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[Lightning Strykez!]

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MOVIE REVIEW: Fantastic Four: Rise Of The Silver Surfer
DIRECTOR: Tim Story
CAST: Jessica Alba, Ioan Gruffudd, Chris Evans, Michael Chiklis, Julian McMahon, Kerry Washington
STUDIO: 20th Century Fox
AUTHOR: Lightning Strykez
GRADE: B+​

"Uncertainty and expectation are the joys of life. Security is an insipid thing."

So wrote the esteemed 1670s English playwright William Congreve. His words perhaps finds no greater meaning than on comic book message boards like this one--a place where both the diehard faithful and casual fans await each comic book film release with bated breath.

And I'm one of those fanboys.

In fact, I can't remember being filled with more uncertainty and expectation for a CBM than I was for the recent release of Fantastic Four: Rise Of The Silver Surfer. Why? Because I lacked faith in the franchise's ability to give birth to a quality film. I mean, let's face it, 2005's lackluster origin film didn't exactly leave one with a sense of "security". With all the departures taken with Dr. "Marco Polo" Doom, miscasting of certain FF cast members, shoddy set pieces, terrible dialogue and nonsensical lame kiddie jokes, I was quite positive that FF2 would be nothing more than another dose of the same--just with more candied coating.

But Congreve was right. Sometimes uncertainty and expectation are the joys of life, and I found this to be the case at Midnight, June 15 as I watched the premiere of the film at a local theatre. I had read FF2's mixed reviews online and I was prepped for the worse. But to my pleasant surprise, two years of patiently waiting for this movie to arrive paid off in full because I genuinely enjoyed this sequel. It was...dare I say it? Almost Fantastic!

The whole gang--Reed Richards (Ioan Gruffudd), Susan Storm (Jessica Alba), Ben Grimm (Michael Chiklis) and Johnny Storm (Chris Evans)--return in this new adventure. Instead of meandering through boring origin explanations, this film expects you to already know the cosmically-fueled powers of Mr. Fantastic, The Invisible Woman, The Thing and The Human Torch. And this is a good thing, for there is much to see and do. The movie jumps right into the storyline--which revolves around the arrival of the fanboy-revered god of all things Chrome himself, the Silver Surfer. This intergalactic herald has come to bring destruction for the earth as we know it. The greater threat--his master Galactus--is on his way, and it's up to the Fantastic Four to stop Armageddon early.

Director Tim Story does a much better job in capturing the spirit of this super-powered family of Imaginauts. It's still a daytime affair, but he throws in heavier doses of darkness to give the picture a more foreboding sense of crisis. And just when the film starts to take itself too seriously, he counterbalances the act with a dose of humor. It's also clear that Story & Co. have combed many comic arcs to infuse this storyline with as many nuggets for the fans as possible. As a result watching this movie is like seeing a liquid comic book in motion; it comes complete with nuances to holographic receptionist Roberta, power-swapping, Dr. Doom's medieval castle in Latveria, the FF-lawsuit-happy New York City, and so on. And writer Don Payne mostly makes it work. The film is equal parts action, equal parts romance, equal parts comedy, and equal parts nerdy.

Of all of Marvel's films, this series should be pumped with the most intergalactic sci-fi flava--and this is appropriately addressed in the sequel. Right from the glorious CGI opening credit sequence, the viewer is reminded that the FF are superhero scientists and explorers, not dark, brooding crimefighters filled with angst. The futuristic element is further punctuated in other areas: The dull, retro-styled Baxter Building has been remodeled with sleek, state-of-the-art labs, lighting, gizmos and architecture. Reed's latest invention, The Fantasticar, makes its debut. And of course, we have the sterling Silver Surfer--an alien creature brilliantly realized by Doug Jones, Laurence Fishburne, WETA and Spectral Motion.

All of the principal actors have upped their game, albeit marginally for some: Alba does a satisfying job of portraying Marvel's ultimate MILF Susan Richards. The nagging, whining girl we saw in the first film has been replaced by a mature woman whose only concern is keeping her family together. Evans and Chiklis steal the show again, their love/hate brother-like banter kept audiences keeled over in laughter. Julian McMahon gives the good Doctor Doom an upgrade--not just in costume--but also in menace. His voice still needs work though--especially when masked. Kerry Washington is finally given more to do and shines as a supporting actress. Andre Brauer brilliantly makes Hagar the General you love to hate. But I must give "Lightning's MVP Award" to Welsh star Ioan Gruffudd. Of all the actors, this guy has clearly experienced the greatest evolution in this series. He infuses the "Mr. Fantastic" character with the confidence and leadership qualities that were so desperately missing in 2005's film and I hope this arc continues. There is good chemistry between the actors, and the familial dynamic has been turned up big-time in this one. For example, it was great to see the doting motherly side of Susan in relation to her kid brother (another vital element missing from the first movie).

The movie is far from perfect however; there are still glaring problems. The CGI in some places is definitely sub par (i.e. Reed's hilarious dance number in a bar). Jessica's hairstylist should be flogged and beaten with a sheep's ribcage for not putting at least a smidgen of color at the roots of that fricken wig. Tim, we get the fact that you are trying to W.A.S.P. this actress for the role--and in the majority of the frames she looked convincing--but please tone down the electric blue eyes as well. No human's eyes are that purple. Dr. Doom still had a few cringe-inducing lines (i.e. "Let's go for a spin!" Um, let's not. The Monarch is not a Top). And although the brisk 92 minute runtime didn't make you feel that whole sequences had been chopped by William Hoy, the movie could've suffered a good 15 minutes more to delve further into the Surfer's origin. We were never fully told WHY he chose to serve Galactus...everything was kept vague. This was a disservice because knowing Norrin's background would have endeared audiences to him.

Speaking of Galactus, I wasn't miffed at the adaptation's take on the Devourer of Worlds, since clearly the nebula-like phenomena is a tool this being uses to drain the life force of planets. In fact, I thought the deviation from the source material was actually quite clever and epic on screen. But the filmmakers could have dared to stop playing it safe and shown Galactus' face in all his 616 glory at some point in that flux. If they had, they could've sat back and watched fanboys return to the theatres in droves to watch it over and over again. That's why you guys didn't get your precious $80-90 million this weekend. FOX Executives: When will you learn to trust your consumers? Didn't you guys learn anything from distributing the Star Wars franchise? Better yet, didn't you learn anything from the poor reception to your X3 Sentinel and "Flaming" Phoenix copouts? Stop pinching pennies and clutching cynicism and start pushing the creative envelope!

At any rate, I learned a vital lesson from William Congreve's quote above. This summer has certainly been uncertain and unpredictable indeed with the somber Spider-Man 3 critical reviews, and virtual bombing of the much-bloviated Pirates Of The Carribean. Naturally, expectations were both high and low for this Fantastic sequel, and I'm relieved that I finally got the FF film I should've received 2 years ago. And its these unexpected summer surprises that are truly "the joys of life."--Lightning Strykez, Superherohype.com

 

[Lightning Strykez!]

NOTE: This thread is not for discussion, but rather to showcase the reviews of this forum's mainstay members (circa 2004 and present). Posting is by invitation only (via PM) so any other commentary will be deleted. If you would like to have your review of the film added to our little Hype Version of "Rotten Tomatoes", please contact me. Those individuals who have already received the invitation to review are invited to post their thoughts at this time.

Please don't forget to grade the film with a letter between A and E. Pluses and Minuses are acceptable.

Thank you.--LS

 

[Antonello Blueberry]

Fantastic Four: rise of the Silver Surfer
Usa, 2007
directed by Tim Story, starring Ioan Gruffudd, Jessica Alba, Chris Evans, Michael Chiklis

Every grey cloud has a silver lining

GRADE: C

Barely two years after their cinematic debut, the Fantastic Four are back on the screen in a new adventure that, while sticking to the commercial formula that worked so well at the box office in their first outing, tries to widen the scope and enhances the action but is still light years away from the grandeur of the imaginative pages of the original comics.
A silver streak approaches Earth from a distant exploding planet, while Reed Richards and Susan Storm are planning their wedding, Johnny the Human Torch is enjoying the fame and Ben, the Thing, is now living happily in his rocky hide thanks to the love of blind sculptress Alicia.
The silver alien seems to wreak havoc generating wide craters in various locations on Earth, and a desperate General Hager is forced to ask the aid of our Reed Richards, one of the two most intelligent men of the planet. The other one, the evil Victor Von Doom, left apparently dead in a metal case at the end of the first movie, gets revived by the passage of the alien, who's later revealed to be the Silver Surfer, a nearly omnipotent being. According to Reed's studies, eight days after the Surfer arrives on a planet, the same planet dies. So the Four must team-up with the army and the revived Doom to stop the Surfer. But who's the real bad guy? Will they stop the destruction of Earth?
Silver Surfer was created nearly by chance by artist supreme Jack Kirby, the graphic creator of nearly all of the classic Marvel characters, as a small sketch drawn near the concept of Galactus, the destroyer “god” who was planned to come to eat our planet in a story that started on issue 48 of the series. Both Galactus and the Surfer became so successful among the readers that they were brought back in several issues and later in a solo book starring the tragic silvery alien, now exiled on Earth. The Silver Surfer series was graced by the wonderful art of John Buscema and the pompous but fitting prose of Stan Lee, that described perfectly the torments of the rebellious herald, adopted in the late sixties as a symbol by many political protesters worldwide.
So, when planning a sequel to the Fantastic Four movie, it was a no-brainer for the production/creative team to introduce the silvery alien, providing both a new visually exciting character, an interesting story premise and a launching pad for a solo movie of the Surfer.
The alien, brought to life thanks to a combination of a make up suit worn by character actor Doug Jones and the visual wizardry of the Weta team, looks astounding and his scenes are probably the best thing about the movie.
Which, all things considered, is superior to the first one, with a more straightforward story, with two nearly non existent subplots (the wedding and the growth of the bratty playboy Johnny) used more to insert comedy moments in the story than for an effective character development. Some may be baffled by the fact that our superheroes seem to prefer using their powers for practical jokes or family discussions and not in their heroic missions. The action scenes feature a better handling of the special effects and thanks to their settings in various locations worldwide, the Four are closer to the status of interdimensional adventurers they have in the comics.
But the movie suffers in several departments; Doctor Doom still is a pale reflection of the villain of the comics, an authoritative but fascinating monarch, which became the template for Darth Vader. His motivations are still unclear and the not so subtle acting by Julian McMahon keeps our cinematic Doom to the level of a B-movie villain. Even the Fantastic Four can't reach the bidimensional depth of their counterparts on the books; while some improvements are made, like in the characterization of Reed Richards, they still seem paper-thin. Thankfully, the energy and natural likability of both Chris Evans and Michael Chiklis succeed, unlike Jessica Alba, in balancing the weakness of the script.
That probably for a productive mandate has to stick to the formula of the first movie, with the Chris Evans naked scene to please the female teenagers, the naked Jessica one for the male ones, the childish joke for the younger audience, all in the name of the family entertainment, never trying to elevating the product to something more. The Incredibles which should have been taken instead as a model for this movie, succeeded in being a more clever and entertaining movie, without having to rely on cheap tricks.
Following the same philosophy, thinking that the fantastic visual invention of Jack Kirby would have alienated the mainstream audience, Galactus, the Devourer of Worlds, takes a more mundane and boring appearance, still effective in the economy of the movie, but far less exciting. At least we're rewarded with a full two minutes of the Fantasticar, the aerial vehicle of the Four, that like some of the other gadgets in the movie sports a recognizable brand, another seemingly unavoidable characteristic of the franchise.
The visual fx quality isn't consistent, some look great or keep the same quality of the first movie (like the Human Torch ones), others like Mr. Fantastic stretching still look cartoonish and improvable.
So, if you enjoyed the first chapter, you will this one too, probably even more. If you were a fan deluded by the too mundane representation of the Fantastic Four in that movie, consider this as a small step towards a future, more satisfying movie of the quartet.

 

[Carp Man]

Fantastic Four: rise of the Silver Surfer
Usa, 2007
directed by Tim Story, starring Ioan Gruffudd, Jessica Alba, Chris Evans, Michael Chiklis

Every grey cloud has a silver lining

GRADE: A -

Compaired to the 1st movie, this movie was far, far superior.

The sets looked great, ( it did not look like Reed furnished his lab from an Army war surplus store ). The new Thing costume was great. Jessica's make up and wig during the before the wedding scene left much to be desired.

The action was good. The story and dialog were excelent. Doom's costume looked great, but there was not enough of him as Doom. More Doom and less Victor was needed.

The switching of powers was an execelent touch. The Torch with all their powers at the end, excelent. The back and forth between Johnny, and Ben excelent. Sue was more of a big sister, than the scolding mother this time around. Execlent.

The ending was disapointing, only because Doom was dispatched too easily, unlike the 1st where they had to really work to get rid of him, albeit briefly. You could have added 5 more minutes to the film, and made the dispatching of Doom a bit longer, and harder. Kept the Torch morphing.

Galacuts ? Ok. I would have perfered to see a real, or CGI Galactus, but the way it was done was ok.

All in all an execelent job. The editing was great this time around. Story was left in, and it gave it great continuity, and pace, unlike the 1st.

The Surfer ? Outstanding job by Doug, and WETA. The special effects all around were much, much better.

My biggest gripe has been, not with the 1st film as much, but this film in particular, has been The Thing. Why only 1 scene with him being The Thing ? Only 1 scene where he showed his strenght, and why when Reed said lift it higher did he say "I'll try". The Thing of the comics would have said no problem and just lifted with no grunting, or being winded, as he was after pulling the fire truck up on the bridge. That's not The Thing.

More Victor as Doom, More Thing, and a better dispatching of Doom would have made this movie outstanding.

