Fant4schtick

5 Summers ago, Josh Trank, fresh off of the success of Chronicle, gave us Fant4stic. A gritty origin story that centred around Marvel’s Fantastic Four IP, the film was a critical and financial bomb. To-date, it’s one of the poorest-received superhero movies ever, forcing the IP onto the backburner until Disney purchased 20th Century Fox. It also put Trank in “director’s jail” for a while, and it’s a sore-spot for comic book fans.

I mention this for two reasons: firstly, Trank has recently graced us with another movie based on the last years of Al Capone. And secondly, an interview with Trank on Polygon surfaced a while back. That second point is particularly relevant, as it brings up details about Trank’s directing of Fant4stic that re-contextualize how I viewed him for the longest time. Because, let’s face it, I didn’t think too highly, a fact not helped by his bad behaviour on Twitter.

Let me explain:

What was publicly circulated about Trank regarding Fant4stic was all negative. While nothing’s confirmed, there were rumours about his temper, his treatment of Kata Mara and the reckless behaviour of his dogs. In particular, his dogs were said to have eaten and destroyed valuable assets. Ignoring how Fox had messed with Trank’s vision, which is a sore spot on its own, Trank’s behaviour was inexcusable. There’s a certain canner that’s expected of someone on a project like this, and Trank didn’t follow it.

Of course, this interview doesn’t hesitate to bring this up. But it also uses this knowledge to re-contextualize Trank. It’s an interview that gives his side of the story. And while it doesn’t “excuse” his behaviour, it does humanize him. It sheds light on him directing one of Hollywood’s biggest flops in recent memory.

I won’t spoil the article, which you can find here. It’s a great piece of journalism, and its insight into Hollywood’s film culture is really eye-opening. Before I read it, I knew filmmaking was cut-throat, but never this cut-throat. I knew that people’s careers could be made or broken based on how they played the game, but this piece upped the stakes. It showed Hollywood’s nasty side, and I’m grateful that I don’t plan to direct anything for them. But it also made me feel bad for Josh Trank and his mistreatment.

I think Trank got the raw end of the deal. I think he was abused and lost his voice on a movie he wasn’t suited for. I also think that while he might’ve been unprofessional himself, and we’ll never know for sure, at the same time he was dealt some terrible cards. It’s as if Fox saw Chronicle’s success, realized he was easy to exploit and exploited him. And that’s disgusting.

It’s especially revealing for two reasons. The first is that Trank’s reputation’s been forever soured by Fant4stic. Many directors have overcome their flops before, big or small, but none have hurt like this one did for Trank. No one thinks of Francis Lawrence and points to Constantine, even though it was his first movie, but somehow Trank and Fant4stic are forever intertwined. Like a bad dream, the two have become inseparable.

The second issue, and one that doesn’t help, is that Trank’s recent venture was also panned. Granted, Capone’s no Fant4stic. But its failure, and the fact that this makes two flops back-to-back, doesn’t regain the confidence people might’ve had for Trank. It’s as if his creative juices stopped flowing after his debut, something the interview couldn’t have predicted because of when it was written. It saddens me as well, as I don’t like seeing movies “suck”.

So what’s next for Trank? It’s hard to say. As much as his trajectory might fit the Icarus story-a promising visionary letting his youth and arrogance get the best of him-I still think he has another good movie in him. I’ve seen has-beens make their comebacks before, and it’s not like Trank was “dead on arrival” creatively. Because Chronicle was one of 2012’s biggest surprises, and I mean that positively.

Then again, maybe its success wasn’t entirely because of Trank? The film was co-written by Max Landis, and sometimes an extra set of eyes is necessary. It provides oversight, which is helpful. So to go it solo, especially when your previous venture was a colossal disappointment? I’m not sure that’s doing Josh Trank any favours. But I digress.

Maybe I’m overthinking this. Film is hard for everyone. So much has to go right on every level, and many films don’t have that luxury. I’ve also seen big-name directors with lots of clout strike out big after years of successes, as well as lesser-directors make it big after years of doubt. Filmmaking’s that unpredictable, something this interview has shown.

Still, I’m not sure Trank’s guiltless. For all the crap he’s been dealt, taking to Twitter to blast his bosses wasn’t the right move. I also don’t appreciate using The Irishman to reignite the “Marvel movies aren’t cinema” debate. Trank’s behaviour can’t be “waved away”. It’s important to keep that in mind.

But I understand him more now, and how working on Fant4stic zapped him of his enthusiasm. If that’s possible, then maybe the world can one day forgive him for Fantastic Four? Time will tell.