Download Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer (2007) DivX ($2.99), iPod / iPhone ($1.99)
It's summer and those strange penguin-like creatures known as movie executives are crazy about water flicks and surf boards. Not only have we see Pirates, we've also seen surfing chickens in Surf's Up and now a cosmic surfer drawn to large bodies of water - in fact, The Silver Surfer of Marvel Comics. He is the latest anti-hero/villain to meet up with a superhero or superhero team in the Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer. The movie sees the villain from the first Fantastic Four movie, Von Doom, back in his homeland of Latveria and also sees the universally powerful Galactus threatening to devour the Earth. The Silver Surfer is sent to Earth by Galactus to ready our dinner course of a planet, but not before the Fantastic Four and Von Doom have something to say about it.
The first Fantastic Four movie was underwhelming. While director Tim Story did an impressive job of modernizing the ancient The Fantastic Four characters so that they would fit into a more cynical age, the script by Mark Frost and Michael France was anything but fantastic. Sure, dialogue-wise it had all the zing of a Marvel Comics back issue, but with far less complexity in the plot. This time around the story is more complex, though at times inexplicable - particularly if you're not a long time Marvel Comics fan. Nevertheless, the creative team behind the Fantastic Four is still unable to exploit any modern drama out of this comic book tale. The filmmakers almost succeed at making a watchable Fantastic Four parody, by having a very facetious opening sequence involving superheroes and airplane etiquette. However, even those comedy moments seem strained and we never quite forget that this is a very literal, unimaginative interpretation of a comic book; little more than an excuse to showcase some strange visual effects.
The best performances in Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer, just like in the first film, come from Michael Chiklis who is always a good sport in his roles whether edgy or goofy, and Julian McMahon as Doom. Julian McMahon actually succeeds in his performance to play a completely delusional narcissist - if only the filmmakers would allow him to actually kidnap the motion picture and showcase his delicious ego. However, he is stuck playing second banana to a cast of very talented actors who just happen to be sucking. Jessica Alba, Chris Evans and Ioan Gruffudd certainly look good in their roles but insist on playing their superhero personas as Friends-type nobodies. I never even bought that Jessica Alba aka Sue Storm the Invisible Woman was tired of her character's media attention.
Then there is The Silver Surfer himself, played by er, Laurence Fishburne and Doug Jones...sort of. The Silver Surfer is more of a visual effect than a real personality. He has a human body, he talks perfect English, but for some reason he can't think of anything interesting to say but to deliver cryptic one liners about his mission, which only the Fantastic Four are able to explain to us.
I must admit the idea of full length Marvel Superheroes movie crossovers does sound exciting. Who wouldn't want to see Spider-Man meets The Hulk meets the X-Men meets The Fantastic Four? However, this concept will only work if the actor inhabits the role with the same gusto as an aspiring Marvel Comics artist would draw the encounter. Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer lacked fire, even with all those flaming human torches flying around.
Download Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer (2007) DivX ($2.99), iPod / iPhone ($1.99)
1408.