All in all a great job Tim. Thank you, and ty to everyone who made it possible. You tried to dot all the i's, and cross all the t's this time, and you susceeded for the majority of the film. Well done. I had faith you could do it, and I'm glad Fox brought you back, and I hope your back for the 3rd.

 

[highguard]

Ok well this is my full review. First a little back story; I liked Xmen3, FF1, TMNT, 300, Ghost Rider and all 3 Spiderman films and the first two Batmans, Star Wars:ROTS and the Matrix Movies, plus the Lord of the Rings Trilogy and the Blade Trilogy (sans Blade:Trinity).

So now you know my tastes so it should come as no surprise that I liked FF:ROTSS a great deal.

However there were some elements that I thought needed some improvements and I will deal with those as well.

The Good

The FX

They should win several Oscars and awards for this thing. It was outstanding. The Silver Surfer was a joy to behold and his de-powered state was actually more impressive than the CGI surfer. Doug Jones did an excellent representation of Norrin Radd. I was astonished that the menace of Galactus was actually realized by the “Cloud” but it was impressive how they chose to represent his destructive force. The new thing costume is much improved. The brow was ok, and the Thing looked thick and strong. The torch was also very well done. Sue’s special effects were cool but simple in a good way, they are based around invisibility after all. Her sky riding was a lovely touch at the London eye.


Pacing:

I tell you I had my doubts but the movie did not seem as rushed as it might have been. I think that it could be seen that Tim took great pains to use the action to move the story along. I found that they used the wedding preparations as a nice setup to the arrival of the surfer and that scene with Reed dancing was just great.

Humor:

This movie was genuinely funny. The camera really loves Chris Evans and he really enjoyed himself in this movie and is the funniest of the bunch. In the context of this franchise I think that the comedy worked. Johnny burning the flowers at the end had my theater crowd cracking up. Oh and the scene where Reed has some fun dancing, priceless.


Cinematography:

This set the whole tone of the film and the opening sequence of Galactus consuming a planet was great, then the continent hopping as the SS traversed the globe and the Black Forest scene was simply epic.

Johnny’s fight with Super Doom was good but there was not that sense of risk to Johnny and the others as you might have gotten if they had had Doom get a lot more licks in while fighting the four. This was the centerpiece action scene and was spectacular.


Acting:

Johnny was great, Ben was good, Reed was Fantastic, he is now Reed Richards, Jessica was much improved. General Hager (Andre Braugher) was remarkable as was Frankie Raye. I even enjoyed the little cameo by the wedding priest and the guy who tortured the surfer. I will tell you this Alicia was just so sweet, I am telling you she is just gorgeous and they should have used her more in the film, the screen lit up every time she was on.

Family values:

Alba morphed into Sue Richards in this movie, her concerns about raising her children in a dangerous environment was realistically handled. The most touching scenes in my mind was the moment when Johnny saw that Sue was alive and well. That moment is classic. Ben and Johnny sticking it to Reed together about not telling them they might leave the FF was a nice turnabout. More than anything these little gestures are what made me appreciate this movie, these moments were the heart of the FF.


The movie captured the heart of the Fantastic Four. The little things that distinguished them were all represented. They bickered as they did in the helicopter on their way to the London Eye, but the genuine love for each other was there as seen in Johnny praising his big sis on her wedding day, and his realization that the fate of the world and his family was riding on his shoulders.

The score:

Much more suitable, but very subtle I thought. I can’t say I recall too much about the score but it all seemed well implemented.

The music seemed to fit so I guess that it is safe to say that they did not edit it to hell.



The Bad

Galactus’ Missing Humanoid Form:

Well first of all I have to deal with Galactus; I think that they did a disservice to the movie by not having the inner core of the cloud coalesce into a more humanoid form ala the source in the Matrix as the Surfer approached. My eyes may be bad here cause I did not catch the face everyone seems to have seen.

[Edit] This is a positive but I put it here to counter some things I said before my second viewing today June 20.

Ok I saw the movie again today by myself and was paying close attention and I did see the fired up Galactus profile, it was visible twice I think along with the Saturn shot of course. I also think I may have heard Galactus laugh. I also think that I briefly caught a view of machine like extensions within the cloud prods. This I find means a great deal to me and in essence my appreciation of Tim Story and things he said earlier in the year has been validated. I still want the Kirby Galactus but I will take this for now.

This movie was very well done, it was even better the second time around, speaks to the need for a longer run time. And I have to say the acting was great including Jessica who did a really good job along with Doug Jones/Laurence Fishburne, Chris, Michael, Ioan and Kerry. This movie made me feel like I was watching my family, it was great.[Edit].

I really think that Fox dropped the ball here and it will surely cost them at the box office. They could have made it a little more clear that this was a manifestation of Galactus. Norrin could have done this while talking to Sue when he was captured, Tim this one is on you. They dropped the ball here.

Reed’s stretching powers and sound effects do not sound quite right, it still looks and sounds like rubber stretching. I am not convinced that flesh and bone stretching would have a rubber band kind of sound.

[Edit] A hype member, (fcrowelle06) informs me that Tim Story commented on the musculature of Reed and that my criticisms of the stretch effects may not be valid. I am not familiar with Tim's comments but after seeing the movie for the second time today I would concede that Reed's effects are difficult to do and I really cannot figure out what is the best sound to attach to them. Maybe the sound is not really the problem. In thinking about it, it may just be that the perspective is what is throwing me off.

Jack Kirby would often enlarge Reed's ending appendages (like the hands) when he stretched so that they would be larger than life. Maybe that is the disconnect I am experiencing in that what I am seeing on the screen is not matching up with my memories of how they were portrayed in the comics[Edit].


Doctor Doom:

The armor and the action he was involved in was great and Victor apparently is healed of his metallic problem but his line delivery leaves something to be desired at times. This is strange because he got it when he began talking with the surfer of ruling the world but at the beginning of that same scene he had that smarmy Nip/ Tuck voice. Sometimes he gets it and sometimes he does not. I know that Julian can be better at this if given the right direction. Tim Story needs to work on his direction of Doom if we get a number 3.

The Action Sequences:

At times I thought that some scenes were not edited well. The scene of the torch plummeting to earth could have been presented much better. Reentry can be a stunning spectacle and this and other scenes seem as if they needed an extra few seconds. His peril was not played up enough. Tim has to do a better Job at making us feel the tension and danger in these situations. For instance Johnny’s predicament in the first film with the missile chase was perfect, this was a little off.

Inconsistencies:

General Hager must be insane, how else would you explain his reliance on a man who must be wanted for murder and mayhem. It just does not add up that you would imprison the Fantastic Four and yet leave a known megalomaniac walking around free and then give him access to an item of almost limitless power.

Also it was kind of odd that during the fight with Doom Johnny seemed to enjoy himself, this after seeing his sister at deaths door.



The Running Time:

Honestly the movie did not feel all that short but I left the theater wanting a bit more for my $6:50 investment. Also I think for average audience goers, by the time you start to get invested in the characters the movie is done. Watching the interaction between Johnny and Ben made me long for at least two or three more of those scenes. I think in building your core audience you have to be careful with this. I know the core audience may be the kids but I really feel that fanboys, teenagers and young adults need a little bit more.


The Script/Plot that we Got:

It was a satisfying intergalactic story of an apocalyptic end of world situation. I loved it, however a UN meeting or two about the end of the world preparations or a speech like Morgan Freeman did in that movie “Deep Impact” might have set the stage for the final battle and framed the conflict perfectly for the whole world. Like I said Tim has to play up the tension and the real world danger in these movies a little bit more. Of course this would have required like 10 more minutes to develop and discover the Surfer’s secret, Earths Satellites picking up the anomaly and being informed as to the nature of what they were facing. I guess someone felt another ten minutes might have been a killer.

Summary:

Overall this film really worked for me. I think that Tim Story is growing by leaps and bounds and it is clear that he listens to the fanboys somewhat while pursuing his vision. You can’t ask for more from a director at a studio such as Fox.

The improvements he promised were all there, from Doom to the brow to the amped up action. We even saw the castle, a little nugget. It is clear that this was to some extent Johnny and Sue’s film whereas the last one was mostly about Ben but it worked for me.

Reed’s best scene of this film shows you just how unique Tim Story is as a director. When Reed stepped up and announced that yes he was the nerd that studied hard and now he has the girl and the money and all the glitz I think that he spoke for many fanboys of today and yesteryear. We want to be Reed or Johnny or Superman because we wanted to be more than what we were. That Tim Story was able to give voice to the underlying sentiment that shapes so many hardcore fans (geeks in us) of comic books is testament to his membership in our fraternity, he understands.

He truly gets what the Fantastic Four and the comic books are all about and I think that is why his movie feels like a true comic book. He gets it and he is not ashamed to tell it like it is.


This movie got a B from me.

 

[Nokio]

GRADE: C+

Saw it and must say I was underwhelmed. If any comic film had the potential to be a classic as well as give a rich and epic story it was the Fantastic Four's story arc The Coming of Galactus. Their was so much wasted and missed here. FOX was looking for a quick buck to cash in on. This comic film had all the right elements going for it and it seemed that FOX just through all that out the window. I won't go into detail about the missed potential here, but I will say that Galactus is one of the biggest missed elements in the film, such a waste. I hate it when I see greatness in a film or the the elements of greatness and the studio just screws it over. If someone like Speilberg had took over the reigns he would have known exaclty what to do with this material. I'm not going to totally bash Tim Story cause I think he did as well as he could considering FOX just brought him in to shoot the film, but he may be out of his league. I also feel that Story is not the hack and the blame for the mediocrness of this franchise. That rests soly on FOX's shoulders.

F4 ROTSS was a huge improvement over the 1st film, which sadly wasn't that hard to accomplish.

The Bad: The film felt rushed and yet managed to drag in some scenes despite its short run time. Alba is just not Sue Richards. I was won over by her in the 1st film, but my anger returned with a vengence of her casting when I saw the fakeness of her look in the trailers. The god awful overly blonde wig and super rich blue contacts was so distracting on a woman of her complextion. She looked great in the 1st on so one has to wonder what happened here? Reed's fx was just plain terriable and cartoonish and he still hasn't proven to be the smartest man on the planet or the leader of the team. At no time was Reed ever impressive with his powers. The dancing at the Bacholar party was horriable. I understand wanting to lighten the story and show them having fun, but the FX was so bad I actually closed my eyes. Doom was better then he was in the 1st one, but still hugly lacked and at no time did he feel like a threat. At first I thought yeah, Doom is going to work but after I saw him get blasted by the Surfer and begin to heal I know where this was heading. He went right back to corporate Doom. Doom is scarred and he blames Reed for it, and it's one of the strongest elements that fuels Doom's rage and hatred for Reed. Doom really should have been left out and more should have been focused on SS and Galactus. The idiots that run FOX thought it was once again a good idea to mesh two storylines together ala Xmen the last stand. Unfortunatly it didn't work there just as it didn't work in here. Galactus in name only is what we got although the cloud effects looked good it just wasn't the character that was designed by Kirby. It was weak and a cope out to do easier FX and save on the budget. Galactus is indeed all powerful but here you got no hint that he or it as FOX called him was an intelligence. He appeared more so a cosmic storm. If it was said that this cloud was an instrument of galactus then I could've accepted it more, but so little was explained. Also the little screen time for Norrin Radd and his few lines was a bit of a let down. The run time was awful and the reason the film felt rushed. To much to cram into a 90 movie which this type of runtime is something reserved for animated films and slasher/horror flicks. The most silliest to me is the defeating of galactus. No way could the Surfer ever hoped to defeat galactus in the maner they had him do in the movie, even walking out the theater I heard someone in front me say "how could he beat the thing that gave him his powers" and this sounded like an average movie goer. Fine points like this that is just skipped over and opted for the typical blow em scenrio doesn't always work. I'm surprise they didn't strap a super nuclear bomb to the Surfer's back. If FOX and Story knew anything about galactus they would know that he isn't so easily defeatable.

The Good: The Silver Surfer was the best and brightest spot of the movie, everything about the Surfer was good, no problem with him at all. His fx was top notch and oscar worthy. A shame he wasn't developed more, but what litte their was of him it was good. Actually most of the FX was pretty good except for Reed. Johnny Storm was delivered as I expected. The Thing while having less to do was handled better then the others. General Hager and Franke Raye was good, but also underused. Would have liked to see them flushed out more and given more to do. The power switching worked out well. Doom vs Super Johnny was good, but to short. The improved set designs, especially the Baxter Building. The resuce scene at the London Eye. The Fantasticar was great!!

Overall FF 2 was a step above the 1st one, but still underwhelming, especially Galactus. I really thought that FOX would try to make this one a good one because their Superhero stable in dry. I don't expect to see another Xmen cause FOX ruined the last one by the way they closed it out. Wolverine just doesn't make me go "Yeah i can't wait to see that", and we all can agree that DD and Elektra has seen their time on the screen. If FOX had done this the right way they would've got good reviews from the critics and possiably won over more of the public. They also could've launched a Silver Surfer franchise, but I suspect this will be the last we see of the F4 and SS from FOX, cuase I suspect this movie is not going to turn a huge enough profit to warrent a 3rd film and a SS spin off film. FOX has ruined all of their Superhero properties. I know they think they have a gold mine with a Wolverine solo film, but they are going to be in for a huge awakening when wolverine doesn't deliver the X men level money they are banking on.

I just can't get on board and praise a film cuase it features some of my favorite characters. I wasn't dissappointed with the Surfer, he was how I expected him to be, but their were to many gripes for me to just ignore and say the film was good. It was entertaining enough and I'll leave it at that.

