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Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer - Preview

Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer Movie Poster
Distributor: 20th Century Fox
Release Date:  2007-06-15

Starring: Ioan Gruffudd (Reed Richards), Jessica Alba (Susan Storm), Chris Evans (Johnny Storm), Michael Chiklis (Ben Grimm), Andrew Brower (Military General), Doug Jones (Silver Surfer), Kerry Washington (Alicia Masters), Beau Garrett (Frankie Raye)

Directed by Tim Story
Produced by Avi Arad, Bernd Eichinger, Ralph Winter
Written by Don Payne

Visit the movie's Official Site!

Previewed by Josh Tyler : 2007-05-31 11:31:22

The Fantastic Four meet their greatest challenge yet in FANTASTIC FOUR: RISE OF THE SILVER SURFER, as the enigmatic, intergalactic herald, The Silver Surfer, comes to Earth to prepare it for destruction. As he races around the globe wreaking havoc, Reed, Sue, Johnny and Ben must unravel the mystery before all hope is lost. FANTASTIC FOUR: RISE OF THE SILVER SURFER is the second installment of the live-action film series based on what fans around the globe know as “The World’s Greatest Comic Magazine."



It’s a weird time for on screen heroes. Hollywood and the pimple on its ass that is my brethren in the critical community have become obsessed with making heroes gritty, realistic, human, and by extension much less heroic. Batman is being shot with shaky-cams and put in real-life situations. James Bond has been turned into a grinning thug. No one’s interested in seeing someone who always gets things right. Bright, hopeful, and heroic, Superman Returns made just as much money as Batman Begins, but is continually labeled a failure as the press drools all over Batman. Casino Royale had a weaker opening weekend than previous, more fantasy oriented Bond movies, but is still talked about as if it’s somehow more successful. Peter Parker makes billions peddling red and blue angst. If you think that’s all anyone wants, you’re walking around in a fantasy land.

Gritty, dark heroes are fine, but there’s nothing wrong with a little fun every now and then. Look no further than the success of the Fantastic Four for proof. Tim Story’s fun, brightly colored, cartoony superhero movie opened to a critical crushing and received nothing but a kick to the curb by press and pundits alike. Oh it’s not cool to like Fantastic Four, but audiences turned up anyway and had one helluva time.

Look, there’s room for both types of movies in the world. The anti-hero has been done to death, let’s give lighthearted fantasy a chance. Audiences are hungry for it; it’s time critics, nerds, and the rest caught up. They’ll get a chance when the Four returns for Rise of the Silver Surfer.

If anything, Rise of the Silver Surfer looks to be skewing even closer than ever to that cartoony edge. After all, they’re bringing in a bad guy who rides an interstellar surfboard. Despite his tortured origins, there’s just no way to make Silver Surfer gritty. Nor should they. That’s not what we’re looking for from Fantastic Four. Peter Parker can have his angst and Batman can revel in darkness. The Fantastic Four will ride around in a four person flying bumper-car and fight a space alien who travels the stars on a giant, mirrored surfboard. Heck yeah. The only question you need to ask is whether or not Tim Story will be able to invent another reason to get Jessica Alba in her underwear. Let’s hope then answer to that is yes.


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  1. Boomtuber Says:

    WOW! At last I'm reading some sensible things on the Net by someone who can appreciate a different tone in superhero movies, and not rant and spit on it. It is refreshing and I agree 100% with you; I expect this movie to be a bit darker by moments because of its intensity and of the story line (and to shut up the ranters) but with keeping a light tone in between the heavy scenes, which reflects, to me what the FF are about; sci-fi, adventure and a sometimes disfunctional family with its light moments. Oh yeah: I expect to find the scene with Ben bathing, Reed shaving and Johnny, pardon the pun, storming in...!

  1. Jake Says:

    Isn't the preoccupation with 'cartoon-iness' and fantasy what killed the Superman, Batman and James Bond franchises in the first place?

    The only advantage Fantastic Four has is that it started out extremely silly, as opposed to degenerating into silliness.

  1. Kilian Says:

    Sure, there is a line where it becomes too much. But it's not the "cartoon-innes" of FF that he is lauding here, just FFs willingness to be a FANTASY movie and to be fun. The danger is when they take it so far that it does become too cartoony. No one is in favor of that.

  1. Chris Says:

    You can be cartoonish but have character depth and a good story as well. The Fantastic Four lacked all these things and no movie novelty will make up for it.

  1. Quddas Alalah Says:

    I say "HOORAY" to the people at 20th Century Fox for bringing another marvel character(family) to life. I personally liked FF1 and would gladly pay my $10 for another! Keep 'em coming. All of this cartoony stuff is too nerdy even for me, who was an avid collecter and even now a daily vistor to local comic shops in my area. Nerds!...Lay off, and enjoy the movie, 10 years ago you wouldn't have had anything to talk about.....

  1. Angie Says:

    I agree--sometimes all movie can't be "Dark" & "Gritty" in tone.

    All movies have to go by their own persona. (In FF's case) "Light-heartedness" with "silly" humor and cheesy fun. If you're an FF comic-book reader; then this is obviously what they're known to be. But these contents in the list was also written with a smart and witty edge back in the comics as well.

    But that's not an "excuse" for how the first filmed lacked the potential to delivered these factors correctly & effectively. No one is complaining about them being "silly". but for christsakes, make the story have more depth, pacing, better "acting" and on par direction from Mr. Story then we're all set.

    GO SILVER SURFER!!

  1. Dalton Says:

    All the negative press about Galactus being a puny frigging cloud and the fact that first FF4 was not really good, is hurting my excitement for FF4:ROTSS.

    Hopefully at best its a guilty pleasure.

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