Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer (PG)
Mike:
Scott:
Scott: Tonight we are reviewing Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer
the sequel to the 2005 movie. This movie finds our favorite foursome getting ready for the wedding of the century while the Silver Surfer scouts out edible parts to Earth.
What did you think Mike?
Mike: I thought this movie was fun. It’s nice to see a superhero movie rated PG that you can take your kids to. I also think there was a nice sense of humor to the film that didn't rely on puns.
How about you?
Scott: I liked this movie. The first Fantastic Four did nothing for me. While I still think their powers are lame, this was a better movie.
One of the problems with the first movie was the bad guy also had lame powers. Silver Surfer on the other hand, is really cool looking, and has cool powers too.
Mike: That proves that you don't respect your elders. The FF are the forefathers of all the great Marvel heroes. And yes, the Surfer was very cool.
I agree that Doom was not handled well in either movie.
Scott: Doom aka electricity boy. The metal faceplate looks cool in comics, but doesn't in a movie.
Mike: Doom should be on a level with the Joker or Darth Vader and frankly, Mr. Nip Tuck Julian McMahon is not very scary or threatening.
They just miss the mark with him.
Scott: I've never been a FF fan. Never read the comics, they just don't interest me. This was better than the first movie because it had good action throughout. It also had some fun with the heroes’ powers.
Mike: I am a fan of the Fantastic Four comics. In fact, I still buy them.
The good thing is they seem to use the excellent run of stories by Writer/Artist John Byrne from the '80s. He really helped play up Sue Storm's powers, like the force fields, instead of just relying on invisibility.
Scott: I think every young kid would love to have invisibility, but to call that a 'super' power is stretching the definition. We learn a little more about what she can do in this movie with the force fields though. Of course, if she tries anything hard she gets a nosebleed.
Mike: Did you notice that one of the writers is Mark Frost? His big claim to fame was writing, producing and directing Twin Peaks.
Scott: Frost was a co-creator of that show.
Mike: I love that show. The funny thing is there is none of that style in this script.
The original cast from the first movie is back.
Scott: Yes, everyone, down to the Hotel Bellboy, is back
Mike: Ioan Gruffudd (Reed Richards), Jessica Alba (Sue Storm), Chris Evans (Johnny Storm) and Michael Chiklis (Ben Grimm) all return.
Scott: And Julian McMahon as Victor Von Doom, as you mentioned earlier.
Mike: As well as Kerry Washington as Alicia Masters, Ben's blind girlfriend. Straight out of the comics, by the way.
Scott: They have a lot of characters to draw from with a comic that first appeared in 1961.
Mike: I've like Ioan Gruffudd (pronounced yoan griffith) since he appeared in the Horatio Hornblower television series.
Scott: It's funny, but I liked Reed Richards the least. He seems like a wuss. I guess I like Johnny Storm, the Human Torch, the most.
Mike: Storm has the most humorous lines. I also like the rapport between Johnny and Ben.
Scott: It's not just that he has good lines. He enjoys his powers, he's not serious all the time. And yes, that rapport has improved over the first movie.
Mike: I like Jessica Alba in the movie, but I have a hard time with the blonde hair.
Scott: In the beginning scenes, it looks bad, but gets better as the movie progresses.
Scott: The movie features a hungry Galactus (Rosie O'Donnell) coming to eat the Earth. His herald, the Silver Surfer, is scouting the planet for him. We see a neat chase scene with the Silver Surfer and the Human Torch early in the movie. That's a great scene. It really shows us that the Silver Surfer is on a different level with his powers than our FF heroes.
Mike: Nice Rosie joke!
The real disappointment is that in the comics Galactus is a giant vaguely human creature. In the film Galactus is ........a cloud or something.
I'm sorry - planet eating cloud.
Scott: In on of the scenes he casts a shadow on a planet, and he that shadow vaguely resembles his comic character. I’m sure they tried to come up with a character, but nothing looked right on film.
In general, it had good action throughout the film. There were a few slow parts, but at 92 minutes, it was a good length. It's about time one of these comic movies wasn't 2+ hours long,
Mike: Yes, this is the correct length for a Marvel comic movie. Not 2 1/2 hours. This means you Spiderman 3.
I have to admit that being a car geek, I was digging the new Fantasticar. Apparently, made by Dodge in Reed Richards laboratory.
Scott: I think everything in this movie had a brand name on it. It was funny at first, but it kept getting more egregious.
Mike: Circuit City? Dell? Dodge, anyone?
Scott: As for the Fantasticar, I hate to tell you, I thought it was lame. It seemed like something straight out of a '50's comic book.
Mike: Try a 60's comic book. You need to get some more appreciation for the Old School comics!
Scott: I'll let you keep that decade for comics and Star Trek.
Mike: Crack all you like, but my 1960s comics do nothing but go up in value.
Scott: Even though I enjoyed this more than Spiderman, this has little chance of having that kind of success. During the timeframe I have been reading comics, this one has been a second tier comic. It doesn't have the fans or general population recognition like Superman, or the X-Men.
Mike: I think that you will find that kids both recognize them, and will gobble up this movie. Granted it will not see Spiderman box office.
Another thing this movie has going for it over the first is that they can jump right in. They don't get bogged down with origin stories, the necessary evil of all first superhero movies.
Scott: Sometimes it's nice to get character development. Sometimes you don't care and just want action. This was the latter.
Mike: One last piece of trivia: The beautiful Army Captain (Beau Garrett) is named Frankie Raye. Comic book geeks will recognize the name as the next herald of Galactus, after the Surfer. I imagine she will show up again if there is another Fantastic Four or a Silver Surfer spin-off.
Scott: Tim Story is back directing his second FF movie. He was equally good in this as the first movie. The difference is the screenplay was much better in this than the first movie.
Mike: I like Tim Story's work here. I was already a fan after Barbershop.
Scott: What did you think Mike?
Mike: I give this movie a 3.5 overall and a 4 for comic book movie. It's not deep, just fun for all.
Mike: And you?
Scott: I give it a 3 overall and a 3.5 for comic book movie. I was pleasantly surprised with this sequel.
Mike: Take the kids out and have a Fantastic weekend!