 

[Advanced Dark]

For what it's worth:

FF: Rise of the Silver Surfer (Review w/Major Spoilers)
When the first trailers were unleashed for Rise of the Silver Surfer I was stunned. I'll be the first one to admit that the first film was mediocre...however I understand the difficulty of translating this franchise from the comic books to the big screen and how people who don't know any better will expect the X-Men in different colors. The first film also had to deal with the origins of the 5 characters and develop the characters so the audience will feel comfortable and like them. The parts of the original that really worked was Michael Chiklis, Chris Evans, the comedic moments, and the representations of the Fantastic Four as characters and there powers. I think Reed was the most awkward on screen in that film and didn't really come off as a leader and almost seemed uncomfortable in the role. Anyways...back to this film. After seeing the trailers improve with each new one created, and the amazing TV spots my expectations rose through the roof. Then the negativty began. It was like some people couldn't accept Tim Story, or hated the first film so much they had to find something negative when there was nothing shown to us but improvement. These people focused on the negative and they were the most vocal. Complaining about the runtime, and whining about the PG rating as if the #13 holds some sort of magic or gives a film street-cred. The negativty becames so harsh that my expectations fell pretty low even though every piece of footage I witnessed was great. In any event I went to see the film tonight with two of my friends, and my two daughters who are 5 & 7 years old. They were dying to see the film so I really wanted them to go and the PG rating made it more comfortable for me. The theatre slowly but surely filled to the brim with adults and lots and lots of kids. It was a great reminder of the 70's when I grew up and went to see PG films like Superman, Star Wars, etc...It was fun for everyone. So the film beings and from the start I can tell already it's gonna be a freaking great film. The Silver Surfer/Galactus story sets itself up right from the beginning and the Surfer's actions sort of weave through the first half of the story that's focused on the Wedding of Reed and Sue. There were a few corny moments in the beginning that were not that great like the Bachelor Party...but it didn't ruin the film. The Wedding comes and that's when the action really starts and by then the audience is really getting into the whole "Who is the Silver Surfer" mode. From that point on it was a total blast and to me was more fun that Spider-Man 3, Superman, Superman 2, Superman Returns, Ghost Rider, Daredevil, etc...The action is top notch, and Doug Jones portrayal of the Silver Surfer leaves you in awe. Several scenes in the trailers had been changed, lines were changed, and you can see the editing in the trailers was very decieiving. Several scenes that appeared to be connected...were not. Which made my experience fresher than I thought it would be. Don't worry because there are lots of cool scenes that are not in the trailer, and lots of funny moments too. Doom is a total bad ass in this film. He's still not exactly the same Doom as some might expect from the comics but he's far more sinister and fun to watch in this film than the original. He keeps the film going. My favorite parts of the film are when Doom steals the Surfer's board and power and how the FF rescue the Surfer and Johnny goes all out Skrull on Doom. The flight sequences are unreal and the fights rival that first experience of watching the battles in Superman 2. In the end we all know who wins, and you will leave wanting more of the Fantastic Four and more of hte Silver Surfer. Just like the first film we see a extra clip after the credits that could be releveant for future FF films, and if you don't know a Silver Surfer (origin film) is on the way. For those complaining about Galactus I really don't care what you say. To me the core elements of the character and his motives are intact. No he's not the same visually but they left what he really is open for interpretation. Leaving the studio open to changing him or revealing him fully in another film. Do NOT listen to the haters and go into this movie to have fun. It's the most fun I've had in the theatre since 300. I also heard some complaints from critics and viewers who said it was too silly, too cartoonish, blah blah blah. Read up guys...that is the Fantastic Four. Lastly for those who *****ed and moaned about the PG rating...this flick is "FAR" more intesne and has way more action and violence than the first film. The runtime on paper is on the short end but it uses the time very well and is edited 100 times better than the first film. 8.5 out of 10 8.5/10

 

[Incrediblejeff]

C+
Spoilers ahoy!!

Fantastic Four :Rise of the Silver Surfer was a enjoyable ride filled with mixed emotions.I had fun during the movie.I was also a little upset walking out,but less upset than I was with the first movie.I'm more satisfied than aggravated this time around.
The story was good,It had alot of interesting elements in it.The Reed dance scene was kind of cheesy,but fun at the same time.That's basically how I can describe this movie.It was an odd scene.It was'nt as cool as Spider-man 3's random dancing,it was just odd.The dialouge was pure cheese.In a good way.

Dr Doom has improved in this film (he still wasn't perfect,but he was good enough).It seemed like he was Victor more than Doom.I was hoping we would have seen more of him.It felt like they added him in at the last second.
The Silver Surfer was just plain cool.He was honestly the highlight of the film.Mostly all the scenes with the Surfer was in were great.He looked amazing visually,and sounded pretty good.I just think that his voice should have been softer.It's just a minor problem no biggie.
The four themselves felt more like thier comic counterparts.Reed felt a little more like reed.Sue felt more like Sue.Johnny and Ben felt more like themselves.Everyone felt more like how they should except for Doom(slightly it did seem more like him)and...

GALACTUS



I felt like I was cheated out of seeing Big G on the screen.Instead i was given a storm cloud.Some may argue that Galactus is too hard to pull off without seeming silly.I would have to disagree.There are ways to pull him off(Hopefully we'll see more of him in the Surfer film).I also would have liked The Watcher,but he's not really needed.
Other than the problems.I had a good time.

 

[Kirk Langstrom]

I rated it above average (with the mind-set that Punisher, Daredevil, Elektra, and Ghost Rider are average films)...

Thought it was a big improvement over the first attempt, in regards to cinematography and special effects (LOVED the new Baxter Building and Fantasti-Car, and all the various shots around planet Earth locales were very cool)...The Surfer, of course, looked breath-taking...also thought the cast seemed a bit more comfortable and at ease with each other...

The groups personalities are solidified even further along than they were in the first film. The banter and inter-action is excellent. The Ben/Johnny stuff is pure gold! Really enjoyed the brief interlude between Johnny and Sue right before the wedding, and practically cheered when Reed told off the army General. Loved the way Doom spat "i hate you" at Reed when he showed up at the military conference...that was all great stuff.


However; Fox once again drops the ball in regards to the villains. After gaining the power cosmic, Doom seems to once again be dispatched with relative ease...and the Galactus cloud was a complete disappointment. I think a golden opportunity to bring the cosmic aspects of the Marvel Universe to the big screen was completely blown here, in exchange to playing it safe and insuring a quick buck. Sure, the Surfer LOOKED good...but that was it. Where was the philosifying...the emotional soliloquies that Stan wrote so well for this character? Where was the emotional scene between he and Alicia? Where was The Watcher? Galactus?

Basically, this is a fun, slightly above average superhero flick, but hardly a proper adaption to what many consider to be one of the greatest epics in comics history.

Character interaction is this production teams greatest strength. So, for future FF installments, here's hoping they stay far, far away from the cosmic aspects (Galactus, Annihilus, Inhumans) and instead maybe consider more down to earth adaptions (Frightful Four, Puppet Master, Black Panther)...

Grade: B-

 

[fantastic fifth]

Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer

“I think it might be Clobberin’ Time.” (the Thing, after realizing Sue has busted Reed dancing with the ‘hot girls’ at the bachelor party)GRADE: B+

Before we saw this movie as a family, my wife said “how could it be that what you loved as a kid is now becoming popular and a movie, etc?” I couldn’t directly answer the question and, thinking about it now, the closest I could come to an answer is ‘I’m thankful’. These characters and stories are so much a part of me that I feel a sense of ownership and pride over them – like you would your own child. I can’t imagine what a feeling it has to be for Stan Lee (or Stanley as my daughter thinks he’s called) and Jack (God rest his soul) Kirby.

The love for these characters and tales has branched out to my four kids (not really my wife – she still thinks that I’m a comic book dork) – my 16 year old son’s favorite has always been the Silver Surfer, my 14 year old’s fav is Spiderman and the FF, my 8 year old daughter loves the FF (learned to read with them) and my 7 year old daughter goes ‘along for the ride’ (prefers baby dolls). That being said, we all showed up for our screening all dressed in FF shirts. They all wanted to make me happy…y’know… Father’s Day weekend.

I liked the opening scene and felt it set the mood for the much-advertised Surfer without going into great detail. The planet exploding set the global-threat tone right away. Handled well. None of the space-type scenes made me cringe in this movie (sometimes things like that can look so fake it just takes you out of the moment) – I thought they were done well. In fact, I like the global feel of this entire movie – the cinematography and effects were excellent. Going back and forth from space to New York, DC, Latveria, Shanghai and, meanwhile, creating giant craters in the earth is no easy feat – these could have very easily appeared non-believable. I felt they were believable and done very well.

I also thought that jumping right in to the fact that Reed & Sue were about to be married was great. It showed right away that time had passed. Personally, I would have enjoyed some more facts about why the previous 4 times were futile (would have been an excellent opportunity to plug some other FF villains via just lines or flashbacks – and reinforce the fact that they were more proficient with their powers). I really hate that the scenes with Ben and Johnny assuming Reed’s pre-wedding tasks were cut (that part of the novel was good).

Speaking of cuts, I think we were, again, the victim of several. I think the wedding/helicopter scene was heavily edited as was the final battle with Doom. The whole spear thing and Johnny’s final romp with him all seemed rushed and edited. The whole interview with Alba when she said they filmed her over and over again crashing and sliding in her portion of the Fantasticar – it didn’t show her at all except the shot where she recoils after the crash. I agree with others who have said the running time was not in jeopardy of being too long – why cut essentials or gloss over Norrin’s origin?

I, of course, would have absolutely loved to have seen the Watcher and using the storm would have been the perfect cover for a not-perfect, but traditional glimpse of Galactus. He could have been seen in the distance beyond the storm just indicating his presence and magnitude. This was a huge miss for this film. And as Lightning stated, would have had the fans coming back to see it over and over. If I was handling this property, I would have let people think it was not going to happen and then put it in so that fans were just knocked off their butts.

The comic moments were well spaced out and well delivered – I didn’t feel like this movie was dumbed down or kiddie-fied. Favorites: when Sue busted Reed and Ben said “I think it might be Clobberin’ Time” , the rock-slide line, when Johnny torched the bouquet and “I liked the part where he knocked you on your ass”.

The Fantasticar’s (I love the design) effects did make me cringe a little – the scenes with Reed trying to talk to Doom (on the surfboard) and maneuvering his pod could have been much better. When they first started flying – their hair was barely even blowing.

The final fight with Doom and Johnny was awesome but MUCH too short. Johnny wailed on him in all the right ways with those powers, but Doom was defeated much too easy and we got no teaser of what is to become of him. I did have a problem that we didn’t get a fight scene at all with the four together. Even if done in flashback as mentioned above - this film lacked that show of teamwork. It would have made the London Eye fiasco work even better.

Acting:
I thought that Chris, Jessica, Ioan and Michael did wonderful jobs. My wife thought Jess was very good and very believable. There was the brother-sister relationship I craved with the first one – their reflection on Mr. Storm brought a tear to the eye. I do think Johnny’s reaction to his sister being alive could have been stronger and more emotional. I liked Julian (this time) as Victor – but still not so much as Doom. Probably not his fault – just don’t like the Doom lines they are scripting. I want more maniacal. Kerry was so enjoyable as Alicia – even if she did take over that lecturing role from Sue. I liked Andre as the general but thought that the last confrontation with Reed (as much as I enjoyed it) could have been emphasized even more. I thought that Beau Garrett WAS NOT Frankie Raye – not a great casting choice or performance.

Score:
Great. It really supported the story and was very noticeable.

Costuming / Characterization:
The four looked great (thank God they didn’t go with Johnny’s uniform choice), the Surfer was beautiful, other-worldly…perfect, Doom was there in look - the lines and voice still didn’t work for me. Sue’s hair needed to be more realistic (could you just merge the looks of FF1 and FF2?) and keep Elizabeth Arden away from her – too much makeup. She’s naturally a beautiful girl (the hottest girl on the planet says Reed).

Overall, I was very satisfied with this film and I consider myself hard to please when it comes to this property. In the future though FOX, please understand that I want to see a complete movie as it was intended by directors and writers who care – not a later released extended version. Stop with the over-zealous editing.

Now, let’s talk about things to come like;
Bring on little Franklin Richards.
His governess Agatha Harkness (living on Whisper Hill).
A myriad of villains (the Frightful Four, Annihilus, Blaastar, etc).
Medusa defecting back to the Inhumans from the Frightful Four.
Bring Crystal to Johnny and rock his world.
Allude to a Puppet Master/Alicia side-story.

Bring it to life, Tim! We know you have it in you, now.
​

 

[Tony Stark]

Fantastic Four: rise of the Silver Surfer
Usa, 2007
directed by Tim Story, starring Ioan Gruffudd, Jessica Alba, Chris Evans, Michael Chiklis

GRADE: A -

When Tim Story initially went to Avi Arad for the idea of having the Silver Surfer in the second installment, the idea was quickly shot down. Arad was adamant on having the lesser known Puppet Master be the main villain, along side the return of Doctor Doom. Ironically it was Avi Arad who had asked Sam Raimi to use Venom in the third Spider-man installment, so one has to wonder why he was so reluctant. Thank goodness Story won out in the end, because a weaker villain such as Pupper Master could well have written the end of this franchise.

Picking up where the 2005 film took off, Rise of the Silver Surfer starts out with our favorite foursome, dealing with the celebrity that has been cast upon them, and having to deal with problems, with galactic proportions on top of it all. Adding to the mix in this one is everyone's favorite philosopher/beach bum, the Silver Surfer. A herald of the mighty Galactus, he summons the way for a new world for his master to feast.

