FANTASTIC FOUR: RISE OF THE SILVER SURFER

by Jane Louise Boursaw

MPAA Rating: PG for sequences of action violence, some mild language, and innuendo. 
Suggested Ages: 10+
Released in Theaters: June 15, 2007
Reel Rating: 2.5 out of 4 Reels

Should you bring the kids? Yes, but it will probably appeal mainly to kids familiar with the Marvel comics. Storyline includes lots of stunts, comic-type violence, and some innuendoes. For more info, see "Bringing the Kids" below.

THE STORY: In this second installment of the Marvel Comics series, our heroes are finally comfortable with their newfound powers. Not only that, they're officially a corporation now, occupying the top floors of the Baxter Building, a skyscraper in downtown Manhattan. They have plenty of new high-tech gadgets, including a flying vehicle called the Fantasticar.

To recap: Reed Richards, a.k.a. Mr. Fantastic (Ioan – pronounced Yo-wan -- Gruffudd) can stretch and contort his body into any shape imaginable; Sue Storm, a.k.a. Invisible Woman (Jessica Alba), can make herself invisible and create powerful force fields; Johnny Storm, a.k.a. The Human Torch (Chris Evans), can burst into flames and fly; and Ben Grimm, a.k.a. The Thing (Michael Chiklis), is a rock-like creature with superhuman strength.

But just as things are settling down, The Fantastic Four learn they're not the only ones with special powers. An intergalactic traveler known as the Silver Surfer (embodied by Doug Jones; voiced by Laurence Fishburne) flies to Earth on his cosmic surfboard. He's silvery, sinewy, and shiny. And he's preparing the planet for total annihilation.

But the superheroes discover that Surfer is just a cover for  an even bigger menace: the planet-eating Galactus. As they struggle to defeat this new and unfamiliar power, they also have to cope with the return of their nemesis, Dr. Victor Von Doom (Julian McMahon), who's more menacing than ever and still has a few surprises in store. The first surprise is that he showed up at all, since at the end of the first movie, he was encased, locked away, and shipped off to his home country of Latveria. Needless to say, he's bitter.

Meanwhile, romance is in the air as Sue Storm and Reed Richards prepare to be married in the "wedding of the century." Of course, things go awry (you didn't think they'd go smoothly, did you?). During the ceremony, Sue must prevent a helicopter from crashing into her wedding, and Johnny flies off on an intergalactic chase.

Things continue to heat up between The Thing and Alicia Masters (Kerry Washington), the blind sculptress he connected with in the first movie. And not to be left out, Johnny Storm has a love interest of his own – beautiful scientist Frankie Raye (Beau Garrett).

A new addition to the ensemble is General Hager (Andre Braugher), a no-nonsense career soldier who's the U.S. government’s point man on investigating and capturing the Silver Surfer. 

Directed by Tim Story (who also helmed the first movie), this may be the one sequel in history that's actually better than the original. This movie has more action, more dazzling special effects, and a good mix of dysfunctional family stuff and heart-racing stunts. The downside is that the filmmakers have tried to cram a lot of subplots into a couple of hours, and the result is a mangled mess.

BRINGING THE KIDS:

PRESCHOOLERS (ages 2-5): With lots of action, romance, and villains, this movie isn't appropriate for preschoolers. A better option is Hi-5: Action Heroes (2006), a DVD based on the high-octane kids show starring five ethnically diverse performers. Curtis writes hero music for superhero Hyper Guy; Karla helps kids build strength with her pirate antics; Kimee takes a ride in a hot-air balloon; and Shaun and Curtis practice silly party games.

GRADE-SCHOOLERS (ages 6 - 10): Older grade-schoolers familiar with the comic book will likely be ok with this movie, but better options are the animated superheroes we all know and love – Superman, Batman, Teen Titans, and all those others saving the planet on the Cartoon Network every day. PG content includes spoken innuendoes (i.e. Johnny's girlfriend needing "fireproof lingerie" and Sue telling Reed, "I'm so hot for you right now"); someone dies and is brought back to life; and profanity like "ass," "pissing me off," "crap," "what the hell," "freak," "screw-up," and "damn".

TWEEN / TEEN (ages 11+): Not only does this movie have more action, it also has more INTERaction between the characters. And the addition of the Silver Surfer adds a new dimension. He's indestructible; he can navigate space, hyperspace, and dimensional barriers; and he can fly at limitless speeds on his board. He doesn't require food, drink, air or sleep, and he's also immune to temperature extremes (gee, sounds like most moms I know). He's also not your typical villain, but rather a complex, tragic character who's neither good nor bad. In short, he's ripe for his own spin-off. You heard it here first.

SCORE: 2.5 out of 4 Reels.

JANE'S REEL RATING SYSTEM:

One Reel – Pathetic. Even the Force can't save it.
Two Reels – Tolerable. Coulda been a contender.
Three Reels – Thought-provoking. Something to talk about.
Four Reels – Wow! The stuff dreams are made of.

Read my other reviews HERE.