Fantastic Four - Rise of the Silver Surfer [Blu-ray]
Fantastic Four - Rise of the Silver Surfer [Blu-ray]
Studio: Tcfhe Release Date: 09/30/2008 Run time: 92 minutes Rating: PgFantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer is another entertaining romp for the Marvel-superhero franchise. Reed Richards, Mr. Fantastic (Ioan Gruffudd), is treading on thin ice when his fiancée, Sue Storm, the Invisible Woman (Jessica Alba), thinks he’s more interested in a series of cosmic phenomena occurring around the earth than in the preparations for their upcoming wedding. Sorry, ladies, but Reed is right. The disturbances are caused by a surge of cosmic power from a mysterious being called the Silver Surfer (an all-CGI creation, modeled by Doug Jones and voiced by Laurence Fishburne), who not only zooms around the skies on his board, but also has enough power to fight the FF, sometimes by turning their own power against them, not only mixing up Sue and Reed, but also Johnny Storm, the Human Torch (Chris Evans), and Ben Grimm, the Thing (Michael Chiklis). But that’s not the worst of it. The Surfer is only an opening act, a herald looking for planets that his master, Galactus, can consume for his sustenance.
With its initial installment, Fantastic Four established itself as the superhero franchise that didn’t take itself too seriously, and that continues here. There are numerous moments of laugh-out-loud humor, and the most angst they suffer is whether Sue and Reed will ever be able to live a normal family life. (That, and whether they’ll ever really get married, of course.) If Fantastic Four were a normal superhero franchise, the ending would be a knock-down drag-out war with Galactus, featuring the FF in a colossal battle for the planet Earth and the lives of everyone on it. Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer… just doesn’t do that, and we don’t quite get the payoff we expected. Effects are dazzling, but the Surfer looks too metallic, more like a skyriding T-1000 robot. –David Horiuchi
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User Ratings and Reviews
4 Stars DR. DOOM IS GREAT
FANTASTIC 4
RISE OF THE SILVER SURFER
Remember when the first film in this series came out ever one was hyped up about it and although it was a disappointment to most it still made a lot of money. Well part 2 didn’t have as much expectations and I believe that helped this movie go over more, plus come on the Silver Surfer. While this is not the greatest super hero movie ever made I must say that it is better then the first Fantastic 4 movie, which wasn’t bad for what it was. Sure after the first one I was a little worried that the same thing would happen with this movie, thankfully for the most part this is a much better film.
The movie is all about Reed and Sue trying to deal with their new found celebrity and juggle their responsibilities with the group, public and their wedding all at the same time. Of course while that is happening the U.S. government shows up to inform the group that a strange being is attacking the planet, turns out this guy is their to get the planet ready for an even nastier fellow. So naturally the 4 take this thing on and end up on the losing side to a being known as The Silver Surfer, and this dude is a step above everyone else. At the same time the infamous Dr. Doom is up and moving again and comes in contact with the Surfer and even finds out how to stop him. So an unlikely partnership is forged by Doom, the 4, and the Army to bring the Surfer down, in which case they are successful. But things will not be that easy as Doom has his own motives and steals the Surfer’s board and gains its powers. So off we are to take out Doom and try to stop an on coming Galactis, hopefully the heroes think with the help of the surfer.
I have to say while this is not a classic in any sense it is a much better film then the first one I believe, the characters are a little more like the comic versions. Mr. Fantastic has got a lot of confidence in this one and is not afraid to stand up to people unlike the first film, good to see Ioan Gruffudd playing the part a little better this time. Jessica Alba as The invisible woman seems more like a grown mature lady although this one isn’t as close to the comic as one would think, but still at least she isn’t that love sick little thing from the first film. Ben Grimm aka the Thing is his usual self in this film, at least they kept one of the good things from the first in this one. The only difference is he is happy with his life in this one, and the story isn’t about him as much this go round. Michael Chiklis did as great a job this time as he did the last. Chris Evans as the Human Torch is his cocky self from the first one but this is mainly his story this time much like the first was about the Thing. The Surfer was excellent in this film they hit him spot on, and Laurence Fishburne was great as the voice. But the thing I am most excited about is that they got Dr. Doom right this time, and Julian McMahon plays him perfectly just like I knew he could if given the right character. Doom is much like his comic self in this one, a power hungry villain who will play both sides to get what he wants. My only concern with this film is the treatment of Galactis, when did he become a huge cloud?
Director Tim Story does a much better job this time around, and while it is not a perfect movie it is better than the first. Writers Mark Frost, John Turman, and Don Payne wrote a very good and believable adaptation of the Fantastic Four in my opinion. Not only did they try to appeal to the fans of the comic more this go round, but they also stuck with what the studio wanted with a kinda kid friendly movie. Still it isn’t perfect, not all is right about this film such as the Galactis thing and is it just me or did this feel short? I did how ever like that they had Stan Lee try to get into the wedding, people talk trash about that part but in the comic that really happened, Stan and Jack Kirby try to go to the wedding.
This is not the best super hero movie ever but hey it is still good enough for a rental, and is at least better then the first one [which was ok]. It makes me think that if this becomes a trilogy they may make a really good Fantastic Four film the next time, here’s to hoping.
5 Stars FFROTSS
Honestly, I love all the Marvel Comic characters. When are they going to do Captain America, The Submariner, and Thor?
4 Stars Fantastic 4-Rise of the Silver Surfer
The first movie is well done, but I thought the Rise of the Silver Surfer is better yet, which is surprising considering second episodes usually aren’t as better as the first. The powers of the 4 is the same, but there is a twist in this second, which is surprising, and I am one of those guys who likes surprises, especally in second movies. The Silver Surfer character has amazing powers and he uses them to the hilt at the end when he relearns compassion after worlds of mindless obedience. Great plot. Great story. Nice special effects. It was worth the wait to purchase on dvd.
5 Stars Good Movie
There is a lot action in this movie. But it was better than the first!
1 Stars God awful movie. If it was not for all the special effects it would be one of those B movies in the clearance ben.
I do not see how this could be considered a good movie. The story plot was bad and the characters were cheesy horrible. The jokes stunk. Obviously this movie was made for little kids to sell toy merchandising(SEE STUPID BEAR SEEN WHICH IS AN OLD CLICHE WHICH USUALLY INVOLVES A DOG AND SOMEONE GROWLS AT IT THEN IT RUNS SCARED, BAD BAD BAD). It is the worst super hero movie I have ever seen. The only cool part was the Silver Surfer character and his abilities. Lets hope they do not make a sequel. I wanted for the first time to smash a Blu Ray/DVD disk, I would have but I wasted money renting this junk.
Filed under: Blue Ray Movie Reviews