Fantastic Four - Rise Of The Silver Surfer (2 Disc Special Edition) [2007] (DVD)

Not the best I brought this because I thought it would be better than the first film, I was wrong! This film is way too short, they cut out silver surfers master, you see a huge swirley thing instead of the comic book version, and they still couldn't kill of doom....

Barely an improvement on the terrible original. I'm truly shocked to see how many 4/5 star reviews this is getting. Not sure where everyone's lost their critical faculties - behind the sofa maybe. Without even going into the comic book itself and how faithful the film is/isn't, the execution of the film is mostly terrible. Poor acting from the majority of the (mostly mis)cast can probably be partially blamed on the truly terrible script with the only decent lines (the scene where Mr Fantastic tells off the General pointing out how the former jock now relies on the former nerd for help) coming from one incarnation of the books. As Dr. Doom, McMahon is still a ridiculous choice for the character, and once again is lumbered with the cheesiest lines. Competing for 'most miscast actor' are Gruffud as Mr Fantastic and the always terrible (albeit easy on the eye) Jessica Alba. 'Sunshine' demonstrated that Chris Evans is capable of so much better, as apparently 'The Shield' does for Michael Chiklis, though I've nver seen an episode. The climax of the film, well, isn't. At least the effects are passable, and the film is mercifully short. I can see the appeal for the (very) young, but not anyone with a functioning adult brain. The only really successful part of the whole affair is the Silver Surfer himself, elegantly acted by Doug Jones, richly voiced by Laurence Fishbourne, beautifully visualised by the special effects teams, and the only character done real justice by the writing - although his screen-time is all too short. The one light at the end of the tunnel is that Fox are in the process of putting a Silver Surfer film together, with J. Michael Straczynski writing. If they combine the acting/effects team of the Fantastic Four Surfer with a proven, talented writer like Straczynski (with a demonstrated handle on the character - see his recent Silver Surfer: Requiem comic book mini-series), they might be able to come up with a slice of fried gold. Let's just hope it goes to a better director than Tim Story.

What an improvement!? Have to say i was pleasently suprised by this movie. The first movie in this saga was average at best. But what that movie lacks in, this movie more than makes up for?! Excellent location sequences such as London on the Thames and the Black Forrest Germany added something that most action movies lack in which is action outside of the States. Some excellent acting from the cast, all it appears they needed was time to gel. Bring on Fantastic 4- 3

What a dire film I'm so glad I rented this film and didnt buy it. I quite liked the first fantastic four film- it was lightweight but good fun This film is awful and supports the theory that good CGI effects won't prop up an extremely weak story and dire acting. The attempts at humour are feeble. I'm sure if you're between 8 and 10 then you might like this film, any older and you'll probably wish you had done something far more useful than watch this rot.

For this complete package, a well deserved 5 stars I had high hopes for this movie and in the main they have been fulfilled. The Surfer is one of Marvel's great icons and no doubt some will be disappointed by this movie due to their own high expectations. The single disc would have got 4 stars but this two disc version is well deserving of 5 stars for the package as a whole. The story worked for me, a modern version of FF 48-50 with Doctor Doom returning to steal the Surfer's board and hence his powers then taking on the FF, unaware that Galactus is getting closer to the Earth. Wisely it was decided the old comic version of Galactus would not work here and he has had a full make-over, although fans do get a good view of the classic headpiece as its shadow reflects against a planet. The devourer himself is only hinted at. Another nice tribute is the appearance of Stan Lee himself in his cameo role as he tries to attend the wedding of Sue and Reed. In the original comic (FF King Size 3) he and the Surfer's creator Jack Kirby are shown trying to enter the wedding unsuccessfully. Yet again the acting highlights are Michael Chiklis and Chris Evans as the duelling team-mates who do seem to get a kick out of their characters. Where this package wins for me is the second disc, especially the 39 minute documentary on the phenomenon of the Surfer with contributions from Marvel greats Stan Lee, Jim Starlin, Steve Engelhart and many others that cover the many years that I missed and am now catching up on. There's also the "Making Of.." documentary, which although has now become an obligatory extra still comes up with some interesting details. The hint that Sue is pregnant for one, will Agatha Harkness be around for the next movie if Franklin makes an appearance? For the next movie, it has to be the Sub-Mariner or, at the very least, please bring on the Skrulls or Annihilus.