Along his journeys he inadvertently wakes up Dr. Doom from a rusty piece of iron back to his evil ways. Doom discovers our Silvery friend, and tries to get him to help in his quest for world dominance and revenge against Reed Richards. When Doom discovers the Surfer has plans of his own, and that he's much too powerful to take on himself, he enlists the help of some old friends.

The film ultimately satisfies, and is definitely an upgrade from the first, although I enjoyed the first film for what it was. The film is refreshing in the regard that it's not about brooding heroes, self obsessed about their dark troubles. And that's saying alot considering they're facing Armageddon.

The film builds on the success of the first movie, in that the basis of the movie is about family, not about Doctor Doom and the end of the world. Reed Richards and Susan Storm are getting married, and Ben Grimm seems to have found true love with Alicia Masters. This leaves Johnny as the outsider in this film. For actor Chris Evans, he really shows a different side to Johnny Storm in this movie. He's still the incendiary firebrand (in more ways than one), but he's also lonely, and a possible break-up of the team weighs heavy on him. He also finds that being a hero and being a celebrity are two different things.

This movie let's the Fantastic Four be more of who we know them to be. Ben is now comfortable with himself, and his roll on the team. He's found true love, and he gets to be the wise cracking, speak his mind, loveable pet rock we know from the comics.

Reed is now at ease with his leadership of the group. And Ioan Gruffudd really shines as the brains behind the FF. There's one line that I'm sure all of us nerdy kids in high school will be standing up and cheering for, when he says it.

For me Jessica Alba really shines through in this movie. For all the hub-bub of her being cast as Sue Storm, she follows through with a home run performance. And unlike some other actresses in other comic book movies ***COUGH***KirstinDunst****COUGH****, she has never once bad mouthed the source material, or the genera of comic book movies.

Alba just has some great, endearing scenes with the Silver Surfer. And while it's a bit of a change from the comics (in the comics it is Alicia who reminds the Surfer of his love Shala-Bal), it works on screen. And Sue Storm makes the ultimate sacrifice to save the surfer and the team.

Julian McMahon makes his return as Victor Von Doom, and despite all the criticisms of him in the last movie, I like his performance. Playing a villain is probably the hardest thing in acting. Either it's completely unconvincing as Kevin Costner in Mr. Brooks, or it comes off as way over the top, as Jeremy Irons in that awful Dungeons and Dragons movie (I hear Jeremy is still trying to burn the print from that).

I've always been in Julian's corner on this. He pulls off the vanity, the arrogance and the intelligence of Doom. While I understand the "Marco Polo" stuff, didn't go over well in the last movie, it was believable to the on screen interpretation. Of course I'm of the opinion, that unless you want to go the route of the William Shatner School of overacting, many of Doom’s classic lines from the comics, are best kept in the comics. But in this film, we at least get the classic "Richards" banter.

Finally let me say that the co-work of Doug Jones and Lawrence Fishburne are the cherry on top of this proverbial sundae. While Doug lent all the physical aspects that are necessary for the Surfer, Fishburne gives the cerebral aspects.

While the Surfer's creation can be penned to Jack Kirby, as Stan Lee only had the idea for Galactus. It was actually Stan Lee and John Buscema who made the Surfer to be the intergalactic philosopher that the hippie generation were so endeared. It's this side of it that Fishburne's voice, of Morpheus fame, is so perfectly suited. Fishburne delivers the lines with a cold alien monotone delivery, but with compassion as well.

The effects in the film are breath taking and the scope much larger. No longer are the FF confined to the streets of New York, but we are now taken to downtown London on the river Thames, and to the German Black Forrest, and to the frozen wastelands of Siberia. The Baxter Building is much more reminiscent of the Comics, even with a easter egg with the holographic secretary Roberta.

This movie definitely is a spawning point for not only a third installment of the Fantastic Four, but also for a well deserved Silver Surfer movie.

 

[Kmack]

Yes it's true what everyone is saying. It is better than the first film! . . .then again, is that really saying much?

I absolutely loved Johnny's subplot, it added (much needed) depth to his character. We find out that Johnny is more than just an arrogant hothead, but a loving brother and a great companion (to Ben). Because of this, he still manages to be the crowd favorite. Plus you see him with his shirt off (yay!). The acting as a whole from the overall cast has improved and this has much to do with Doug Jones' graceful performance as the Silver Surfer. Actually the Surfer is probably the best thing about the film. He looks really cool, and the effects used to design the character make him look really convincing as well. So basically SS rocked my socks!

I loved the relationships that were further developed between the Fantastic Four. Johnny and Ben being there for one another; Reed trying his hardest to convince Sue he's butt crazy in love with her, and my favorite, a touching scene with Sue and Johnny just before her wedding. It's probably the best scene in the entire film...

The effects were great, save Mr. Fantastic. His CGI work is sub-par to say the least. There were actual times I closed my eyes because it was so bad (dance scene anyone?). The action is slow to build but bombastic at climax. And the storm, while not the best way to portray Galactus, was done well and managed to be quite terrifying.

The major strength of this film is that it catches the spirit of the FF comics. Which is great, few comic book adaptations are able to do this. It has most of the elements that makes the comics so appealing; relationships, romance, arguments, banter, and comic book science...though the latter two aren't as properly executed as the rest.

Now to everyone's favorite part of every review. THE BAD!!!

Here's a list of things that held this film from reaching status as one of the best comic book films. Namely, the boring and uninspired dialogue, the terribly unfunny one-liners ("My bad." ), most of the other cliche, uninspired and unclever jokes, and Jessica Alba's unstellar hair job and creepy blue contacts.

Writers of this movie have skipped on the proper storyline details it deserves and packed the script with quips and one-liners. What has happened to people's expectations? Why are we accepting and encouraging this kind of crap? The storyline wasn't bad, just poorly executed. The speed that the story moved with its solutions to problems was just insane in a COMPLETLY UNREALISTIC pace

The most disappointing thing about the film? No it wasn't Galactus, it was Doom. The most feared and aguably best comic book villain that has inspired numerous wannabe's *cough* Vader *cough* has been made into this lackluster, unconvincing baffoon. Julian McMahon is just not menacing at all, and the crappy dialouge he's given doesn't exactly help.

The film's resolution was just way too simple and I honestly felt cheated. If all the Surfer had to do to rid the universe of Galactus was ball up and emit a ray of light...why on Earth didn't he do it once his home planet was on the alien storm's menu? Obvious mistakes like that is what dragged the film down when it seemed to be taking off.

I just want to lock everyone who had anything to do with the Fantastic Four franchise in a room and play The Incredibles 100 times. Seriously, they should get with Brad Bird for the third FF installment. The Incredibles was everything Fantastic Four should aspire to be.

And not to be misunderstood, I liked the film, I really did. It just was not able to capitilize on the potential it had. The film wasn't 'fantastic' but it was good enough. . .despite the fact that Fox manages to make two memorable characters uninspiring, which still pisses me off

B
(7.5/10)

 

[Iron Maiden]

I have to start by saying that this was a far more enjoyable an outing for me than the first film, which is sort of a guilty pleasure for me. Not perfect but still made for a good old styled adventure flick. Friday, I went to a matinee of FF: ROTSS and it wasn’t too crowded with a general mix of male/female and some kids sprinkled in here and here. There was much wailing and gnashing out teeth about the film’s run time and to an extent I agree with that. I think the pacing was just right until the end, and then things get wrapped up rather quickly. I wanted more of Cosmic Doom.

The movie starts off with a rather effective prologue showing a planet turned into a barren husk as a silvery figure streaks off into the void. At the same time, we are re-introduced to the FF as Reed and Sue prepare for their wedding. I have to say that at times Jessica’s wig looks a bit too fake and it does become a bit distracting. Nevertheless she makes a beautiful bride and Kerry Washington also has some very nice scene as Sue’s Maid of Honor. Even though she and Ben are not married she is a part of their extended family and she seems at home at the Baxter building. Speaking of which, good move to have Reed shaking off the financial woes that plagued him the last time out. The Baxter Building looks very high tech and state of the art now, not the somewhat eccentrically shabby HQ we saw the first time out.

I liked the wedding scene that kicks things off. While we don't have every Marvel villain under the sun show up due to Doom's mind manipulation gizmo, it's still a pretty chaotic scene when the helicopter goes out of control (for some reason, my thoughts went back to how actor Vic Morrow got decapitated in a copter stunt gone wrong on the set of the "Twilight Zone" movie). This is one of my two favorite Ben scenes.... in this one he take a hold of the tail of the helicopter and takes the blades right in his face. The second one that really shows off his strength is the London Eye scene. Now we get a better demonstration of just how strong he is...far better than that deleted scene of him showing some effort in just picking up a truck.

The middle portion of the film cross cuts between various scenes of Doom’s revival, the Surfer prepping the planet for the Devourer of Worlds and the FF being pressed into service by military. Reed’s powers by the way were a bit of a hit and miss. It looked less effective on the dance floor scene but I really liked the way he stretched himself to help support the London Eye, or to whiz through his PDA. But when you come down to it, Reed’s main power over the years never really needed cosmic intervention (unless you subscribe to Grant Morrison’s theory in Fantastic Four 1234) and that is his ability to wrap his brain around a problem and come up with the solution.

Now to get to Doom… a vast improvement for me over the first film. The screenwriters have taken the best way out IMO… and that is that they have pretty much ignored the Victor Von Doom of the first film. They also disposed of the romantic triangle in a little confrontation when Sue comes across Victor secretly working on a device of his own. She threatens to place a force field bubble inside his body and cause it to explode, which is pretty much what she threatened to do and the end of Chris Claremont’s FF vs the X-Men BTW. I have to confess the Doomophile in me was very jazzed to see that street scene labeled in “Hassenstadt, Latveria”, even though it was all too brief. It looked just like one would imagine it to be, a country that still looks Old World European. Victor always liked to keep Latveria in a pristine state and he would never allow a giant Ferris wheel within its borders. t: As for Julian’s performance, I think he did convey the arrogance quite well and I really think the weakness once again lies with the dialogue…. a few too many colloquialisms crept in again during the final battle but at least no “Marco Polo’isms”. I wish they had left one line in from the book though. After his meeting with the Surfer ends up badly, he had a line “Aliens!”, in a manner suggesting that he felt they were a nuisance. But perhaps it got dropped in light of the current political football in Congress. Or when he was initially monitoring the Surfer’s progress over the planet, he could have said something like “What manner of being are you??”

As for the Surfer himself, all three components worked for me… Laurence Fishburne’s voice (and I think they accelerated the cadence of his speech a bit from the TV spots), the special effects enhancements and Doug Jones providing the embodiment underneath it all. Hellmistress was certainly correct about the “tarnished” Surfer… it conveyed the sense that his power was (temporarily) stripped from him. Much like Doom kicks him when he down in the FF comic, Victor couldn’t resist getting a little vengeance when the Surfer was taken down by the jamming device they came up with to separate him from his board.

Ben and Johnny were still the best of the foursome but there was improvement in Reed, particularly when he makes his geek speech to the general. He’s a bit mild mannered in the films as compared to a more Doc Savage kind of guy in the comics but he is most decidedly he leader of the group.

Finally, I have to say Galactus in this incarnation made for an impressive display for me. I like that we really didn't see classic Galactus here and as a poster named Cyber Coyote pointed out on another FF MB, each culture perceives him in a different manifestation in any case. This was shown back in John Byrne's FF #262, The Trial of Galactus. Was this THE Galactus trilogy from the comics? No but I think it would have never made it to the screen in its original form anyway. The Lee/Kirby version may have to wait for a another day. What we do get is a little of the arc of the Surfer from the year that Image did the FF with Jim Lee. In that story, Doom does capture the Silver Surfer and we first see him being tortured by Doom in HR FF #4. And later, when Galactus does show up, he has his Heralds (four of them this time) place capicators all over the globe, only these look more volcanic in appearance. I'm sure there will be some that won't care for this version at all but I thought this manifestation of Galactus was more ominous than a human form would be.

Overall rating: B+

Addendum: I would like to add a few suggestions for the future of the franchise. For the third installment, I would love to see the Frightful Four, the twisted mirror image of the Fantastic Four make their appearance. I think a lot of new fans don't remember that it was the Frightful Four that handed the FF their first serious setback.

As for Victor von Doom, the next time we see him, he should have engineered his coup in Latveria and be from now on be known as the nation's head of state, monarch for life or whatever he deigns to call himself. Even though I am a serious Doomophile, I would prefer his appearance in the next film be a somewhat extended cameo to that effect. We need to know that he survived the plunge in the river and is ready for a rematch at some point in the future. I would also prefer that his speech patterns start to mirror the more grandiose quirks that we all know...the colloquialisms should pretty much disappear. For a guide, check out Hugh Weaving in V for Vendetta. Throw caution to the winds and lets see more of the Doom that should be Marvel's version of Richard III. He should be casting a wide web across the globe, forming shadowy alliances as the groundwork for his plans for world domination. In short, give him an agenda befitting his towering ambition.

At some point, I would like to see the shape shifting Skrulls but in a far more sinister incarnation than in their early appearances where they look more elf-like than menacing.

As for the FF themselves, while it was nice to hear Reed and Sue talk about planning for a family I don't think we should see Franklin any time soon. In the comics, he has become a bit problematic. Aging Franklin of course means that the FF themselves would have to and I don't think we want to go there just yet. Johnny and Ben are perfect just as they are but I hope we see Johnny maintain a relationship with Frankie Raye.

Iron Maiden​

 

[Hunter Rider]

Fantastic Four:Rise of the Silver Surfer

Rating:-B+


When reviewing these movies i always find it hard to just break it down into categories b/c i feel movies rather than just watch them.

FF2 starts out really well,the prep for the wedding is nicely handled with a mix of humour and warmth as the 4 deal with being celebs and a family,
This was perhaps my favourite portion of the film showing Reed's conflict over his love of science and need to help out and his love for Sue and wanting to make her happy.

