Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer

Reviewed by:
Pete Hammond

It would be nice to report that this sequel to the 2005 fan-boy hit was any better than the first, but, creatively at least, it's a fantastic flop. About a half hour in, just as their first encounter with the Silver Surfer gets under way, one of the 4 utters, "This has just got to come to an end now." That's exactly what we were thinking, but unfortunately the film still has another hour to go as we watch this cartoonish quartet try to save the world again. Serving as a kind of advance man for the evil Galactus, the Surfer basically arrives on earth to set the table for lunch as his mentor has apparently decided to devour the place. Thing is he's really not as bad—or all powerful—as he seems, since the key to his strength is really the rad waxed board, not the Reynolds-wrapped dude riding it. When their once-presumed-dead nemesis Victor Von Doom (Julian McMahon) gets wind of this, hell on earth breaks loose, causing predictable complications for our heroes. All of this is set against the planned wedding of Reed (Ioan Gruffudd) and Sue Storm (Jessica Alba), who keep lamenting that if they have to continually prevent total world annihilation they will never be able to live a normal life and bring their kids up like other parents can. Gee, ya think? Ben Grimm (Michael Chiklis) and smart aleck Johnny Storm (Chris Evans) are back as well, but their superhero antics are getting old. Sure the CGI work is all pro and the Silver Surfer effect is a cool visual, especially when it goes all Darth Vader on us, but the dumb lines and forced chemistry just don't cut it. Next.

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