Fantastic 4: Rise of the Silver Surfer (2007)
"4: Rise of the Silver Surfer" (original title)

The Fantastic Four learn that they aren't the only super-powered beings in the universe when they square off against the powerful Silver Surfer and the planet-eating Galactus.

Director:

Tim Story

Writers:

Don Payne (screenplay), Mark Frost (screenplay),

Stars:

Ioan Gruffudd, Jessica Alba, Chris Evans

2 wins & 13 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Ioan Gruffudd	...	Mr. Fantastic / Reed Richards
Jessica Alba	...	Invisible Woman / Susan Storm
Chris Evans	...	Human Torch / Johnny Storm
Michael Chiklis	...	The Thing / Ben Grimm
Julian McMahon	...	Dr. Doom / Victor Von Doom
Kerry Washington	...	Alicia Masters
Andre Braugher	...	General Hager
Laurence Fishburne	...	The Silver Surfer (voice)
Doug Jones	...	The Silver Surfer
Beau Garrett	...	Captain Raye
Brian Posehn	...	Wedding Minister
Zach Grenier	...	Mr. Sherman / Rafke
Dawn Chubai	...	Anchorwoman
Chris Gailus	...	Anchorman
Kevin McNulty	...	Baxter Building Doorman

Storyline

Everything seems to be going great for the Fantastic Four. Reed and Sue are finally getting married, and things couldn't seem better. However, when the mysterious Silver Surfer crashes things, they learn that they will have to deal with an old foe, and the powerful planet eating "Gah Lak Tus."

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Plot Keywords:

fantastic four | silver | universe | planet | space | 

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Taglines:

Rise

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Genres:

Action | Fantasy | Sci-Fi | Thriller

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG for sequences of action violence, some mild language and innuendo

Details

Official Sites:

20th Century Fox [us]

Country:

USA Germany UK

Language:

English Japanese Chinese Arabic

Release Date:

15 June 2007 (USA)

Also Known As:

Fantastic Four 2

Filming Locations:

Black Forest, Baden-Württemberg, Germany

Box Office

Budget:

$130,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

£4,137,169 (UK) (15 June 2007)

Gross:

$131,920,333 (USA) (12 October 2007)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation, Constantin Film Produktion, Marvel Studios

Technical Specs

Runtime:

92 min

Sound Mix:

DTS Dolby Digital SDDS (uncredited)

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The blades of the helicopter that nearly destroys Sue and Reed's wedding were created with CGI.

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Goofs

As Von Doom lands his helicopter on the slab of ice to meet the Silver Surfer, the helicopter points toward the left side of the screen, but a few moments later, after the cut scene to the hole, the helicopter is seen pointing towards the right side of the screen. Another cut to the hole and back, the copter is back to facing the left. Also watch the speed of the rotors. As Von Doom initially leaves the chopper, the blades can be seen rotating slowly. When the Silver Surfer later rises out of the hole, the blades have sped up considerably.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Anchorwoman: Last night the F.A.A. was forced to ground all aircraft, leaving thousands stranded, when electronic failures and mysterious power outages crippled the western United States. But the big story today, the much anticipated wedding of fantastic couple Reed Richards and Susan Storm will take place this Saturday.

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Connections

Referenced in Bad Movie Beatdown: BMB Spoony Experiment: Tekken (2011)

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Soundtracks

"Quartet For Strings In C Major 'Emperor': Allegro"
Written by Joseph Haydn (as Haydn)
Arranged by Jim Long
Courtesy of Point Classics LLC

User Reviews

The Silver Surfer's First Film Appearance Deserved Better Treatment

I don't know what it is about this movie that keeps me watching it every few months. It almost as if I need to watch it on occasion to remind myself how mediocre it is. It was hard to believe that a Marvel film utilizing one of the most interesting characters from the comic universe, Galactus, could be so bland. I suppose one of the reasons I keep returning to this film is that I want so badly to see the Fantastic Four franchise survive. I know it has potential; I love the characters, it has an interesting collection of villains to select from, and the comic series provides some great stories as starting material. It just isn't happening, thanks to poor writing and a little too much creative license at the hands of director Tim Story and writers Don Payne and Mark Frost.

The second installment in the F4 franchise suffers from the some of the same problems as the first film, while adding some new issues on top. The story potential is high: Reed Richards and Susan Storm's wedding is postponed (again) when the Earth receives a visit from the Silver Surfer, herald of Galactus. Further complications arise when Victor von Doom returns with plans of his own. Just writing that synopsis made me want to watch the film again; it sounds like the foundation for a great F4 film. My issues began with the fact that we wasted the first 30 minutes of the film preparing for Reed and Sue's wedding instead of getting to the meat of the Silver Surfer plot. Then, once the plot kicks into gear, we're rushed through the next hour to a deus ex machina ending that fails to satisfy (and may even aggravate some of the comic series' fans). When the film was over, I felt as if the Surfer was never given the opportunity to reach his full on-screen potential and I've been left hoping he's given another shot.

Just as in the first film, this movie is plagued with some cringe-worthy one-liners (once again, Doom is given some of the worst). I know the F4 was a bit goofier than some of the other Marvel properties but the filmmakers need to tone it down a bit. Though, I can deal with corny dialogue; what I can't abide is blatant slap-in-the-face product placement. I loved that the filmmakers were able to work the Fantasticar into the script (especially since I'd considered it a bit too cartoonish to work in a film) but the shout-out for Dodge when Johnny first sees it and excitedly exclaims "A hemi!" went a bit too far.

All of the original cast from the first film return, which is both good and bad. Just as before, Ioan Gruffudd, Chris Evans, and Michael Chiklis are perfect choices for their characters and do a (no pun intended) fantastic job bringing their characters to life. Also, just as in the first film, I was unimpressed with the performances of Jessica Alba and Julian McMahon. Alba is a beautiful woman and fits the image of Susan Storm, but I've never felt her to be too talented an actress and she remains the weak point of the series. McMahon, again, does not feel right in the role of Dr. Doom; he has a hard time doing insidiously evil without coming across as a hammed performance and I just can't take him seriously. These are not traits I want in the man given the role as one of the best Marvel villains.

For what time we're given with him, the Surfer is the most impressive aspect of this film. The visual effects team did a great job with creating the iconic character and Laurence Fishburne was an inspired casting choice for his voice. Galactus, unfortunately, does not receive the same treatment and we are never given a real glimpse at the demigod through his surrounding cloud. In my opinion, it was a waste but the director Tim Story clarified in the film's supplemental material that he chose to keep Galactus vague so that future filmmakers could do him justice. After two average films, now we need to hope someone is even given the chance.

Honestly, this film will only appeal to fans of the series and, even then, don't expect to be wow'd. The second F4 film isn't a bad movie, but it never rises above mediocre. The impressive special effects and production design fall victim to plot holes, poor writing, and under-use of the film's assets. It's a quick, mildly entertaining means of spending 90 minutes but, if you're anything like me, you'll walk away from this film wondering what could have been if the epic introduction of the Silver Surfer and Galactus had been put in better hands.