Storming fun in foursome flick
Sunday, June 24, 2007
b>Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer
Cast: Ioan Gruffudd, Jessica Alba, Chris Evans, Michael Chiklis, Julian McMahon, Laurence Fishburn
Director: Tim Story
Genre: Action, Adventure
THIS summer's blockbuster sequels have been trying to be more serious and have failed miserably probably because all the big names were the ending to their trilogies so they tried too hard, tried to do too much, to go out with a bang; and ended up with a mere "pop". But not this one.
Remember how Tobey Maguire did his silly chicken dance in Spider-Man 3? Here, Ioan Gruffudd as Mr Fantastic hits a night club and does a number on the dance floor and not once did I flinch.
It didn't look out of place because this film was set out right from the beginning to be light-hearted. In a way you can argue that this is the wrong way to go, but in so many ways, it is exactly what a comic-book adaptation should be. Fun. Entertaining. Action-packed. At times illogical but nevertheless, still fun.
Granted, I would not use the word "fantastic" to describe this sequel, nor did I for the first, but let's first look at what's good in this one.
Two words: Chris Evans, or Johnny Storm, or Human Torch, or Flame On! Whichever you pick, all of the above describe the essence of this film. Without Chris Evans's portrayal of the hot-headed and impulsive Johnny Storm, this instalment could have been worse off.
Even though the main focus is on Jessica Alba's Sue Storm (aka The Invisible Woman) and Reed Richards (Mr Fantastic) and their wedding disasters, the two leads have failed to provide enough chemistry to give off any sparks that could rival those that come off so easily from the Human Torch.
Evans has the best scenes, the best fights, the best mishaps, the best lines, the best looking body, I might add, not to mention the best chase scene during the first encounter with the Silver Surfer as he whined before bursting his new suit into flames, "But this is Dolce".
And who would have thought they could create the Silver Surfer (voiced by Laurence Fishburn) for the big screen so excellently. The texture of his skin and his "surf board" were very impressive. Every scene involving the Silver Surfer soaring through the air was crisp and smooth and exactly how every fan imagines it when reading the comic book.
Staying true with the comic book setup, the bickering never ceases in this fantastic family. Sue once again complains to Reed about how he is always working, and Johnny is again making fun of The Thing (Michael Chiklis).
What was less impressive this time round were the action sequences there were too few. Not once did we get to see the Silver Surfer throw down with the Fantastic Four. We didn't even get to see the Surfer fight.
The return of Doctor Doom was also weak and did not bring with it the terror and chill that the good doctor usually exudes. But Julian McMahon who plays Doctor Doom gives the only solid acting performance in this movie when without his face mask on, of course.
Here's something the producers really need to take note of, though: Jessica Alba needs a new makeup artist if there's going to be a third instalment, as she looks like a plastic doll. No amount of acting talent is going to save her from that fake blonde dye and those overly-blue contact lenses. She has managed yet again to go accidentally naked in public; totally uncalled for, but I shouldn't be complaining, really.
Overall, this has been the second only really satisfying flick of the summer so far (the other being the sleek Ocean's 13). The light heartedness and some decent CGI effects make it entertaining enough. And a runtime of 90 minutes is short enough to not bore the audience. Although critics hated this, at least the fans enjoyed it.
The next big one to really look out for is perhaps one of the most anticipated movies of our time: to see the robots from the 80s cartoon Transformers brought to life. So until then, Flame On!
Reviewer's Rating: 7/10 The Brunei Times
Cast: Ioan Gruffudd, Jessica Alba, Chris Evans, Michael Chiklis, Julian McMahon, Laurence Fishburn
Director: Tim Story
Genre: Action, Adventure
THIS summer's blockbuster sequels have been trying to be more serious and have failed miserably probably because all the big names were the ending to their trilogies so they tried too hard, tried to do too much, to go out with a bang; and ended up with a mere "pop". But not this one.
Remember how Tobey Maguire did his silly chicken dance in Spider-Man 3? Here, Ioan Gruffudd as Mr Fantastic hits a night club and does a number on the dance floor and not once did I flinch.
It didn't look out of place because this film was set out right from the beginning to be light-hearted. In a way you can argue that this is the wrong way to go, but in so many ways, it is exactly what a comic-book adaptation should be. Fun. Entertaining. Action-packed. At times illogical but nevertheless, still fun.
Granted, I would not use the word "fantastic" to describe this sequel, nor did I for the first, but let's first look at what's good in this one.
Two words: Chris Evans, or Johnny Storm, or Human Torch, or Flame On! Whichever you pick, all of the above describe the essence of this film. Without Chris Evans's portrayal of the hot-headed and impulsive Johnny Storm, this instalment could have been worse off.
Even though the main focus is on Jessica Alba's Sue Storm (aka The Invisible Woman) and Reed Richards (Mr Fantastic) and their wedding disasters, the two leads have failed to provide enough chemistry to give off any sparks that could rival those that come off so easily from the Human Torch.
Evans has the best scenes, the best fights, the best mishaps, the best lines, the best looking body, I might add, not to mention the best chase scene during the first encounter with the Silver Surfer as he whined before bursting his new suit into flames, "But this is Dolce".
And who would have thought they could create the Silver Surfer (voiced by Laurence Fishburn) for the big screen so excellently. The texture of his skin and his "surf board" were very impressive. Every scene involving the Silver Surfer soaring through the air was crisp and smooth and exactly how every fan imagines it when reading the comic book.
Staying true with the comic book setup, the bickering never ceases in this fantastic family. Sue once again complains to Reed about how he is always working, and Johnny is again making fun of The Thing (Michael Chiklis).
What was less impressive this time round were the action sequences there were too few. Not once did we get to see the Silver Surfer throw down with the Fantastic Four. We didn't even get to see the Surfer fight.
The return of Doctor Doom was also weak and did not bring with it the terror and chill that the good doctor usually exudes. But Julian McMahon who plays Doctor Doom gives the only solid acting performance in this movie when without his face mask on, of course.
Here's something the producers really need to take note of, though: Jessica Alba needs a new makeup artist if there's going to be a third instalment, as she looks like a plastic doll. No amount of acting talent is going to save her from that fake blonde dye and those overly-blue contact lenses. She has managed yet again to go accidentally naked in public; totally uncalled for, but I shouldn't be complaining, really.
Overall, this has been the second only really satisfying flick of the summer so far (the other being the sleek Ocean's 13). The light heartedness and some decent CGI effects make it entertaining enough. And a runtime of 90 minutes is short enough to not bore the audience. Although critics hated this, at least the fans enjoyed it.
The next big one to really look out for is perhaps one of the most anticipated movies of our time: to see the robots from the 80s cartoon Transformers brought to life. So until then, Flame On!
Reviewer's Rating: 7/10 The Brunei Times
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