Ioan's Accent: Improved Perception of Reed's "Intelligence"?

[Lightning Strykez!]

Ioan's Accent:
Improved Perception of Reed's "Intelligence"?

***​

I was watching the first film last night, and something struck me that I'd like to share with you guys, and get your input.

In the Marvel Universe, Reed Richards is by far, the most intelligent man on the planet. Part of this stems from his mutation, courtesy of the cosmic storm (he can manipulate his braincell tissue to accomplish amazing "thinking" feats). But even before his enhancement, Reed was quite the smart cookie.

In the Movieverse, I believe that Ioan Gruffudd has the "look" of Reed pretty well down (although he could suffer to have a bit more pronounced graying, but--anyway). However, one of the problems I had with the first film was the fact that they didn't make Reed seem intelligent enough. It just got lost in the translation to screen. I felt that Reed should be more sophisticated, and nothing in the 1st film suggested to me that Richards was a brainiac beyond your typical scientist.

I know it may sound strange--even stupid--but one of the things that I thought could help in this regard is letting the actor speak in his natural accent. Ioan's Welsh accent sounds very rich and...well, sophisticated. And it sounds much, much more convincing and genuine than his attempt at mastering the American accent. Not saying that his American take was all bad--but there were some areas where it just didn't sound that great.

I think Movieverse's Reed speaking technobabble with a slight accent (like Ioan possesses naturally) could do a lot for making the character come across smarter on screen. Does anyone else agree?

 

[The Monocle]

Ioan isn't australian. He is welsh.

And the welsh accent is NOT sophisticated.

 

[gambitfire]

lol

Well i know that he has an accent period and yes i do think it would help him sound a bit more sophisticated if he used it. Well to Americans he might.

 

[Lightning Strykez!]

Ioan isn't australian. He is welsh.

And the welsh accent is NOT sophisticated.

Sorry, my bad. Had Hugh Jackman/Wolverine on mind when I was typing that. It's been fixed now.

 

[surfergirl]

You know I thought about that before as well. I agree that if they let him speak in his natural accent he may have been perceived as more "intellegent" than was let on in the first film.

 

[Neto Magnus]

LS man, you of all people should know that just because a character speaks with an accent, it doesn't make them sound or appear more intelligent. It all depends on the writers.

Plus, I work with this guy at the post office and he's from London. The guy speaks with a heavy British accent and sounds very sophisticated and smart but he's dumber than a friggin rock.

 

[The Monocle]

LS man, you of all people should know that just because a character speaks with an accent, it doesn't make them sound or appear more intelligent. It all depends on the writers.

Plus, I work with this guy at the post office and he's from London. The guy speaks with a heavy British accent and sounds very sophisticated and smart but he's dumber than a friggin rock.

There's no such thing as a British accent. You say he's from London. Yet London itself has a wide range of accents.

 

[November Rain]

Meh, it's quite clear that they aren't going for reed being the smartest man alive.

if you think that's bad, there wasn't a single ounce of intelligence that stemmed from Dr Doom.

however, in relation to other characters in the marvel movie universe, i still think he's up there.

so his level of intelligence is still in check with other movie characters, it's all about scaling.

 

[Neto Magnus]

There's no such thing as a British accent. You say he's from London. Yet London itself has a wide range of accents.

well yea like here in the States too. I don't know what kind of accent my friend has but theres some Cockney in there I think.

 

[The Monocle]

well yea like here in the States too. I don't know what kind of accent my friend has but theres some Cockney in there I think.

I wouldn't say Cockney was spohisticated. Maybe he's from North London.

 

[Neto Magnus]

I wouldn't say Cockney was spohisticated. Maybe he's from North London.

LOL. That's the thing. One minute he sounds like he stuck his tongue in the socket and the next minute he sounds like he's from Parliment.

 

[Fantastic-Boy]

I'm not good on accents!!

 

[Malus]

A big No Thanks to an accented Reed.
I'm just hoping Ioan has been working on his American accent.

Besides, that would create some continuity questions, wouldn't it?

