Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer

“Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer” is not as good as the original film in my opinion but it could have been so much worse. Sequels are hardly ever as good as the predecessors anyways. I had negative expectations going into the film but by the end, all my concerns were gone. The filmmakers gave us some surprises, humor and action. I am thankful for the film but with the understanding that it is far from special. There is less genuine drama in the sequel.

The first thing I noticed was that Jessica Alba’s makeup was a distraction. Her eyeliner and perfect skin & hair was a contrast from how she originally appeared in the first film. I like how Ben has adapted to the celebrity status, which he now enjoys. Also, if you thought the Baxter building was neat before in the first film, it is an awesome headquarters now. The place appears larger and allows for more privacy. “Rise of the Silver Surfer” contains my favorite Stan Lee cameo because of its obviousness. They use his name and he is on screen for quite a while. I love the fact that Reed and Sue want to have kids. Today’s world seems to be focused on less traditional families and it is cool how these superheroes will not follow new trends. I laugh at Ben’s joke that he got hurt when Elisha put on the flower. The subsequent rockslide crack by Johnny is probably the best joke in the film. The Four using their powers at the wedding to save people is pretty cool and the first reveal of the Silver Surfer is also cool as judged by Johnny. The Silver Surfer’s design and portrayal was impressive. When I went to see the film for the first time, I was worried that too much focus would be put on Johnny switching powers but every time this happened, it had a story purpose. The filmmakers do not abuse or overuse that story motif. Also, it allows Michael Chiklis to be in the movie without the suit. That particular moment provides some great humor with Johnny looking like The Thing. The scene between The Thing and the bear is another funny moment. A big reason why I like the film is because of the return of Dr. Doom. The previews did not give this away and so the film ended up having a surprise return of the villain. When he shows up in London, we are surprised even though it was hinted that such an entrance was coming. The Four’s reaction to Victor’s presence is what creates surprise in us. We understand though that Victor does have some ulterior motif and when he accomplishes this, it is quite intimidating thanks to John Ottman’s score and camera angles. The climax with the aerial battle is nicely done but Dr. Doom’s defeat however is handled quite poorly. The music should have done something to make Dr. Doom’s defeat more concluding in nature. Fans were a little upset at the portrayal of Galactus as a big space cloud but in the shot where he passes Saturn and in the shot when he is about to be destroyed, you can make out a helmet. The filmmakers were leaving room for the character to be fully realized in a later film (which did happen now). The special effects are obviously better than the last movie given the two year difference but still phony in some shots.

While lacking in legitimate drama, “Rise of the Silver Surfer” replicates the same kind of fun we had last time. The film has comedy, fighting and entertaining revelations. The filmmakers did not get carried away although the sequel needed more originality. I feel that a third film would have been a failure because there is little room to expand the story and explore the characters. It probably would have done better however than the reboot in 2015. Therefore in some ways, I am glad that this incarnation ended on a good note with this film. Even when I heard that a reboot was in the works, I was content with the film series as delivered by Tim Story.

3.5 Stars