Fantastic Four - Rise of the Silver Surfer - review

Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer (PG) 

Dir. Tim Story

Reviewed by Matt Adcock (@Cleric20)

All that you know, is at an end… The cosmic entity known as the Silver Surfer has been spotted in the skies heralding the doom of our planet - for the people of earth nothing will be the same…

Fantastic Four was a fun knockabout popcorn superhero flick which made more than $330million in cinemas – so it was really only a matter of time before the ‘first family of superheroes’ burst back onto our screens. Now the blue suited team of the stretchy Mr Fantastic (Ioan Gruffudd), flame coated Human Torch (Chris Evans), brick faced The Thing (Michael Chiklis) and the lycra clad Invisible Woman (Jessica Alba) are up against one of the most iconic Marvel comic book characters of all time.

Fantastic 4 Rise of the Silver Surfer is the perfect summer movie – special effects that work, good action, lots of fun and the coolest superhero ever to grace the screen in Silver Surfer. The film flashes by, dashing from scene to scene and it maintains the kooky family friendly feel of the first movie so while it won’t please those looking for serious brooding dark escapism; it is liable to be a big hit with younger superhero fans.

The Silver Surfer is undoubtedly the star; he’s an amazing creation and that rarest of beasts in a CGI character that actually works. Unfortunately for the people of earth he’s working for the massive planet destroying force known as Galactus which means that the world as we know it will end if the Fantastic Four can’t find a way to intervene. Just to make things even worse, Dr Doom decides to stage a comeback too and so the heroes really have their work cut out for them this time. There are lots of fun elements including the introduction of the ‘Fantasticar’ (a nifty 20-foot long flying vehicle) and the fact that the cosmic powers of the surfer make for some power swaps amongst the heroes.

Rise of the Silver Surfer builds nicely on the first film and delivers the wham bam visual spectacle you want e.g. a surfer induced crisis on the London Eye is one high point. Also this is a sequel which refreshingly doesn’t outstay its welcome unlike certain other ‘hero’ films with seriously bloated running times. So, it might not change your life but it will entertain and that is surely what comic books are all about?

Out of 5 you have to go with a kid friendly super-em-up which is fun to watch and worth a 3...

Darkmatters ratings:
Action ööö – surfer thrills a go go
Laughs ööö – good natured mirth
Horror ö – only Alba's acting ability
Babes öööö – JessicaOverall ööö


"Human Torch get's 'clobberin power' at one point!"
"Human woman, your knowledge is at an end... but you have a very nice ass!"

Darkmatters: H O M E