Again, Im going to make a few allowances here before I even begin. Im not sure why; its not like this movie deserves any leniency. Still, lets just all pretend that human biology really can be changed in four very different ways by touching the same green goo from across a new dimension. Sounds totally reasonable. The real science blunders come before and after that fateful trip though. For starters, what the hell were Fox and Marvel trying to feed us by depicting a high school kid creating such advanced technology so easily? Irrespective of the viewers science background, theres only so much bull you can feed them before they lose all their immersion, and this movie leapt way over the line within the first few minutes. Even if we suspend all disbelief that some gifted kid was actually smart enough to work out the underlying physics, the notion that he then had the technology and energy at his fingertips to create and power such a device is ludicrous. Many top scientists in the field believe that even if we crack the theory of interdimensional travel, the power required to run such a device might be completely unattainable. And while were on the subject of physics, it would have been really nice if Fantastic Four hadnt broken one of the most fundamental physical laws that exists. The principle of mass conservation states that whatever action occurs within a system, the total mass and energy within the system must remain constant. So, when springy Reed Richards somehow managed to stretch out his limbs without them getting significantly skinnier like normal elastic, there was only one possible explanation. It can only be assumed that his body density was decreasing; that is to say, the molecules within him simply moved apart in order to take up a larger volume. The issue here is that punching someone in the face with a significantly less dense arm might not result in superhero levels of success. Never mind the name Mr Fantastic; hed probably be better off being called Mr Mediocre.
Peter Austin initially joined WhatCulture as an occasional contributor to our Film, Gaming and Science sections, but made the mistake of telling us that he'd been making videos in his bedroom for over a decade. Since then he's been a vital member of our YouTube team and routinely sets the standard for smart-casual wear in the office.
