4: Rise of the Silver Surfer (2007)

Director:

Tim Story

Writers (WGA):

Don Payne (screenplay) and
Mark Frost (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

15 June 2007 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Adventure | Fantasy | Sci-Fi

Tagline:

Rise

Plot:

The Fantastic Four learn that they aren't the only super-powered beings in the universe when they square off against the powerful Silver Surfer and the planet-eating Galactus.

Plot Keywords:

Power Cosmic | Scene During End Credits | Superhuman Strength | China | Marvel Comics

Awards:

1 win & 13 nominations

US TV Schedule:

Sun. May 18	3:30 PM	HBO
Sun. May 18	11:15 PM	HBO

Cast

Ioan Gruffudd	...	Mr. Fantastic / Reed Richards
Jessica Alba	...	Invisible Woman / Susan Storm
Chris Evans	...	Human Torch / Johnny Storm
Michael Chiklis	...	The Thing / Ben Grimm
Julian McMahon	...	Dr. Doom / Victor Von Doom
Kerry Washington	...	Alicia Masters
Andre Braugher	...	General Hager
Laurence Fishburne	...	The Silver Surfer (voice)
Doug Jones	...	The Silver Surfer
Beau Garrett	...	Captain Frankie Raye
Brian Posehn	...	Wedding Minister
Zach Grenier	...	Mr. Sherman / Rafke
Dawn Chubai	...	Anchorwoman
Chris Gailus	...	Anchorman
Kevin McNulty	...	Baxter Building Doorman

Also Known As:

Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer (Germany) (USA) (promotional title)
Fantastic Four 2 (USA) (working title)
Fantastic Four and the Silver Surfer (USA) (working title)
Fantastic Four: The Next Chapter (USA) (working title)

MPAA:

Rated PG for sequences of action violence, some mild language and innuendo.

Runtime:

92 min

Country:

USA | Germany | UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | SDDS | Dolby Digital

Certification:

France:U | Philippines:G (MTRCB) | USA:PG (certificate #43383) | Denmark:11 | Germany:12 | Netherlands:6 | Switzerland:10 (canton of Vaud) | Brazil:10 | Peru:PT | Argentina:Atp | Australia:PG | Hong Kong:IIA | South Korea:12 | Canada:PG (Alberta/British Columbia/Manitoba/Ontario) | Singapore:PG | Switzerland:10 (canton of Geneva) | Portugal:M/12 | Sweden:7 | Finland:K-11 | Malaysia:U | Canada:G (Quebec) | Norway:7 | UK:PG | Ireland:PG

Filming Locations:

Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada

Company:

Twentieth Century Fox

Trivia:

Stan Lee plays a rejected wedding guest in a cameo, in a tribute to his own fictional comic book incarnation. It has become a tradition for Lee to have cameo appearances in live-action adaptations of his comics; he appeared in the first _Fantastic Four (2004)_ film playing the Baxter Building's mailman, Willie Lumpkin.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: During Reed and Johnny's "let's have a bachelor party" conversation scene in the lab, one of the shots is a mirror image (identifiable by reversed text on one of the book covers on the desk.) It is a flipped shot of him pushing away from the desk on the other side later in the scene.

Quotes:

[from trailer]
The Silver Surfer: All that you know, is at an end.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Tavis Smiley: (2007-01-23)" (2007)

Soundtrack:

2 Step

A great improvement over the first. Fantastic fun again.

Tim Story stays true to the roots of the 2005 film, keeping this sequel fun and clean, while developing a new story with a couple new characters and making our favorite 4 heroes grow even more. Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer is better than its predecessor, and one of the better sequels of recent memory.

Things appear to be going great for the Fantastic Four. Reed (Ioan Gruffudd) and Susan (Jessica Alba) are in love and ready to be married, Johnny (Chris Evans) is still on fire with the ladies, and Ben (Michael Chiklis) has finally found happiness with Alicia Masters (Kerry Washington). However, their happiness will be tested when strange occurrences around the globe point to one culprit: a mysterious being known only as The Silver Surfer (Doug Jones and Laurence Fishburne).

One of the biggest improvements 'Rise' has over the first film is the fact that the Fantastic work more as a team in this film. Yes, in the first movie they fought together, but it seemed as if they each were fighting different battles within one big one. Here, they take a different route and take on even the smaller events together. Also, the writing is much better, making Reed aka Mr. Fantastic out to be the leader of the Four, much unlike the first movie, which bothered me. Ioan Gruffudd really seems like a leader in this movie, which was a definite strength. Chris Evans also flexes some acting muscle, as The Human Torch is also well written this time around, giving him a wake up call and turning him into a more believable human character this time around. Alba and Chiklis are both good as The Invisible Woman and The Thing respectively. Doug Jones and Laurence Fishburne portray the Surfer brilliantly as body and voice respectively. Fishburne has this incredible ability to say the deadliest of lines (All that you know is at an end) with unbelievable ease and charismatic calm. He is the perfect choice as the voice of one of the most powerful comic book characters. I liked how they wrote the Surfer as well. He does become vulnerable in the film, but at the same time, you'll have no doubt that he is the most powerful character by the time the ending rolls around. Doug Jones always impresses me with how he captures and creates a character while doing so little, and after successful turns in Pan's Labyrinth and Hellboy, Jones gives the Surfer life just as he did Abe Sapien in Hellboy. Kerry Washington and Julian McMahon are also good reprising their roles as Alicia Masters and Dr. Doom, McMahon especially. He's even better as the evil and manipulative Dr. Doom this time around.

Tim Story really did a good job with the atmosphere of 'Rise'. He really explores every corner of the planet, with action scenes in Germany, New York, China, outer space, and the heroes' kitchen. All the action scenes are well done and the special effects are used smoothly and effectively, even though it looks as though most of the increased budget was spent on The Silver Surfer and Galactus, who look amazing. They forgot to make Mr. Fantastic look as realistic as possible, because most of the time you can see the visual effects. All in all, Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer (PG) is a fun movie experience that anyone over age 11 or 12 should enjoy. There is some mild sexual innuendo, but it's not too bad.

--spy 8/10