive, detracts from the more pressing narrative of stopping the Silver Surfer and the impending threat of Galactus. The London Eye sequence feels like a forced attempt to showcase the team’s heroism in a scenario that ultimately hasno bearing on the overall story. It’s a prime example of how theFantastic Fourfilms opted for spectacle without considering its relevance to the plot.
2Human Torch Absorbs The Team’s Powers
ThroughoutFantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer, Johnny Storm’s powers are unstable, causing him to swap abilities with whoever he touches. However, in the final battle, Johnny suddenly gains the ability to absorb the powers of his teammates without swapping,a development that is never properly explained. This sudden change in Johnny’s powers feels like a convenient plot device rather than a logical progression.
Rise of the Silver Surferfails to provide any reasoning or explanation for why Johnny can now absorb powers instead of swapping them,questioning the consistency of the movie’s internal logic. This moment undermines the stakes of the final battle, as it feels like the filmmakers bent the rules of their own universe to achieve a desired outcome. In retrospect, it’s a glaring example of poor storytelling that doesn’t hold up under scrutiny.
1Galactus Starts Destroying Earth
One of the most disappointing aspects ofRise of the Silver Surferis the depiction of Galactus, one of Marvel’s most fearsome villains. In the comics, Galactus is a colossal being with a humanoid form, capable of consuming entire planets. However, in the film, Galactus is reduced to a giant, swirling cloud,devoid of any personality or physical presence.
When Galactus begins to destroy Earth, the scene is meant to convey a sense of impending doom, but instead, it feels anticlimactic. The decision to portray Galactus as a cloud rather than a tangible villainrobs the film of any real tension or menace. The lack of a physical adversary makes it difficult for the audience to feel the gravity of the threat, and the scene ultimately falls flat. In hindsight, this portrayal of Galactus is widely regarded as one theFantastic Fourmovies’biggest missteps.
Fantastic Four
Cast
Fantastic Four follows four astronauts who gain extraordinary abilities after a space mission goes awry. Reed Richards, Sue Storm, Johnny Storm, and Ben Grimm transform into superheroes tasked with combating Dr. Doom’s malevolent schemes, marking their debut in facing global threats with newly acquired powers.
Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer
Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer follows the superhero team as they confront the enigmatic Silver Surfer, whose arrival on Earth heralds impending global danger. While grappling with new and old adversaries, the Fantastic Four must unravel the mystery behind the Silver Surfer’s true intentions.