Now Doom, on the other hand...Doom presumably has been spending all his time in his native Latveria, so I think a new accent coming from him would make sense. And please God, let them electronify that weak voice of his like they should have done at the end of FF1.
If it sounds like they're fighting Paul Lynde again, I may cry.

 

[Lightning Strykez!]

Besides, that would create some continuity questions, wouldn't it?

Heh. Well that question sure didn't stop them with Storm in X1, X2 and X3, did it?

 

[Malus]

The Welsh are notorius for having 'Sexual Relations' with sheep and livestock.
Not very sophisticated...

Kinda like your post.
Way to get the Welsh ticked off at everybody.
Jeez.

 

[Hellmistress]

The Welsh are notorius for having 'Sexual Relations' with sheep and livestock.

Not very sophisticated...

Excuse me? I think the Welsh side of my family would take issue with that. Some of the finest poets, writers and singers in the world come from Wales. They are a tough people, the Welsh. Fiery and independent, they have brought tenacity and heart to this world, both on the battlefield and in politics. Some of the greatest orators and politicians in British history have been Welsh. And they play a mean game of rugby, which is not unlike American football but without all the padding.

Your comment is nothing but crass.

HM

 

[Halcohol]

The Fantastic Four are supposed to be a dysfunctional all-American family. Not saying that his accent would completely ruin the movie, but I do think that it wouldn't help matters.

I thought they showed Reed as a genius in the first one, filling multiple blackboards with equations and falling asleep on his computer after working so hard. I think they should keep it the way it is

 

[Space Moose]

Excuse me? I think the Welsh side of my family would take issue with that. Some of the finest poets, writers and singers in the world come from Wales. They are a tough people, the Welsh. Fiery and independent, they have brought tenacity and heart to this world, both on the battlefield and in politics. Some of the greatest orators and politicians in British history have been Welsh. And they play a mean game of rugby, which is not unlike American football but without all the padding.

Your comment is nothing but crass.

HM

I thought that was leading to a funny joke.

Oh, well...

 

[Space Moose]

Kinda like your post.
Way to get the Welsh ticked off at everybody.
Jeez.

You act as if I came up with the rumour.

Crumbs.

 

[Malus]

You act as if I came up with the rumour. Crumbs.

NO, I act as if you're rude and crumb enough to repeat such stupidity in a public forum.
Try substituting "black" or "Hispanic" for "Welsh" and see how it sounds.
Maybe insert your own ethnicity, and include whatever stupid unfounded stereotype has been associated with your group.
Or perhaps your religion.

If you don't get it now, I can't help you.

 

[TripleF]

Dang people just discuss what lightnin said, lmao, who cares what an accent is or isn't. He had trouble pulling it off last time in my opinion. Not his fault. Too many daily changes to the script probably caused him alot of problems. But I don't think thats what weakened him as a scientist. The same thing that weakened Sue, in my opinion, weakened Reed. BAD WRITING!

 

[gerbstat]

I don't like the idea of an accent to give Reed a more intellectual aura. It's not needed and would detract from the character.

I would rather see more emphasis on a decisive, strong, leader image for Reed. In my opinion, they took the whole "gee, I'm uncertain about everything, clueless about business and can't pay my bills" bit WAY too far.

The Reed of the comics was usually a strong leader and very focused. He did tend to talk over other people's heads and overlook Sue, but he wasn't wimpy.

Ioan nearly always had a confused look during the first movie - he needs to play it with more confidence and self-assuredness this time.

 

[Malus]

In my opinion, they took the whole "gee, I'm uncertain about everything, clueless about business and can't pay my bills" bit WAY too far. The Reed of the comics was usually a strong leader and very focused. He did tend to talk over other people's heads and overlook Sue, but he wasn't wimpy.

I completely agree.

Johnny and Ben were spot on.
Sue and Reed, not so much.

 

[Lightning Strykez!]

I thought that was leading to a funny joke.

Oh, well...

It was lame.

 

[Tony Stark]

I thought Ioan did a good job playing the "super nerd", so no I don't think he should use his normal Welsh accent.