Summer Movie Mayhem - Week 4

We're a little behind.

There's not much to really say about Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer, which is a genuinely filler movie if there ever was one.  Hearing Jessica Alba call it the "best family comedy of the Summer" was an eye-opener, as one might expect it to be an action blockbuster.  Seeing as the first movie was a pure fun-only, no-frills family film through and through, it should come as no surprise that there's not much substance to file through upon final review of what hits the screen. 

What went wrong with the first film is somewhat put right.  Many had issues dealing with the look of Michael Chiklis as the Thing and this time around the makeup and prosthetics are flawless.  You also get a sense that everyone is more comfortable with their powers, their celebrity, and the responsiblity it all entails.  The cosmic and amazing are present as well, but that's really where the fun ends.

Ms. Alba is decent, but still a bit uninspiring.  Julian McMahon, while serviceable, really hams it up more than necessary.  As a comedy, the film lacks.  Yes, it's funny in spots, but it's funniest to its core audience rather than funny to those older than a 7th-grader.  My biggest complaint however, lies in their treatment of the main antagonist threat, Galactus. 

The Silver Surfer himself is another example of incredible special effects.  While the lip service paid to the fans is immense, his master in the movie is relegated to playing the somewhat non-threatening role of a giant cosmic storm.  It is impressive on the surface, but somewhere I'm seeing a missed opportunity with a planet-sized spaceship and a giant purple helmet.  Ridiculous it might have been, but since when do Jack Kirby's creations have to be relegated to the funnybooks only? 

As impressive as these visuals were, the lack of any real depth to the storyline or effective pathos left the film wanting.  It was a step above the previous film, but not by much in that it wasn't a disappointment.  Maybe the real disappointment came in that I wasn't expecting much to begin with.  We'll hope that the next one delivers.

Overall Score:  2.5 out of 5 stars.