On the reverse of this Sue is understanding but worried about what the future holds,if they can juggle the normal joys of life with the duty and microscope that being the F4 brings

All of this is really nicely played by Jessica and Ioan with some good light moments from Ben and Johnny.I particularly liked the part with the back and forth chair sliding chat between Johnny and Reed that ends with Johnny convincing Reed to let him give him a bachelor party

All the while this is happening the menace of the Surfer lurks and the story is kicked into high gear with the arrival of General Hager played with great authority by Andre Braugher.

His introduction is well done and when Sue takes him to the club to meet Reed and they catch him dancing with 2 hotties it only reinforces his low opinion of him,that dance scene is another great little touch of levity and Sue's reaction when she spots him is classic,another well played scene follows between Reed and Sue and Reed is faced again with the dilemma of duty vs love as Hager wants him to build a device to track the Surfer.....he chooses love which creates a nice moment of reaction from all the 4.

Of course this being Reed he also decides to make the device Hager wants to track the Surfer behind Sue's back and tries to juggle both things at once...this leads to the wedding and the movies first action sequence

The wedding itself has some fun build with a nice scene of Sue and Alicia and some humour with Ben and Johnny collecting Reed who's kinda shaky lol..this is all what makes this film so much better than the first,it feels like there is time given to just enjoy these characters interacting before the big plot kicks in.

The Wedding is lavishly set up and this is another area of improvement,set design and production values have been ramped up.there is a really nice little scene here between Sue and Johnny where little brother stops being an ass for a moment to tell big sis how beautiful she looks and how much their dad would be proud of her before walking her down the isle.

The Surfer arrives to crash the wedding and we get an extended version of the chase from the first teaser mixed with Reed/Sue and Ben stopping the chopper from killing the wedding guests with some teamwork.......just before we cut to the Torch/SS chase there is a great shot of a heartbroken Sue sitting sobbing on the steps.

The Torch/SS chase is the films best action sequence featuring some great camera moves on the SS himself,really showcasing the character to his fullest potential,the FX are at their strongest here.

From here the film puts the pedal down as Reed deems to catch the Surfer and Johnny has to cope with his new power changing abilities that provides some fun moments,in particular the one where he switches with Sue but there is still time for Sue and Reed to question getting out of the business as Reed tries to work out how to stop the Surfer

The sequence that follows at the London eye is pretty decent in a STM kind of way with FF again displaying teamwork to save the day and Johnny screwing up due to his power switching problem which along with Reed and Sue deciding to get out of being the Fantastic 4 is the beginning of Johnny realising how much he needs the others.

Now in this period we get flashes to Latveria which are executed with great flair and atmosphere,glimpses of Doom being removed from his casing and tracking the Surfer in his command room are as menacing as any comic book movie so far and carry a dread with them.
He tracks Surfer to the snowy mountains and has a showdown with him that gave me Vader on Hoth vibes,Surfer zaps him with a cosmic blast the seems to cure his scarred up organic metal problems from the first movie..........that was a bit lame

Next up is the re introduction of Doom back into the FF's lives as Hager basically tells Reed his is inept and needs help....so here arrives....Julian McMahon in his Christian Troy mould....Now while he certainly conveys more presence in this one,a guy in a leather jacket just isn't Doom to me,it would be like a character merely cracking jokes in a film and being psychotic with no white face or purple suit claiming to to be The Joker,i'm not a stickler over costume changes but no costume at all makes him rather bland BUT at least he makes sneering work of his dialogue and his disdain for the 4 and Reed in particular is evident.

Doom shows that he has found the source of the Surfer's powers by taping their showdown and it reveals his board is where his power lies so Reed devises a gadget to separate him from his board.

There is one of my fav scenes between Johnny and Ben before they go after the SS again,the 2 of them sitting in a bar chatting and we see another side to Johnny where despite his playboy ways he is actually envious of the fact that Ben in his rocky state has someone to love and share his life with in Alicia...this side of Johnny is hinted at earlier in a line from Alicia to him prior to the wedding

So it's off to the Surfers next crater digging location to trap him but not Before Ioan has his best moment of the movie,after the arrogant Hager talks down to him about staying out of the way and doing what he as the Quarterback tells him,Reed fires back and reminds him who has the hottest woman on the planet on his arm and who it is that makes Hagers operation possible.....ass verbally served...1-0 Reedt:

The woodland sequence where they finally catch up with the SS starts well with a good scene between him Sue but Doom goads Hager into firing at the stationary Surfer and what results is a cool but way to short encounter between SS and the Military which ends up with Surfer being pulsed off his board and losing his shine.

The next part of the movie is up there with the opening 20 minutes for me,the military set up in Siberia where they question the surfer is cool as hell(No pun intended..i think)the Military have cordoned him off to be zapped for info ala Han in ESB and The FF are relegated to sitting in a room and waiting...of course they aren't gonna do that and With a little guard distraction from Johnny Sue is off in invisible mode to chat with the SS.

Hager and his interrogator are busy when Sue arrives but are called away by another guy that tells Hager Doom wants to talk to him.....Sue enters and has the best scene of the movie with the Surfer who explains to her that he is merely the provider for the Devouer of worlds Galactus

As this is taking place Doom is making his play which is collecting on the promise that he would be allowed to examine the board if he helped capture the Surfer..of course Doom double crosses Hager and fries him before getting his proper Doom suit on and stealing the board that he can control via some gadget on his wrist,a bit more explanation would have been nice here but at least Doom looked great in all his glory..He blasts off on the board as the FF arrive to late..the Ben squashing Reed from the blast scene is pulled off well amidst Doom's wreckage creating escape.

Time to get the Fantasticar and give chase,it looks magnificent as it arrives at the base on remote piloting and Ben and Johnny do their thing arguing over who is flying it

When they catch up with Doom on the board the movie goes limp for me,the chase is edited way to quickly and is so dark you don't get one decent shot of Doom on the board or the Fantasticar,they crash land in shanghai and Sue takes a spear from Doom to save the Surfer,it results in her death which was unnecessary IMO.injiuring her would have been enough

The FF are on the back foot and Johnny gets his chance to shine,taking all their powers up in one go and willing to sacrifice his own life to stop Doom,the effects have been polished since the trailer but the fight between Johnny and Doom is again way to short and poorly edited with a seemingly pointless Ben in crane scene assisting him.....doom is beaten and the SS gets his board back


This leads to Surfer bringing Sue back to life ala Superman turning the Earth backwards,it really didn't work for me..it also looked lame as all he did was wave his hand over her face.

Surfer now decides to take Galactus out by flying into the big storm....Johnny goes so far with him but i'm not sure why.....this for me was really weak,the storm looked menacing looming over the Earth but for a finale action sequence it was tepid,SS flies to the centre of the storm and the strom explodes.....why ? how ? i am again unsure.

The 4 share a nice reunion moment and then end the movie off with a fun quicky wedding in Shanghai with Sue looking hot before dashing off to save the day again.

Final thoughts

The movie was a massive improvement over the first with so many great character moments between the 4,a much better story,improved production values,a kickass Silver Surfer and some excellent SFX......Doom was still mediocre to me,plus the action was to short and in places poorly edited.

It's a shame they didn't give the movie another 20 minutes and finish off with the Surfer stopping the storm and the real Big G hitting earth for a massive battle showdown with him and the FF but i still enjoyed the hell out of it and look forward to FF3

 

[Sentinel X]

Fantastic Four Rise of the Silver Surfer

Fantastic Four Rise of the Silver Surfer is not only the better film of the franchise but one of marvel's best alonf with X2, Spider-man, Blade, and Spider-man 2.

The film starts out with a kick; a planet is shown visciously destroyed by an all mighty force not meant to be reckoned with as a silver streak zips by. The scene is surely intimidating and established a curiousity about these mysterious alien entities.

The Four are then shown at an airport waiting for a trip, the family dynamics are still in tact. Reed and Sue face several obstacles as they try to arrange their marriage, Ben and Johnny still bicker at each other like young siblings, and the popularity of the group has reached a pinnicle. There is no question about it, the four are big time celebrities...on the cover of every single magazine, newspaper, or web article. Each of them deal with the fame differently and it is interesting to see the FF in a world were they are not feared or hated like some of Marvel's other mutated heroes (The X-men, Spider-man, Hulk). In this sequel, Reed and Sue steal the title of favorite comic book film couple from Mary Jane & Peter Parker or Clark & Lois Lane; the two clearly are deeply in love with each other and face everyday obstacles one can expect thrown at a modern couple going into marriage. You can't help but hope for the best for the two; Susan in particular hoped to have a normal life with Reed and is bothered by the fact that they can never have an ordinary relationship with their roles in society; Susan even wonders how they can function when they start a family (a nod to Franklin Richards)...and who can blame her right?

So Sue and Reed have talks of breaking up the Fantastic four so they can live normal lives and possibly raise a family but thats when some of the problems with this sequel arise. The issue is never really touched upon as it should have been. During Susan and Reed's wedding that is when the trouble really start to brew; the silver surfer causes a shut down of power through out the city...which causes a helicopter to come careening toward the rooftop wedding. Susan and Ben really save the wedding disaster from claiming lives; Ben saving his girlfriend Alicia from turning into a viciously butchered corpse, which is nice..to see Ben do something. Johnny goes and chases after the Surfer, its a cool action packed scene but thats one of the problem this movie faces...a little too much of Johnny and not enough group action. Johnny does just about every cool action sequence for the Four, except for the london eye sequence (which is amazing btw...cool FF team action. The SFX aren't that bad and everyone is in real danger since the large wheel is veering toward a huge hole in a river right by it)....but yeah, back to what I was saying, Johnny is cool and all but Id love to see more Susan, more Reed, and especially more Ben. Fortunately Susan and Reed have much more action this time around, especially Reed...he stretches a lot more (too bad the effects werent that great in some of those scenes)...but Ioan gruffudd makes Reed Richards the smart guy again and the leader....He steps up and tells what the four what to do and he doesn't take BS from anyone...not even General hager.
Ben on the other hand practically has nothing much to do, he isn't out of the picture enough to make a HUGE difference but his role isn't expanded as much as it should be but his scenes with Alicia are touching and we can see he has a very strong relationship with her (from the scene were he saves her from the helicopter to the part were he says hed want to be holding Alicia if the end of the world were to come)


Okay So the big questions probably is "How was Doom, Silver Surfer, and Galactus?"...well they were great. Doctor Doom is so much cooler in this one; finally hes not some Norman Osborne clone, hes just a guy trying to get power...not because he is insane but because he is the most egostical SOB on the planet. When he is reborn it is similar to Darth Vader...intimidating from the start. The final form of doom, Super Doom I think they call it , is so cool! He is brutal (BBQ the general in an instant) and he is powerful. The final fight between him and Johnny (yes Johnny again ) is really cool to see.

Silver Surfer? He steals the show!...He moves with such grace and dexterity that I question if doug Jones really is an alien. He is exactly what I wanted to see on screen...he speaks with such wisdom and his powers are amazing. Hes really what makes the film cool, hes the best part of the film and I have no complaints for him. Even the scene were he shows Sue what galactus does through his belly teletuby tv is cool...better than i thought it would come out. The Susan storm love triangle is necessarily a love triangle...Its more of a strong friendship they develop. His scene were he explains why he protected Sue is really touching, and when he tries to explain the planet destroy whom the people of his world calls "Galactus"...it sends a shiver down my spine.

What about Galactus?....he was cool too. The storm thing worked fine. Galactus isn't the cloud himself, he is a mysterious entity that we never really get to see but you just know hes there....trust me, he is not a cloud...but when he starts to comes to Tokyo(or where ever that was)...it is really cool, it kind of reminded me when the tripods first started to appear in War of the Worlds (execpt its a little less scarier then the WOTW scene....after all it is a PG film)... Oh an speaking of so, PG shmG ....you know what I mean, The film plays out like a PG-13. The General Hager death scene is much more violent then stupid perfectly roung hole-in chest death scene from the first one. The tone of this film is much more darker then the first, the PG rating thankfully did not bother me one bit...Im actually surprised MPAA gave this one a PG and part 1 (kiddy as hell) a PG-13...but okay.
The running time also did not bother me too much, it was paced well but it could've helped if there was an extra 30 minutes to better explain Galactus, Silver Surfer, and give some of the four (mostly Ben) more screen time.

Overall: This movie is pretty good...it was soooo much fun. I loved every second of it, I was at the edge of my seat during the final act (even though I knew FF would save the day) but still.

My Grade: B +​

 

[GoblinScrier]

FANTASTIC 4: RISE OF THE SILVER SURFER
Starring: Ioan Gruffold, Jessica Alba, Chris Evans, Michael Chiklis, Kerry Washington, Doug Jones, Laurence Fishburne, and Julian McMahon as Dr. Victor Von Doom
Seen How Many Times Thus Far: 4 (with at least two more on the horizon)
GRADE: A

"All that you know...is at an end!" So says the Silver Surfer as we welcome back old friends, the return of an old enemy, and welcome the intergalactic herald known as the Silver Surfer. Tim Story brings us his vision of what an action packed sequel should be about. I must say that Tim does have a good eye and has certainly upped the ante on everything.

The plot is a lot of fun and I won't rehash it as we already know what its about but let's look at our actors:

Ioan Gruffuld--His rendition of Mr. Fantastic is great...he is the leader now...he is the genius we know (just look at all the stuff he invented in this movie) and he is confident now. His dance sequence is actually a part I like...I think its pretty cool and much better than EmoPeter in Spidey3.

