Caffeinated Clint
An early reader look at the upcoming sequel
A reader by the name ‘Chris’ attended a screening of “The Fantastic Four : Rise of the Silver Surfer” this week. Personally, I’m interested in seeing it – if only so I can get a clearer answer to my question : “Why?”
The reader here seems to have pleasantly surprised so looks like they may have something here after all.
My look at the film will be up in a week or so.
Reader Review : The Fantastic Four – Rise of the Silver Surfer
By ‘Chris’
Sometimes it’s good to go into a film with really low expectations. To be fully prepared for cheesy acting, hammy dialogue and general disappointment. I thought the first FF4 had it’s moments, but was overall kinda like meeting David Hasselhoff in person: kinda interesting but sometimes distance can be a good thing. So I’ll admit to some surprise when about 3/4 way thru the latest FF4 entry, I realised I was actually enjoying it.
Story-wise, it’s pretty much all there in the trailers: Sue Storm and Reed`Richards are trying to get married. Silver Surfer comes to town heralding the end of the world. Makes global statements by creating best potholes ever. Victor Von Doom (Julian McMahon) returns to “help” the FF4 save the world, and we as an audience realise the new staple of super-hero movies is a dance sequence….. (At least Reed Richards doesn’t go all “emo” on us, a la Petey Parker).
As Sue Storm, Jessica Alba is pretty and gives yet another PG nude scene. Reed Richards (Ioan Gruffudd) gets to use his super-powers mainly for comedy and doesn’t quite deliver the smartest guy in the room side. Johnny (Chris Evans) actually gets some of the best beats in this film, both emotionally and humour-wise. And if you’re maybe 7-9 years old, you’ll love Michael Chiklis as The Thing….. the rest of us may marvel at how Chiklis cleverly underplays his character (sarcasm). Julian McMahon as Victor Von Doom is better when his mask is on, as he clearly went to the Hayden Christensen school of villainy acting ; “If I tilt my head down and look up out the corners of my eyes they’ll know I’m Evil. Bwah-hah-hah-hah!!”.
So it’s a comic-book – it ain’t the Godfather, but visually the Silver Surfer work in this film is quite awesome. The chase scene we glimpse briefly in the trailer between Surfer and Johhny Storm (Chris Evans) is brilliantly realised, and generally anytime the Surfer is in frame the results are top-notch, and quite dark mood-wise. Sadly this works to the disadvantage of Mr Fantastic, whose own effects work looks shoddy and sometimes laughable by comparison.
As a fan of the comics as a kid, I guess I kinda resent the FF$, sorry, FF4 being made fun of, and in this film it happens a bit. But more than that, it’s all the Jar Jar Binks humour. (I know when this is released, someone will make their own edit, cutting out all the really lame jokes and giving us the FF4.2 that could’ve been.) It’s all very groan-worthy at times. Whether Tim Story felt all the jokes were needed to allay the fears of the kidddies in the audience about the end of the world, I don’t know – but let’s face it, what they see on the news each night is far more horrifying. Also, kids are a lot smarter than you think and generally they hate things being dumbed down for them, so maybe bear that in mind for FF4.3.
If you’re an ardent comic fan of the Silver Surfer, prepare for some liberties to be taken with his story arc, and the appearance of Galactus is a tad disappointing (think TWISTER on acid) – and yet, …..I was entertained.
But are the words “nowhere near as bad as I thought” gonna make you rush to the Cinema ? We’ll see……
