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Fantastic Four: Rise of
the Silver Surfer
Directed by: Tim Story
Starring: Ioan Gruffudd
Genre:
Science Fiction
Run Time: 92
min.
Release Date:
June 2007
On The Web:
Official
Site
Teaser:
Movie Trailer
Reviewed by
Byron Merritt |
The Fantastic Four are back
in FANTASTIC FOUR: RISE OF THE SILVER SURFER ...dude.
Slipping back into the latest comic-book-to-film wave, director Tony
Scott (of the 2005
FANTASTIC FOUR feature) tries to
shoot the tube by giving us another character from the original comics.
And the story goes...
Mr. Fantastic, aka Reed Richards/“Stretch” (Ioan Gruffudd), and Sue
Storm, aka The Invisible Woman (Jessica Alba), are trying, once again,
to get married. Interruptions have stifled all attempts at matrimonial
bliss and this time it comes from another world. The Silver Dude (voiced
by Laurence Fishburn,
AKEELAH AND THE BEE) has “surfed” onto Earth to do
his master’s bidding (see Destroy Planet Plan 101). Breaking through the
planet’s mantle, The Silver Surfer prepares each planet he visits for
the impending arrival of a cloud of ...um ...stuff known as Galactus
(the comic book showed this as a giant robot but apparently Tony Scott
refused to have any kind of giant robots in his films).
Johnny Storm (Chris Evans) stars as The Human Torch and the first of the
fabulous squad to interrupt The Surfer’s wild ride. Energy transfers
between Silver-Boy and Torch cause fluctuations in Johnny Storm’s
abilities to light up. Anyone who touches Johnny, too, gets a touch of
this transference and is quite funny when Ben Grimm (Michael Chiklis)
trades powers with him for a few short moments.
Mr. Fantastic has to help the military find a way to disable The Silver
Surf all while trying to prepare for his wedding. Time is short for both
and when The Surfer shows up near Reed and Sue’s hitching place, the
waves come crashing down on their celebration (bummer, dude).
Racing to save the planet from The Surfer’s seemingly incalculable
powers, the military enlists —surprise, surprise!— Victor Von Doom
(Julian McMahon). You really didn’t think he was gone permanently, did
you? Victor’s able mind and talents help bring Silver-Boy down but oh!
you know that ol’ Von Doom mind. He’s got other plans for The Silver
Surfer’s powers.
Shortened by nearly 15 minutes from the first film, Fantastic Four: Rise
of the Silver Surfer feels lessened in two significant ways. First is
that there’s almost zero explanation as to how the Silver Surfer became
the creature he is. The “love” interest between what was Silver-Dude’s
woman far, far away doesn’t explain much and leaves viewers caring
little about him. The second is the rushed story focusing on booms!
bangs! and gadgetry rather than the substance of the characters. The
other issue some may have is that it ends with no resolution as to what
happened to Von Doom or The Silver Surfer’s all-powerful board (maybe he
sent it out for a nice waxing).
Even so, this is a fun, quick watch. It has some hysterically comical
moments (almost all of which are thanks to Chris Evans’ plucky Human
Torch).
Just don’t expect much character and you might enjoy certain aspects.
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Image from Fantastic Four:
Rise of the Silver Surfer
DVD cost: $23.99
Purchase:
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Film Review Stew
Favorite? No.
Stew Poo-Poo? No.
Newsworthy:
Tim Story
once said that he would never have giant robots in any of his movies. In
this film, Galactus, normally portrayed in the comics as something
resembling a giant robot, is shown as a giant cloud.
Movie Quote: "You
can't handle this alone."
Other Actors/Actresses
from Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer
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