Jessica Alba--Say what you will about her but I love her as Sue...she plays the maternal role perfectly and the connection she has with Johnny in this movie is so cool. Her usage of her powers is very cool in this movie like the invisible bubbles she puts around the military guards

Chris Evans--Johnny is so cool in this movie...great lines, love the power switching and his connection to Sue is equally great...he can be that spoiled brat but at the same time, when it comes down to it, he is there for his sis and the team when they need it the most.

Michael Chiklis--Our ever lovin' blue eyed thing is just as great in this one as he is in the last one and he looks better than ever. He has the brow..he is in love with Alicia, he still has great rapport with the team and while he is not the forefront of the story like last time, he still is important

Kerry Washington--Alicia was great in this...she may have had more lines in this one than in the last one and all of her dialogue was touching and very Alicia-like. She is just so beautiful and her scenes with Ben, Johnny, and Sue were perfect. Can't wait to see more of her in part 3.

Doug Jones/Laurence Fishburne--Silver Surfer was phenomenal. I loved every moment of him on film. Jones perfected the poses and such of the intergalactic herald and my favorite was his kneeling down on the board in Earth's atmosphere when he tells Galactus "Your herald has found another world for you..." Sent chills up my spine...so life-like. The CGI was incredible. His chemistry with all characters was just great...

Andre Braugher--A perfect casting for the military commander, General Hager, he added that much needed "human" confrontation for the team…just another obstacle for them to reach their goal.

Beau Garrett--As Captain Frankie Raye, though her scenes were brief, she was good and I would love to see her return as Nova, the new herald to Galactus.

Galactus--Played by CGI, the vortex storm/debris/cloud was cool in appearance and for those who still refuse to believe....

Spoiler

at the center of the intergalactic entity, was a cosmic core of energy that when the Surfer confronts it, the 616 classic Galactus shape takes form of his helmet.

. Needless to say, the threat was desire and only in a future film of either FF3 or the SS spin off will we get to see more of the Surfer's ravaging master. I liked Galactus in this....

Julian McMahon--Saving the best for last and oh, trust me...he was the best in this movie...this is the character I am obsessed with and had goose bumps, literally forming on my arms and the hair standing on edge when Latveria was shown, when he was on the throne, when he confronted the Surfer, and mostly when he donned the armor and took off on the Surfer's board. McMahon was much improved in this movie and as someone who has defended him from day 1 saying that if given the proper material, he could make Doom, well Doom...yeah lines like "Let's go for a spin" might not seem Doom-like...but if you are a good villain, then a corny line if done in a threatening manner can work. I can’t wait to see more of the good doctor in a future installment, preferably if he is already monarch of Latveria, Doombots at his command, and let us invade the United Nations and demand their immediate surrender.

Great references—As a fan of the Fantastic 4, there were great highlights for me ranging from Roberta the holographic secretary to the Fantasticar to the continued relationship b/w Ben and Alicia to Sue talking about raising a family. One thing I will say about Tim Story is that he has nailed the family aspect of the characters first and foremost…Stan Lee always said they were a family first and superheroes second. I saw that in the movie and it made me smile a lot….the humor, the dysfunctional aspects just like a real family.

What does the future hold: I guess Galactus will probably be held off until Silver Surfer the movie but with the idea of the Mole Man, the Inhumans, or even the Negative Zone as possible future plots, and that is not even including a full blown invasion from Latveria as a full blown dictator, Dr. Doom could dispatch thousands of Doombots, etc.

The future is certainly looking fantastic….

 

[Grog]

Like most on this thread, I care a lot about the FF as the book has been an entertaining part of my life for many years. After seeing the second chapter on the big screen it is obvious that Tim and Don care quite a bit themselves.

The FF is at its core many things, a family, discoverers, adventurers, cosmonaughts, and scientists. Intertwining these elements is not an easy task, but in ROTSS all of these aspects are accounted for.

The characterization was good with some development by most of the main six cast members. Torch grows up a bit and becomes more likeable, but as the final wedding scene shows, his playful attitude is still true to form. Reed displays his role of a leader in several scenes, not just the confrontation with the general in the forest. Throughout the film, Reed does what it takes to keep his team focused. The films focus shifts from Ben a bit this time around, which is understandable after he dominated the first film; however, Ben’s interaction with Johnny and Alicia was well done and added to the family aspect of the FF. Kerry Washington lights up the screen. I was glad to see her character on screen more. In contrast to those mentioned, Sue’s role was not very memorable, which is to say a lot since she “converts” the Surfer and dies in the film. I’ve never been one to complain about Alba’s acting but something just wasn’t right at times. On to Doom, who was so much better in FF 2. I loved the rivalry between him and Reed, Doom’s quest for power and of course, the redesign of his suit.

The scientific aspect of the FF is brought to life with Reed trying to develop a way to track and later capture the Surfer.

Speaking of the Surfer, the cosmic aspect of the script was given spades with the appearance of the Surfer and the looming threat of Galactus. The Surfer was accurate in voice, style, look, and lines (how rare is that?)! For me Galactus' power was cool looking on screen. My only gripe would have been to add 30 minutes to the film and extend the Surfer versus Galactus battle. Both films seem to wrap up in a hurry. For that matter, they start in hurry too, no epic intro except on the extended FF1 DVD. I guess there are two positives to the lack of an intro, one being that if Fox is requiring the shorter film lengths its better take minutes out of an intro rather than the story, and two, at least there is a style consistency with the two films.


Story listened to the fan base on many aspects. If I had to name three things I disliked the most about the first film (I enjoyed the first film, but knew it should have been better) it would be Doom, the look of Ben and the lack of action. All three areas are addressed by Story. Ben looked like, well, ben this time. Doom looked great and was much more of a manipulating menace. I wondered going in if the new armor was just going to be a manifestation of the power cosmic, but no that is Dooms suit from here on out! Finally, the action was ongoing and done so much cleaner than the first film.

I understand from a film critic’s perspective the movie would be lacking in the emotional rollercoaster that is required to get a high mark, but this movie really captures the essence and FUN that makes the FF great-- and for me, that’s all that matters. When I was younger a comic book was three pages of subplot and plot build up and then 13 pages of action. That sums up this film for me in spades and that’s why I give it an A-. My grade would have been off the charts if we saw Galactus walk the planet and the end battle was more drawn out. My son who is six loved the movie and my wife who won’t touch a comic thought it was great.

For the future of the franchise, I think the cosmic stage has been set and a return to a villain such as the Moleman or Puppet Master would be a letdown. I would have suggested prior to FF 2 that the Skrulls join the fight, but Superskrull Johnny rules out this possibility for me. Next FF movie I would send the team into the negative zone and have them get in the middle of a galactic war between Annihilus and Blastarr. Beyond that, give the Surfer his own movie with Galactus, Thanos and or Mephisto. I’d also leave Doom out of FF 3 and give Julian his own rise to power in Latveria movie, setting the stage for the final FF movie FF4.

 

[coreymb16]

FANTASTIC 4: RISE OF THE SILVER SURFER

Directed By: Tim Story
Written By: Don Payne
Distributed By: 20th Century Fox

Starring: Jessica Alba, Ioan Gruffudd, Chris Evans, Michael Chiklis, Julian McMahon, Kerry Washington, and Doug Jones & Laurence Fishburne as Silver Surfer

"Everywhere the Surfer goes, eight days later the planet dies."

Let me first say that is FF2 is way, way better than the first. The first movie was one of the best movies of 2005 for me. I was a moviegoer before I became a FF fan just because of the first movie. And the reason I loved it because I knew it was an origin movie and had to focus on the characters a lot, so I didn't have a problem with that. The story wasn't that great, but as a moviegoer, it was fun.

Now on to FF2. I liked this movie better because the origin was out of the way and to a more interesting story about the Silver Surfer, but still have more development of the Fantastic Four.

The Story:
The story was way more on the epic scale and it didn't even focus on Silver Surfer that much which was great. It still focused more on the Fantastic Four developing their characters and showing more on what they can do. Dr. Doom being back involving with Silver Surfer like in the comics was a icing on the cake for me. The Fantastic Four being what a family should be. Reed and Sue are getting married, but a turn of events happen during their wedding that turned everything good to bad. They find out that is was an alien creature known as Silver Surfer coming to destroy Earth and everywhere he goes, eight days later the planet dies. If anything can't get any worse, Dr. Doom returns as more of a bad ass than ever. The worse of all a planet-eating Galactus is coming and his next stop is Earth.

Characters:
-Ioan Gruffudd/Reed Richards: Ioan did a great job being Reed and it looked like he was more comfortable in his role than the first. He was good at being the leader that Mr. Fantastic really is. The best scene involving Reed is when finally standing up to General Hager. The worse scene involving Reed is his special effects, could have been better especially the nightclub scene.

-Jessica Alba/Sue Storm-Richards: Sue stepped up her role as well being a more conservative wife to Reed. Jessica's acting were getting believable than the first movie. The relationship with her brother was brilliant and she acted like a sister than a mother this time. The best scene involving Sue is the scene with her and brother before the wedding. The worse scene is her dying towards the end of the movie; she could've been at least hurting instead dying to make it more believable.

-Chris Evans/Johnny Storm: Chris delivers the same which is great. He had more character development than the rest of the Fantastic Four. He is just great at being Johnny in both films. Nuff said.

-Michael Chiklis/Ben Grimm: Same as Johnny, he did a great job. Going in this movie, I thought Ben wasn't going to have that many lines, but his role was good enough for me. I was disappointed that he didn't have many scenes with Alica. I like how he is shown picking big heavy stuff this time around(especially the London Eye sequence).

-Kerry Washington/Alica Masters: Kerry Washington is a great actress so her being in this role was no problem. I like that she has more development of her role as Alica than the first film and she give advice to the whole Fantastic Four except Reed. She was also in real danger which develop more of the relationship between her and Ben.

-Doug Jones & Laurence Fishburne/Silver Surfer: In my opinion, this was absolutely the best work of CGI ever in a film. Silver Surfer was amazing because of his looks, his movement, and his voice which I thank Doug, Laurence, and Weta for the great job they've done. The best scene with him was every single scene he was in. I really hope he's in FF3 or have his own solo movie. Either one will be brilliant!

-Julian McMahon/Dr. Doom: Julian McMahon is one step closer to becoming the Doom in the comics. Julian was great for what he had in this role. The Doom's costume in this movie is better than the first movie and in anything of the superhero movie villains. Doom is way more menacing than what he was in the first film. I like the part when he is shown getting off the helicopter and meeting Surfer for the first time.

And the additional help of Andre Braugher, Beau Garrett, and Zach Grenier which they all did a wonderful job in their roles.

Music Score:
The music score was absolutely perfect because it came from John Ottman the man that did the first movie. His score captured the Fantastic Four, Dr. Doom, and Silver Surfer that wasn't that great in the first movie because of the editing. The score was actually more serious this time which had a great chemistry with the epic scope. It matched every scene in the movie.

Action Sequences:
The action scenes was the best action scenes I've seen. The problem was that the action scenes were too short and I wish it would have been longer to be perfect. The best action scene in the movie was the fight was between Dr. Doom and Fantastic Four. It was my favorite because of the FF being in the fantasticar and Dr. Doom being on the silver surfboard. It had the intensity of an epic film and it shows that Dr. Doom was being the bad ass that he should have been in the first film.

Galactus:
Let me just say this, I had no problem with Galactus at all in this film because I know we will see him as we all know and love in the next film. Galactus was portrayed really well and I did see Galactus's head within the clouds and a laughter. The storm cloud special effects looked really great and didn't bother me. Galactus really wasn't what the movie was about, but it was about Silver Surfer destroying Earth and Fantastic Four saving it. Galactus can be saved in the next film.

Things I want to looking for in the next film:
-another great story
-Mole Man
-return of Galactus(humanoid form)
-more character development(Alica especially)
-Dr. Doom to have more time
-longer runtime
-longer production time(like Spider-Man films), don't rush
-longer action sequences

I give this film an A

Final Thoughts:
It had all the things that a comicbook movie supposed to have. I liked the opening sequence and the surprise at the end of the film which have me excited for the Silver Surfer and/or FF3 film. This is for comic fans, for the kids, and for the whole family to enjoy. If your looking for a Batman Begins, you won't find it in this movie. This movie is made to be a fun, family, action/adventure, comedy.

 

[wobbly]

Another Marvel adaptation from Fox and another mixed bag for me: There was some stuff I loved, some stuff I disliked and stuff I flat out hated (and would want all responsible for lined up against a wall and shot at with arrows made out of Jack Kirby's old pencils).

In no particlular order here's the run down on all that 'Stuff'

The Surfer...For the most part he is marvellously well done (especially dug the 'tarnished' look) and was a wonder to behold in flight. I didn't really have an issue with LF's voice over, however his dialogue could have been better in some scenes (the 'let it be quick' on summoning Galactus was kinda sucky imo). Can't say I cared for how quickly he came round to wanting to save Earth, which basically amounted to us having a Shalla Bal lookalike around. I mean the Surfer was ripped from his board and tortured by humans too but no, he still steps up against his master for us...That didn't really work for me and I think they needed more exposition on his back story to have him make sense there - as it is though his relationship with Galactus is still uncertain - But I guess we will have to wait for a further sequel or a spin-off though to see what they have in mind there.

The Torch...Chris Evans agains excels as Johhny Storm, this time taking a blow to his self-esteem before stepping up to the plate for the team at the end. This time round we see some genuine affection from him for his sister too (and from her for him), something that wasn't too evident in the first. His musing in the Bar with Ben on how to spend his final hours was a nice touch too, hinting at his growing up a little. Be interesting to see where they go with his relationship with Frankie should they pick up on the Galactus storyline in a third film. Could be heartbreak in store for Johnny?

