But for all the scorn heaped on the film, Ill take the minority view that Rise of the Silver Surfer successfully delivers exactly what it sets out to deliver: light-hearted comic-book style entertainment. Unlike its competition specifically, the Spider-Man movies Rise of the Silver Surfer isnt afraid to put a lid on the melodrama and indulge instead a bit of good humor. With a subplot involving Reed Mr. Fantastic Richards (Gruffud) and Sue The Invisible Girl Storms (Alba) attempts to get married, not to forget the on-going friendly ribbing between Johnny The Human Torch Storm (Evans) and Ben The Thing Grimm (Chiklis), theres just enough drama and raw comic material to keep the characters from becoming one-dimensionally cartoonish. And as in the previous film, the cast infuses their roles with the right blend of comic timing and weight to make the fantastic foursome such a likeable bunch. Even Doug Jones, as the titular Silver Surfer who arrives on Earth to herald its destruction, does a nice job despite the fact that his voice has been replaced yet again, this time by Laurence Fishburne.
Skewered Expectations
Perhaps its a question of skewered expectations in which Fantastic Four is held to standards that may not, in the end, be all that necessary. While the performances arent Oscar-calibre, they dont need to be. While there is a definite absence of gravitas artistic and dramatic the lack of heavy elements like those that make up Spider-Man suggests that gravitas isnt the point. Much like MiB 2, Rise of the Silver Surfer is like a Saturday morning cartoon. Its a comic book come to cinematic life, complete with all the storytelling quirks (like villains who always come back). The film doesnt take itself too seriously and encourages audience to have fun along with the characters who, unlike other superheroes, dont torture themselves with the ethics of having powers. They just do the right thing and enjoy it along the way. Without taking anything away from those brooding other guys, its still a refreshing change of pace – one that’s made all the more brisk by the lack of introductory exposition.
This raises a question, of course, about that notorious epithet hurled at films that fail to meet certain standards: disposable entertainment. To some extent, all entertainment is by nature disposable. The entertaining moments, fleeing as they are, always come to an end. Yes, there are films that go beyond entertainment to engage the heart and stimulate the mind. Its arguable to what extent they really leave filmgoers changed, but they do accomplish more than simply pass the time. Still, who says a film always has to shatter the earth? Sometimes its nice to just be entertained. Rise of the Silver Surfer may qualify as disposable entertainment, but it sure does deliver a walloping dose of fun.
Entertainment Value: ** (out of two)
Technical Quality: ** (out of two)
Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer. Written by Don Payne and Mark Frost. Directed by Tim Story. Starring Ioan Gruffud, Jessica Alba, Michael Chiklis, Chris Evans and Julian McMahon. 92 minutes. Rated PG (for sequences of action violence, some mild language and innuendo.)