Fantastic Four: Rise Of The Silver Surfer

Year: 2007
Director: Tim Story
Cast: Ioan Gruffudd, Jessica Alba, Chris Evans, Michael Chiklis, Julian McMahon, Kerry Washington, Andre Braugher, Doug Jones

Marvel's first family, the Fantastic Four, return in a sequel to their successful 2005 film. Fans will be glad to know that all four original cast members reprised their respective roles this time around, and Julian McMahon also returns as Dr Doom. Director Tim Story also returns to helm this instalment.

In Rise Of The Silver Surfer, Reed Richards and Sue Storm are all set to tie the knot in a celebrity style wedding above their home, the Baxter Building. However, their matrimonial plans are put on hold when a mysterious alien covered in silver and flies around on a surfboard invades the earth. His presence causes massive global incidents: sea freezing in Japan, snow falling over Egypt and power outages in Los Angeles. The military, led by General Hager, turns to Reed for help.

The Fantastic Four spring into action but are unable to stop the surfer, so Hager calls in a favor: Dr Doom. Doom awakens from his metal state because of the Surfer's presence. Hager orders Reed and Doom to work together, despite the four's objections. Eventually they manage to capture the surfer, who reveals that the earth's fate is nearing its end. But more trouble ensues when Doom shows his true colours...

The first good thing about this film that I can tell you is the visual effects. What you will see this time around surpasses its predecessor in spades. The effects for the Silver Surfer are astounding. And I'm not just talking about the high speed chase between the Surfer and the Human Torch all over Manhattan. Basically everything visual in this movie was done beautifully, no doubt about it.

The cast perform well to expectations, though Gruffudd and Alba seem to try a little too hard in some scenes. Evans gets more screen time and a bigger role in the action scenes, but McMahon unfortunately doesn't get much to do, which is a pity since his performance as Doom is a lot closer this time to his comicbook counterpart. Doug Jones, who is well known for being in Hellboy and Pan's Labyrinth, does splendidly as the Surfer, though it is actor Laurence Fishburne who voices him. Somehow I felt that Fishburne's voice wasn't suitable for the Surfer, they should have let Jones do his own.

Despite the fact that the film is only 92 minutes long, it is well paced and there isn't a dull moment that I can recall while I was watching it. Okay, perhaps the ending was a little anti-climactic, but overall it was a lot of fun. Johnny and Ben still manage to provide the lion's share of the laughs. Keep an eye out for the awesome Fantasticar and a funny cameo by co-creator Stan Lee.

This is the better Marvel comicbook film this year, which is just as good, if not better than the first film. (4/5)