Film reviews - Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer
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What’s the story?
The arrival of the mysterious Silver Surfer heralds the imminent destruction of the world, so it’s up to the Fantastic 4 (Mr Fantastic, The Invisible Woman, The Human Torch and Thing) to stop the inevitable, cope with the return of a former nemesis (Dr Doom) and try and to find time for Reed Richards (Ioan Gruffud) and Sue Storm (Jessica Alba) to marry.
What we say
Fantastic 4 director Tim Story has stated that Rise of the Silver Surfer is to the first film what The Empire Strikes Back was to Star Wars. That is to say, darker and better.
But even at its darkest, this improved sequel still maintains a heightened sense of fun that keeps it firmly rooted in child-friendly territory.
Having established his characters in the first film, Story wastes no time in getting into the action this time around as fresh from heralding the destruction of another solar system planet, The Silver Surfer heads to Earth to pave the way for more spectacular carnage. Cue scenes of oceans freezing over, Egypt getting some snow and the whole of Los Angeles suffering a power cut as The Silver Surfer passes overhead.
The Fantastic 4, meanwhile, are busy preparing for the imminent marriage of Reed Richards to Sue Storm, only to find the celebrations put on hold by the events that unfold.
For the most part, Rise Of The Silver Surfer gets by on the fact that it's knowingly lighter than most other comic book movies, and a sense that it's quite content to play things cheesy. As a result, Julian McMahon's Victor Von Doom is equal parts menace and camp, especially during his spoken moments, while some of the gags feel deliberately over-cooked (especially involving Chris Evans's charismatic Human Torch).
There's also a certain wow factor surrounding the Silver Surfer, whose exploits showcase the film's CGI at its best (no mean achievement given he's a composite of Doug Jones's body, Laurence Fishburne's voice and a whole lot of effects). But try as hard as it might, The Fantastic 4 still lacks something special as a franchise.
By playing it so safe, it lacks any real verve and Story’s attempts to make things darker often backfire. There are attempts at political commentary (via some light torture at the expense of the US military) and nods to environmental issues but they’re blunted by the film's emphasis on family family-friendly values.
Come the big finale, it hasn't really worked hard enough -– or taken enough risks -– to deliver the big emotional kick it seeks, and the blame lies with the script and one or two cast members. Jessica Alba, especially, gives such a lifeless performance that it's hard to root for her love story (which drags), while Michael Chiklis often feels stifled by the limitations of his make-up. No one is helped by the lightweight script, which gives them precious little to play with.
That said, taken at face value the film wears its credentials on its sleeve and confidently delivers something that can appeal to viewers of every age. And in the Silver Surfer, it does have a character cool enough to deliver the expected box office windfall. Just don't expect to be blown away.
Rating: 
Certificate: PG
Running time: 95mins
Review: Rob Carnevale Photo: Fox
