Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver
Surfer
The first Fantastic Four
movie, while not exactly good, was a refreshing change in the current
comic book movie trend. Unlike most comic-based blockbusters, it
didn't take itself too seriously. Instead it celebrated the campy pulp
history and remembered that comics are supposed to be comic light
and fun. Superheroes don't have to be tortured loners. Possibly,
you can even enjoy having super powers and saving the world.
Despite the fact that the
original was met with critical brickbats, the movie turned out to be a
pretty big hit leading to this sequel. Funny thing is, Fantastic
Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer has the same carefree attitude and fun
of the first but it's probably a better movie.
The Fanfastic Four are the
world's stupidest brilliant scientists. They can figure out the
density of an atom and yet they don't know that it's bad news to preface
their marriage with a line about the only thing that could get in their way
would be a disaster. They can figure out where an alien will show up
on the earth, but never on time. They spurn the military but enjoy the
paparazzi.
They have weird powers and
use them in offbeat ways. I didn't know whether to laugh or snicker at
a scene of the rubber man on a disco dance floor. The Human Torch
didn't want to ruin his suit. And just the idea of Jessica Alba
invisible... well it's just a crime.
Mad props for them bringing
the Silver Surfer, another Marvel character from the sixties into the fold.
The Surfer, an inscrutable force who flies around the Earth, leaving volcano
sized holes in the Earth's core, may be a villain or may just be
misunderstood. Unfortunately, Dr. Doom (Julian McMahon), the bad guy
from the first, is also resurrected here. He is a much more
one-dimensional heavy and the movie bogs down when he is in it.
Still, the movie is cool.
There is not much you can say about it, except that it is big, dumb and loud
but all in the best ways.
Alex Diamond
Copyright ©2007 PopEntertainment.com. All rights reserved.
Posted: July 27, 2007.