The Thing...Chiklis is great again as Ben, they have improved the mask on his Thing suit* as well as other refinements so the illusion of him being a 'man made of rock' - as opposed to just looking like Chiklis in a rubber suit - does work better this time and yes!! we finally get to see him actually transform from Ben to the Thing (it takes about one second but it is there (well I Was surprised by it at any rate). Would have liked to have seen a few more displays of him using his strength usefully though.
*Personally I still want the big browed button nosed mis-proportioned monster of the books, but what you gonna do?

Mr Fantastic...Gruffodd is at his best in the part when he is being assertive (as Reed should be) and we do get more of that this time round, most notably in the 'Quarterback' speech he lashes that numbnut general with. On his FX...I dunno, maybe there's just something about having a guy stretch that just doesn't look quite right to our eyes, but he does look a little too cartoony, especially in the twice used 'flattened' scenes (the one with Sue was the best and funniest...the one with Ben was straight out of a Warner Brothers cartoon). All in all though I thought he was done better this time and have no real complaints here.

The Invisible Woman though...Ok, Ms Alba plays the role just fine for me, and the way her character was portrayed was ok too (if a little whiney at times) but no major complaints there...however...in spite of a major film studios make-up resources at their disposal she is quite possibly the most fake looking blonde I have ever seen put on screen (who was meant to be a natural bonde at any rate). This isn't her fault as she was certainly done better in the first film, but whoever designed/chose and applied this look, especially those distracting electric blue contact lenses and Lady Godiva wig...Like I said above, a kirby pencil arrow up the butthole would be well deserved.

Dr. Doom....Better than the first (wears actual armor, yay..) but damn, he is still bad. Seriously, They just don't get this guy at all do they? Memo to Fox...Doom does not have 'Electro' super powers and does not do cheesy one-liners. You'd think after the first films effort with Doom so heavily criticised for both those things they would have re-worked him big-time but they simply didn't change enough. To be honest this film would have been better without him, but I guess they decided he would be better (or cheaper) for the final act battle rather than a more traditional Galactus, which brings me to my biggest gripe...

Galactus... Ah, (thinks of the UA game cinematics) what could have been (and I suppose what might still be going by the teasing shapes of the classic helmet on Saturn and in the maelstrom at the end) and the gigantic 'toothed tornadoes' deal worked damn fine for me as a mechanism for him to feed: Spectacular to the eye and as logical an idea as any other I guess...But...the comic book fan in me wanted more and when I figure Doom's presence served effectively as a replacement for the armored giant we could have had I start looking for those Kirby pencil arrows again.
Also extremely peeved that the Surfer can apparently take out the big G on his own (yeah, I know that neither are dead despite Radd's 'End for both of us' line, but it annoys me that the FF never had a direct hand in warding the menace off.

Other comments on the Story...Lightning fast considering what they were throwing in and that's why there were so many loosish ends (ie: Surfer/galactus relationship, Doom still having electro powers in human form, Hager's being a compete moron and so on) but it was never dull as a result even if it did feel a little too lightweight for my tastes. The humor was mostly well handled (Torch got all the best lines again) though Reed being flattened by Ben and Ben roaring at a bear I could have done without.

All in all, this was a step-up from the first film (which I cannot rate highly at all) but still a flawed product hampered by simply not taking enough time to tell the story properly. The non-comic fan in me would still give this a 7/10, cos in spite of myself I did have fun watching it, the comic fan though can only summon up a begrudging 6/10.

 

[Compi716]

Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer

It's the Fantastic Family Dynamic that Rises, Not Just the Surfer

Whew, FINALLY saw the movie. Certainly took long enough!

We all know the plot, whether our sources are the original Stan Lee/Jack Kirby book, or the movie trailer. We all know the origins of the Fantastic Four and their arch-nemesis Victor Von Doom. We all know the current relationship status of each of the main players.

So what's new? How have these characters grown (if at all)?

Thankfully, they all seem to have progressed quite a bit. Reed and Sue are planning their impending nuptials, Ben is finally coming to terms with himself as The Thing, and Johnny is, well...Johnny. They're one big happy family.

Of course, all it takes to ruin everything is a particular silvery surfer to show up and make a mess of things. And boy, does he make a MESS.

Now, the previews (and the opinions of all people from the ages of 6 to 13) lead one to believe that this is a CGI fest movie. Big explosions, cool fights, and that's really it. But the film truly shines when the family dynamic comes through. Seeing the FF together, talking like regular people, is what makes these characters human and relatable. That's what I liked most about the movie.

The actors also really pulled through, seeming to be much more comfortable with their roles than in the first film. Ioan was great as Reed, Chris was excellent as Johnny, and good ol' Chickie was fantastic as your ever lovin' blue-eyed Thing.

I would like to address Jessica Alba separately. She seems to be getting lots of flack in reviews, but I actually loved her performance. She was sweet, intelligent, caring and loving. The scene that stands out most in my mind is the aftermath of the "Wedding of the Century" being crashed, with her sitting down on the steps and crying. It was, too be honest, sort of touching.

Now, on to the newest addition to the cast: The SILVER SURFER.
One word describes him (and I apologize for the lack of vocabulary in this, but be honest, this is the perfect word for him): COOL.

He looks cool (thank you Doug Jones!). He sounds cool (thank you Laurence Fishburne, I really wasn't sure if it was going to work, but it did!). He IS cool. His backstory was touched upon just enough to give us some idea of who he is, yet still leave room to warrant a spin-off film. Hell, I even thought the concept of Norrin Radd getting the power from his surfboard worked. Well done on handling the Surfer, Story & Co.

And then there's Doom. Doom, Doom, Doom. Oh boy.

For the movie-verse, Doom was played off very well. Just glimpses at the beginning, until his final reveal. He appeared to be a serious threat...until he was defeated five minutes later. There wasn't enough tension, enough drama. I didn't feel the danger as much as I did with the Surfer. It was simply, "Doom stole the board, blew some things up, fell into the ocean." I needed MORE.

That is my main beef with Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer - the running time. The movie is, simply put, not long enough. While the FF themselves just the right amount of screen time, some of the plot takes a hit. The danger doesn't build enough. The climax isn't nearly as interesting as it should be. Even with the power swapping gag (which I absolutely loved, by the way), it just isn't ENOUGH.

Now, Galactus. Would I have preferred a comic book style Galactus, complete with all his "instruments of destruction?" Yes. But the cosmic cloud in the film works for the film. I still believe there's something behind that cloud, some massive being controlling it. Hopefully he'll be fully revealed in the inevitable Silver Surfer solo film. Meanwhile, the cloud worked fine for this particular film.

But the Silver Surfer defeating Galactus with the Power Cosmic, the very power that Galactus controls? I don't think I even have to touch upon this.

All in all, Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer was a fast, fun, enjoyable movie. Though there were flaws, I was very entertained, and I'm anticipating Fantastic Four 3. My one note to Story, the writers and FOX (this is ESPECIALLY pointed at YOU!): Go BIG. This film has proven that you are fully capable of bringing in concepts that are out of this world. Do NOT be afraid to do a comic-accurate adaption of the Inhumans story, or the Negative Zone, or even Namor and Atlantis (if Fox has the rights). Don't be afraid of a budget. The budget should be afraid of you.

Remember: If you THINK big, you'll BE big.

FINAL GRADE: A-

 

[AnotherIoanFan]

A

From here in Oz... Just got back from my first viewing (the first of many if I have my way!!) and I have to say that I loved every minute of it!!!!!! I am not a huge comics fan...so my 'review' is coming from an everyday person in the street basically....

This time around, I haven't looked at anything on the internet that would spoil my viewing of this movie...I've checked out the trailers and that's about it. So I went in totally and blissfully unaware of any spoilers which might have taken away from my enjoyment of the movie. And I must admit, that just looking at the trailers, I hadn't expected too much from the movie other than great special effects, but I was happily surprised and overjoyed with it and even more happy that the script was a lot better than the first movie thank God!!!

I thought all the cast were absolutely superb and give them all the thumbs up ....and was especially happy that Ioan managed to appease the fans this time around with his portrayal of Reed. I was very proud of him!! But he did have a lot more to work with in this movie and he did a fine job in my opinion!! He was the perfect combination of a scientific nerd, a strong leader and a wonderful hero! (And I loved his 'work station'! Much improved on the last movie!!)

Other than the wig/contact lens thing (which was a bit distracting, especially as we all know that Jessica is an absolute knock-out normally), Jessica was just wonderful as Sue - she said in the Matt/Ted interview that she wasn't sure if she looked believable when she was doing the force-field thing on the London Eye, but she did a great job IMO!!!

I loved the relationship between Reed and Sue as well... There was real affection between the two of them - plus jealously, frustration, guilt, etc as well - all the things that go on in a real relationship, they had it all!! And the scene at the end where...

Spoiler

Sue dies and Reed is crying, holding her in his arms - it's just so heart-wrenching!! Then the Surfer comes to her and brings her back to life!! He has a real affection for Sue doesn't he...almost like he saved the planet just for her... great stuff!!

Chris and Michael were great as well - they played their characters just as well this time around as they did in the first movie.

I was totally blown away by the Surfer.... What can I say.... He was absolutely brilliant!!!!!!!! I was mesmorised every time he came on the screen!

Spoiler

Especially when he was separated from his board and he lost his silver sheen...he looked so very real!!! I was so sorry for him and was so upset when the General's officer starting torturing him!

But didn't Doug do a superb job!!!! YAY Doug!!!! I actually thought the Surfer was rather hot to tell you the truth!! I couldn't decide who I wanted to look at more... Ioan, Chris (without his shirt on!) or the Surfer!!!!

I loved the Galactus "cloud" thing...but of course, once again, I am not a comics fan, so the normal, everyday person in the street would no doubt think along the same lines as me...very well done.. Terrific special effects there and even though he was just a cloud, he certainly came across as incredibly menacing and very evil...

All in all, it was a great storyline and an extremely enjoyable movie!! Lots of clapping at the end in my cinema which made my heart want to burst with joy as it really went down well with the crowd in there!!!

Thanks Tim (and everyone else on the crew!) for doing a great job on this one! Can't wait to go back and see it again...and again...and again!!!!!! Woo Hoo!!!!!!

 

[Malus]

My Two Cents

I wanted to see FF2 once more before writing a proper review, but I've had a hectic week and it looks like another viewing is at least several days away.
But I want to get my thoughts on record in here while there's a chance some key people may still be checking out these comments.

Frankly, most of what I'd have to say (both positive and negative) would just be repeating what has already been said by others, so my "review" will take the form of an open letter to Tim Story and Don Payne, grading each of them, followed by commentary concerning my two biggest gripes with this film.

A film that I intially gave an A-
I now (regretably) give a C+.

What can I say? I gave it all a week's thought and scrutiny.

But I don't blame Tim Story & Don Payne, the two men whose names appear most prominently on this film.
No, I blame the true guilty party: 20th Century Fox.

It's clear to me that the powers-that-be at 20th Century Fox
have absolutely no idea what they're doing.
They are apparently incapable of letting qualified men do their job.

As a result, we have a Fantastic Four franchise that is still floundering, playing second fiddle to Spider-man and X-Men when it should be the absolute crown jewel of all superhero franchises.
It should be everything The Incredibles was and more.
After all, the Fantastic Four is the original superhero family.
Everything is there in the comics. Everything.
You couldn't ask for a better roadmap to the most enjoyable superhero movie ever made.
But we have an inept bunch of backseat drivers at Fox.
From all indications, this franchise would be flying a lot higher if the same director, writer and cast were producing these films for another studio.

Still, Don Payne and Tim Story are the chief architects of this film.
So to them I'd like to say the following:

To Don Payne:
I enjoyed the rhythm of this film (both comedic and dramatic) far more than FF1. Your genuine love for these characters is very evident, and the dialogue and interraction among the FF is terrific. From the first few lines, I could tell that Reed,Sue,Ben & Johnny were in respectful and capable hands. You obviously understand what makes Fantastic Four work: that special blend of dysfunctional family "dramedy" and action-adventure that has helped it endure for almost 50 years. Your familiarity with and love for the FF is this movie's greatest strength.
My dream for the FF franchise is that Fox will again turn to you, but this time they let you do whatever you want. And that they'll take that script and shoot it; every scene, word for word.
And that they'll consult you during the editing process.
(Hey, I said it was a dream.)
Sigh.
The FF's dialogue in this movie sings. And I'd been waiting to see that on the big screen since I was 6 years old. Thank you for that, Don Payne.
I hope we see your continued involvement.
Writer's Grade: A
(But the Grade drops to B+ if the "invisible kick in the nuts" line was your idea; that was a bad choice of dialogue for a supposedly "family friendly" film.)

To Tim Story:
Ensembles are rarely directed with the confidence and flair of 2002's Barbershop. Having seen and enjoyed that film, I was happy when you were tapped for FF1. And considering the late date you were brought on board (and the reported dirth of creative freedom you were allowed) your touch is what I feel saved FF1 from becoming a total trainwreck.
FF1 had a lot of problems that were problems long before you were brought in, but you were the one that got lambasted. It seemed like you and you alone were blamed for things like the terribly lame "re-imagining" of Dr. Doom and the visual failings of Reed and Ben.

But as disappointed as I was with FF1, I shudder to think what it would have been like had Chris Columbus or Raja Gosnell directed the same script. Would another director have gone to bat for Dr.Doom keeping his iron mask? You were undoubtedly in a situation where you had to pick your creative battles, and I'm glad you picked that one. As far as I'm concerned, the iron mask is all that prevented the complete ruination of Doom's character. And with FF2, you and Payne brought Doom as far away from that terrible "misinterpretation" as you probably could given the circumstances, and for that I'm grateful.
But I'm hoping the next time we see Dr.Doom he will truly be "full Doom."
His scars should have returned upon losing the power cosmic; I recommend that you de-power him completely, forcing him to build and rely on the traditional armor he's always had in the comics. Augment McMahon's weak voice and keep Doom's face hidden.
It's still damage-control with Doom. Please, please: finish fixing him.

