Thursday, September 27, 2007

The Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer DVD

DVD Review by Kam Williams

Headline: Dull Superhero Sequel Still Disappointing on DVD

How do you take a team of beloved, comic book crime fighters with cool superhuman powers and turn them into absolute bores by the time they hit the big screen? That’s a question which can best be answered by Tim Story, director of The Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer, since he’s achieved that improbable feat twice now. For this surprisingly-flat sequel proves to be just as dull as his first adaptation of the Marvel franchise back in 2005.
Inspired by the classic Greek elements, air, fire, water and earth, the quartet is led by the elastic Dr. Reed Richards, aka Mr. Fantastic (Ioan Gruffudd). Then, there’s Sue Storm (Jessica Alba), her brother, Johnny (Chris Evans), The Human Torch, and The Thing (Michael Chiklis), a rock-like mutant with incredible strength.
At the point of departure, we find Reed and Sue making last-minute preparations for their impending marriage, blissfully unaware of extraordinary climate changes unfolding. Only after a blackout ruins the couple’s wedding day, does anybody pause to wonder what’s suddenly causing these atmospheric anomalies.
Of course, it isn’t global warming, but the work of The Silver Surfer, an intergalactic traveler on a mission to Earth on behalf of an evil entity that feeds on life-bearing planets. Soon, it becomes clear that it’s going to take a concerted effort to match wits with and to subdue this virtually-indestructible villain bent on world domination.
So, at the suggestion of U.S. Army General Hager (Andre Braugher), the Fantastic Four reluctantly join forces with their recently-revived archenemy, the diabolical Doctor Doom (Julian McMahon). Unfortunately, the tortoise-paced adventure which ensues is an insult to the intelligence which relies on pseudo-scientific claptrap that probably couldn’t even convince a ten year-old of its merit.
The worst comic book adaptation since, well, since the first Fantastic Four.

Poor (0 star)
Rated PG for sexual innuendo, mild epithets, and action violence.
Running time: 92 minutesStudio: 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment

No comments: