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Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer Our rating: Your rating: 1 2 3 4 Your Comments: see all MPAA rating: PG (sequences of action violence, some mild language and innuendo) Genre: Action Theater release: June 15, 2007 by 20th Century Fox Directed by: Tim Story Runtime: 1 hour 32 minutes Cast: Ioan Gruffudd (Reed Richards), Jessica Alba (Sue Storm), Chris Evans (Johnny Storm), Michael Chiklis (Ben Grimm), Julian McMahon (Dr. Doom) Related: Talk About It/Family Corner

In Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer, when we first catch up with the Fantastic Four—Reed Richards, Mr. Fantastic (Ioan Gruffudd); Sue Storm, the Invisible Girl (Jessica Alba); Johnny Storm, the Human Torch (Chris Evans); and Ben Grimm, the Thing (Michael Chiklis)—they're trying to catch a flight. "I'm sorry, Mr. Richards, we're overbooked," the counter agent tells him. "You'll have to fly coach."

Uh huh. That's a little like Stephen Hawking, Paris Hilton, Brad Pitt and The Rock all getting bumped from first class. The Fantastic Four, having no secret identities, are global celebrities and media darlings. Reed and Sue's marriage plans have sparked the same sort of media frenzy as Tom and Katie's nuptials, or Brad and Angelina's dalliance. Johnny is a glory hound, living for the spotlight. Bumped to coach? Cosmic ray–induced super powers, outer-space surfboards, world-consuming celestial vortices I can accept, but suspension of disbelief only goes so far.

Johnny Storm, Reed Richards, Sue Storm, and Ben Grimm

It's the first false note in a film that doesn't strike a whole lot of right ones. Of course, I felt the same way—and then some—about the first Fantastic Four film (though Christianity Today Movies' Russ Breimeier gave it a generally positive review). With more ambitious action sequences, cooler special effects, and a slightly lower level of obnoxious and trashy behavior from the Torch, I suppose the sequel is the better film, as well as the more family-friendly one. This should be welcome news to the family audiences who helped make Fantastic Four a hit—though I personally wouldn't recommend either film to family audiences, or anyone else.

Although the subtitle refers to his "rise," the Silver Surfer in fact descends to earth in the film's opening scenes, a gleaming metallic figure looking a lot like the liquid metal Terminator from T2 on a flying surfboard. (The CGI Surfer is voiced by Laurence Fishburne, with a motion-capture physical performance from Doug Jones of Pan's Labyrinth. I'm not sure it made much difference; the character could have been entirely animated for all I could tell.)

Though his passing wreaks havoc everywhere he goes, the Silver Surfer is not the true enemy. He is only the herald of a far greater threat, the world-devouring force of nature known as Galactus (in the comics a giant humanoid alien, here a planet-sized vortex in outer space). Bound to serve Galactus in exchange for the sparing of his own homeworld, the Surfer has no choice but to lead Galactus to other living worlds in order that his own world might live. Rise of the Silver Surfer also features returning villain Dr. Doom (Julian MacMahon), every bit as unimpressive as in the first film.

Silver Surfer comes to Earth to prepare it for destruction

Alarmed by the destruction caused by the Surfer's passing, the government, in the person of one General Hagar (Andre Braugher), turns for help to Reed Richards. Reed, however, has other fish to fry. He's getting married, and Sue doesn't want him getting all caught up in techno-nerdy stuff when he should be preparing for the wedding. Reed assures her he's off the science beat, even going so far as to turn down General Hagar's request for help. However, Reed isn't being honest—his scientific work continues behind Sue's back, and, after winning her approval for passing on Hagar's project, Reed proceeds to work on the general's request anyway.

Will Sue find out about Reed's deception? When Johnny threatens to spill the beans, Reed tries to keep him quiet by acquiescing to the bachelor party he previously nixed on the grounds that Sue wouldn't like it. At least Reed draws the line at exotic dancers, though he isn't unwilling to get jiggy on the dance floor with some slinky young hotties—just in time for Sue to walk in and see him, of course. Not to worry, though. "I know you," Sue smiles understandingly, adding, "Besides, that was nothing compared to what I did at my bachelorette party. That was wild."

Eventually, Sue does uncover Reed's deception about his extracurricular science projects. Reed tries to explain: "The only reason I didn't tell you was that I didn't want you to worry." Um, no—the reason you didn't tell her was that you didn't want her to know that you were taking time out from wedding preparations to do science stuff, remember?

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