All factors considered, I think you effectively vindicated yourself with this film. I'm glad The Losers is up next for you. I hope you get a good script to work with and a good cast -and of course, minimal studio interference- so that you can do what I've already seen you do so well: Strong ensemble directing.
Tim, I do hope you don't take the tiresome Story-bashing from all the "nerdholes" out there to heart. Bear in mind that most of those losers have never sat through a subtitled film, at least not willingly. They may know what movies they like, but they don't know movies. Very few of them have the slightest idea what constitutes a well-directed film or any understanding of exactly what a director does (and doesn't) do.

Both FF films are flawed in my opinion, but I credit you with keeping the train on the tracks.
And I do hope you're on board for FF3.
Director's Grade: B-
(Would have been a B+ if you hadn't allowed the "Invisible kick to the nuts" line in the film. Bad move there.)

Now, my two biggest problems with this movie:

1. The action scenes in the skies over China
were inexcusably dark.
This was such a loss.
You have a cosmically powered Doctor Doom, pursued by the FF in the just-revealed Fantasticar...You've got Doom ripping up chunks of the Great Wall...You've got Doom causing a group of mountains to collapse, for God's sake.
So WHY did you have a scene of this magnitude play out in a near-dark sky?
This should have been this movie's most visually exciting scene. But the darkness renders it benign.
Shanghai could have been plunged into darkness by a Galactus vortex "eclipse," you know. In fact, that would have certainly ratcheted up the tension, the sky going dark like that...
But no, the entire sequence was played out at night.
Major disappointment.

2. The "Fiery Galactus" COP-OUT

I would have been perfectly fine with your "reveal" of Galactus as a fiery silhouette...hinting at his God-like power without giving it all away in this film....leaving folks wanting more... Yes, I would have been quite pleased with this - if the damn thing had been onscreen for more than a second and a half.
You do realize virtually nobody out there saw your "reveal" don't you?
Either this was a horrible editing choice or you fully intended for the big reveal to be non-existent for 95% of the audience.
Neither is acceptable.

The "Galactus cloud" outrage was a very intense (and understandable) concern among fans. But Tim Story, you assured us -on your blog- that additional imagery for Galactus was still on the drawing board. This was rather alarming at such a late date, to say the least. Still, I hoped you would take the mass concern seriously and come up with a satisfactory nod to classic Galactus.
And you did. I love the idea.
But it's onscreen for under two seconds.
It's a flash, a blink of an eye, a blur.
It's essentially nothing.

After seeing the infamously banned screencap of fiery Galactus, I was able to spot the apparition fairly easily the next time. But for the vast majority of moviegoers, fiery Galactus wasn't there at all.
Is this what you intended?
The fiery apparition was the perfect compromise; the perfect "reveal."
Yet it may as well have not even been there.
This frustrating non-reveal is the most bitter pill of all.

All we needed was 2 or 3 more seconds of the fiery apparition.
That's all. No voice needed. No face required.
Just. Two. More. Seconds.
For me, those few seconds were all that stood between a successful adaptation and a failed one.

For God's sake, if you intended the fire silhouette to be a true Galactus reveal, put those moments back in for the first DVD release of FF2. Don't wait for the "Extended Cut" two years from now.
Put it all in now. If this requires a fight with the boneheads at Fox, then fight for it. It's a battle well-picked.
And it's probably your last chance to get Galactus remotely right.

Those two gripes aside, FF2 is a very fun movie and succeeds in spades at capturing the spirit of the Fantastic Four. And it is a gargantuan improvement over the heart-breakingly mediocre FF1.

As I stated at the outset of these remarks, my hope is to see both Tim Story and Don Payne continue to chart the course for this series.

I just wish Fox would learn to shepherd these films rather than mucking them up.

Final grade for FF2: C+ (3 out of 4 hankies)

Or as Ben Grimm would say:
"It's a certified cryin' shame."

 

[Kelly]

I give

Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer a grade of

B to the +​

This is what I found….

A few days ago, I said that I wanted to come out of this movie, laughing some, crying some, on the edge of my seat some, and simply enjoying a summer movie with friends….

I have to say Fantastic Four II hit the mark on all counts for me….

The Story: I had already skimmed the novelization so I had a good idea of what the plot was going to be. I felt that if they could get that story to the screen, it could make for an enjoyable and strong movie. They did it, and I enjoyed it. It was much more cohesive, and much smoother than the first movie. After reading books, sometimes the movie doesn’t measure up to the movie I had going on in my head….this movie did, and that was quite a shock for me actually…..

Payne: I was a little apprehensive of a writer from The Simpsons writing the screenplay for the sequel. I wanted the focus to be the 4, and made that VERY CLEAR over the past 2 years…lol…..Mr. Payne you did just that, and I for one appreciate it. Yes there was comedy, but there was also relationship, stronger characterization, a stronger 4 ALL THE WAY AROUND……and then interwoven into that you brought the Silver Surfer, and a kick ass Doom.

The Actors: I will start off with the most improved, and go from there….

Julian McMahon: I knew Julian had a kick ass villain in him, I wanted to see it in the first movie, and was very disappointed. I was not disappointed with this one. DID I WANT TO SEE A FULL ON DOOM….yes, very much……but Julian took what he was given and gave a kick ass performance.
Favorite Scene: The first time Doom walks into the room when the general says, we have brought in help.

Ioan Gruffudd: I really felt that Ioan’s main challenge in the first film was #1 crappy lines, and #2 the challenge of an American Accent. I think both of those things weakened his character. Ioan was Mr. Fantastic to me….I KNOW that some are upset that he uses his stretching in mostly funny scenes….BUT to me his stretching is not his strongest power…..to me his strongest power is his intellect, the dialogue brought me the intellectual leader that I know to be Mr. Fantastic.
Favorite Scene: The forest scene with the general.

Jessica Alba: I was not totally happy with Jessica’s performance in the first movie, I don’t think she was as well. I think as with the other actors, a poor script was the main problem, but I also think she has shown that she grew as an actor. Aside from the first scene (Airport Scene) where I thought….OMG that will scare the hell outta me the rest of this film, and totally take me out of the movie…..thank god, someone got smart, and allowed her natural beauty to shine through rather than hide behind 6 tons of make-up….Once that change happened…..Sue Storm appeared on screen in look, and actions.
Favorite Scene: The scene between Doom and Sue.

Chris Evans: Chris did a wonderful job last year of playing the one-dimensional, one-liner character. Unfortunately after awhile I found that kind of annoying. Not Chris’ fault by any measure, again weak script. THIS TIME, I saw much more depth in character, and Chris came through with flying colors.
Favorite Scene: One that made me cry, BOTH TIMES, the scene with Sue when he says their father would be proud.

Michael Chiklis: Ben seemed much more comfortable in his own skin. I know that a lot of that was because Michael himself was more comfortable….lol. This is actually the only character that I was disappointed in the area of the script. I felt he was put on the back burner, and a beloved character like Ben, should never be put on the back burner.
Favorite Scene: Ben and Johnny at the bar.

The character of the Silver Surfer: Doug Jones did a beautiful job of bringing the alien to life. The facial expressions of sadness, anger, and pain was beautifully done. Many know that I was not happy with EITHER VOICE WE WERE HEARING in the trailer or tv spot……but in the movie….once it was all put together……Lawrence Fishburne pulled it off beautiful. The softness was felt as well as heard…..I didn’t get that in the trailer and tv spot, I got it in the movie.

CGI:
Silver Surfer: Beautiful with the shine, and without…..T1000 who?

Mr. Fantastic: I’m not sure they will ever get it to satisfy me, but it was much better than the first.

Sue Storm: Loved the little changes, they looked great. MORE LEVITATION NEXT TIME, AND WHAT WE SHOULD HAVE SEEN THIS TIME, SUE STORM GLIDING RIGHT NEXT TO THE SILVER SURFER.

Johnny Storm: IMO no changes were needed, looked great once again

Ben: Bigger brow, I FINALLY SAW IT….lol………still looks very much on the rubber side once again.

Tim Story: I feel very strongly that Tim, GETS the four themselves, I still think he has a lot of room to grow in the area of vision on screen, but OMG this was such an improvement over the last time.
Fox needs to do the following to give him the best chance at a GREAT 3RD MOVIE.
*More money to work with….
*More time to work with, the fast turn around HAS GOT TO CHANGE….
*More control in the editing room. I was fine with the editing, didn’t really see any MAJOR PROBLEMS, but I do not want Hoy back.



Problems that were debated going into the movie….

• The Cloud: pretty cool looking, I know people saw things and heard things, but I saw nothing and heard nothing both times….lol
• Galactus: I was not one that was worried with not seeing him, so I won’t spend too much time here….
• PG: What was the problem again?
• 92 minute runtime: did not feel rushed to me at all, it clicked along for me. BUT I did want more. 92 minutes of what we had with the 4 was great, it would have been nice to have had a little more development of the SS and Doom.
• Relationship/Characterization: I got what I wanted….I couldn’t be happier…

PROBLEMS:
*Lack of Ben…
*Lack of Alicia…
*Sue’s wig, and make up artist that I think would make a much better house painter.
*I have to say, lack of Ben again……..I knew we were getting less, but I had no idea.
*Still needs work on the vision end more EPIC tone would be nice…..
*I love the comedic flare of this cast, and they do it well, but I would like to not hear the music change or the tone change....the comedy can fly without demeaning the drama in the process....
*Still needs work on the Mr. Fantastic CGI…
*Fox
*Terrible lighting on the final battle scene....had Reed not mentioned they were in China, I would have never known they were blasting the The Great Wall Of China....bad................bad...............bad lighting on that scene....it would be nice if that was fixed by the DVD...

In conclusion: I enjoyed the hell out of this movie, it had its negatives, and unfortunately some things followed from the first movie, but the positive outweighed the negative for me….I loved the comedy, I loved the relationships/chemistry, I loved the developed characterization. But I wanted a larger feeling of danger from this planet eating being…..I got more danger from Doom, than the thing that as about to eat earth, would more time with Galactus helped? Maybe……..but I think the script could have pulled on that danger more….

8.5 out of 10

and my vote is ABOVE AVERAGE

As always, this is my opinion, I do not see myself as an expert in ANY of these areas. I don’t need people to agree or disagree with me. You go see the movie for yourself, and bring your own opinion to the table.

Let me also say in closing....

As I look past the critics reviews and box office disappointment, I still see the same movie I loved, and continue to enjoy with each viewing.​

Kel

 

[Arkady Rossovich]

Jourmugand`s Thoughts

Overall Grade:C
Grade It Could Have Been:B or higher




I was a bit skeptcial at first,but i decided to see the film and then render a final jugement about the film afterword.When i saw the film,i immediately got a thought of the characters..Mr.Fantastic,The Invisible Woman,The Thing and The Human Torch..were all done far better.

The depth of the characters,and development was much better.Since the team is established,the film could focus on interation and relationships between the characters.Speaking of relationships,it was good to see Reed and Sue finally getting married.But this is where i first thought the story let up a little,they did not get married at first.But it would have been nice if they did,during this scene..Stan Lee tried to get access to the wedding,but was refused.

That was a nice part of the film,but the Surfer was soon seen.Mr.Fantastic told the Torch to go after him,what ensues next is what is perhaps the best part of the film.The chase between the Surfer and Torch.The Surfer easily tosses the Torch asside,so viewers can see just how powerful the Surfer really is.

The next part of the film that lacked,was the commitment between Reed and Sue.You would expect two of the most powerful beings on earth to be a bit more up for the future after they are married.But i can imagine this was done to give the couple a sence of realism.

Next is Dr.Doom,basically what i see as the biggest flaw of the film.While in previews you see the Silver Surfer most of all,but the main battle of the film is a Dr.Doom using the Surfer`s board.Something i did not expect,and something i did not think was needed.

Next,the Surfer is captured.Something which i did not really think was nessicary..why go after the Surfer when the Board is the focus of his power.Dr.Doom noticed this,so why did not the army also?

In the end,Reed and Sue finally get married in Japan.Why was this needed?Was this to focus on the fact that there is a fascination with Japan in the USA currently?

This movie was better than the first,there is no denying this.But i felt like the characters could have done more,but again..there is just a bit lacking from a overall excellent performence.As per the title of this film,the Surfer was excellent in this film.But i feel sad for the non-comic fans who have seen this film.

What was the Surfer obeying?What was the cloud that engulfed the earth?Only comic readers would know its Galactus,but not in his 616 form..but closer to his Ultimate persona.

The rating was a C,but could have easily been a B.

 

[Kevin Roegele]

My review is simply this;

'The Galactus Trilogy' is considered by many one of the highlights of the Marvel Age of comics and one of the greatest superhero stories ever.

No-one is going to leave the cinema having seen Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer and say, "That was was of the greatest superhero stories ever."

It's a pathetic attempt to tell the story. Regardless of acting, special effects, action....the story itself was reduced from a modern day myth, superheroes meet an angel and a deity, to superheroes meet a special effect and easily convince him to tell a cloud to leave earth alone.

This is what the story in the movie should, and easy could, have been; the Silver Surfer comes to earth and brings in Galactus to consume it. Whilst on earth, the Surfer learns the beauty of humanity, and changes his mind. When Galactus arrives, the Surfer just manages to keep Galactus busy while Reed fixes up a device to stop him. Galactus is defeated, but as he is above emotion, bares the FF no malice and leaves.

The 'Dr Doom steals the Surfer's powers' subplot can easily be thrown in anywhere as it essentially only lasted five minutes.