Fantastic Four: Rise of the Good Time Movies
2 ½ out of 4 Fantoms
The second installment of the Fantastic Four film series was susprising, well, enjoyable. It feels very weird to say that after seeing so many comic book movies that have been just plain stupid, overdone and depressingly un-fun (i.e. Ghost Rider, Hulk, X-Men: TLS, Spider-Man 3, etc.)
Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer (which is loosely based on the "Galactus Trilogy") opens with two big stories happening in their FF movie universe: The first being Reed Richards and Sue Storms wedding, which is turning into a media fiasco and is being called the “Wedding of the Century”. Meanwhile, weather-changing anomalies are occurring all around the earth, as are giant 200-meter craters. This of course, is being caused by the Silver Surfer who is also releasing dangerous radioactive energy everywhere he goes. When no one is able to track down or stop the Surfer, the FF and the Army recruit some help: Victor Von Doom (mwahahahaha!!!!) Eventually, the FF learn that the Surfer is actually just a poor, innocent herald trying to save his home planet from being eaten by his master.
The one thing thats better in this sequel is that it’s interesting without trying to hard, and you are actually able to like the characters. As I said before, there is the wedding that is supposed to place between Reed and Sue, before it gets inturrupted by the Surfer. The writers manage to make a nice (or at least bearable) story line about there relationship without being cheesy. There is also a good background story involving Johnny and how he wants have some one to be with (enter Frankie Raye, but sorry – no Nova.) Ben doesn’t do too much, except for being the muscle and… well, that’s kind of it. Of course there is the evil Dr. Doom and the Silver Surfer. Dr. Doom is in the film just long enough to betray everyone, and almost have ultimate power. But the Silver Surfer, he might just be the thing that separates this film from the first. His cool, moral, nice, and tends to do the right thing… except when he’s helping an Omnipotent-like being destroy countless planets.
When you think about what makes this movie unique, first off, its just plain fun. Fun, fun, fun. Secondly, its script doesn’t suck (so that’s always helpful) and the tone of the film feels very natural and relaxed, and most of it isn't trying to be forced. Even the ending is relaxed, and thankfully, the movie doesn’t end 4 times (cough, cough, X-Men 3 and Spier-Man 3.) To be honest, I bet that the only reason I see this movie as good is because I had no expectations (especially after seeing the first movie) and because it looks pretty good when you compare it too everything else that has been so bad (comic book and non-comic movies alike); but that’s what makes this movie worth seeing, because even though its not Fantastic (ha, a pun), its not like any other movie in a while – insted, it lets you have a good time.