Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer (2007)

Overall rating from 1 to 100: 54

O Masterpiece (95-100)
O Excellent (75-94)
O Good video rental (60-74)
X Merely OK (50-59)
O Pure mediocrity (30-49)
O Medusa: don't watch (1-29)

Review by Jason Pyles / June 23, 2007

“Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer” is better than the first movie. So, if for some reason, somehow, you enjoyed “Fantastic Four” (2005), you’ll probably be quite pleased with its sequel. And if so, chances are great that you’d also be enthralled by a bottle of Bubble Stuff or a plastic egg filled with Silly Putty or a rock or a stick.

(But I can’t be too hard on fans of the first movie: I have a good friend named Mike who liked it (“Mikey likes it”), and he’s a bright kid ... although, this same friend did use a dead cow as a trampoline once. True story.)

In any case, it’s an ominous sign when a PG-13 franchise dips down to PG to lower the age bar to keep ticket sales boosted after an unsuccessful debut of the original. But I rather admired the relative cleanness of this movie.

The Fantastic Four are back and are, more or less, still whining about their “affliction” of having super powers. Reed Richards a.k.a. Mr. Fantastic (Reed Richards) and Sue Storm a.k.a. The Invisible Woman (Jessica Alba) have been trying to tie the knot of holy matrimony. Theirs is a popular love affair with plenty of publicity and paparazzi.

Meanwhile, Sue’s hotshot brother, Johnny Storm a.k.a. The Human Torch (Chris Evans) is enjoying his fame and collecting sponsors who wish to be endorsed by super heroes. And Ben Grimm a.k.a. The Thing (Michael Chiklis) has begun to semi-accept his stony complexion after finding love with a lovely blind girl named Alicia (Kerry Washington).

But when a solitary alien comes to destroy Earth, the heroes’ happiness has to halt. The slick, shiny being of few words, the Silver Surfer, is astoundingly powerful. Here is right about where we get the ramblings of science fiction science: From what I gathered, the Surfer glides around emitting cosmic radiation and creating giant craters in the Earth, all of this is part of an unpleasant process that “kills planets.” Yes, this is yet another “save the world” plot.

The silver being’s influence affects molecules in a peculiar way, allowing the Human Torch to switch powers with his teammates by merely touching them. I guess that’s one way for the filmmakers to switch up the four otherwise boring super powers. (These guys are a step up from Batman, who didn’t actually have powers, he was just a smart, rich guy.) The Fantastic Four remind me of the super-hero tryouts in “Mystery Men” (1999).

Anyway, as a result of the alien surfer’s visit, Dr. Doom (Julian McMahon) resurfaces, too. It’s funny how almost all of the super hero movies these days make the same two mistakes: They feel they must have multiple villains, and some of those invariably seem to return from the first movie.

I have to admit, the Silver Surfer does look pretty cool. But if you want to watch even cooler surfers, go see “Surf’s Up” instead (also rated PG). It is currently in theaters as well.

There are some weird super heroes, aren’t there?: Ghost Rider. Underdog. The Fantastic Four. Instead of all of these, I’d rather see a movie about a kid that can use a dead cow for a trampoline. Now that’s a super hero!

Directed by Tim Story
Ioan Gruffudd / Jessica Alba / Chris Evans
92 min. Action / Science Fiction
MPAA: PG (for sequences of action violence, some mild language and innuendo)

Copyright 2007.
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