So I just finished looking at the 3-disc DVD set of FF: Rise of the Silver Surfer.
Fantastic Four
really plays more like an episode of a TV series than a movie. And I was right
as I watched it on our bedroom TV. This isn’t a grand movie series. It’s a very
good TV series playing on the largest of screens.
The plot (oh yeah
that) is the Silver Surfer (played by Doug Jones and voiced by Lawrence
Fishbourne) who goes from planet to planet preparing them to be eaten by his
master Galactus (which appears as a giant storm cloud, but if you look closely
you can see there is something mechanical and malevolent in there). Do you
really want to see a giant with a purple helmet? So of course he comes to earth
to deal with Reed (played by Ioan Gruffudd) his soon-to-be-wife Sue Storm
(Jessica Alba), The Thing (Michael Chiklis) and The Human Torch (Chris Evans).
There's not much
more to it than that. Oh there is Dr. Doom. who shows up for a little while.
played by Julian McMahon. I must say he is HORRIBLE. I said earlier that he might take my Cuba Gooding
award. But after seeing Daddy Day
Camp, it’s all Cuba’s. Again.What the hell? Leave his mask on. I rather look at
Dr. Doom than some guy who is playing a Prada baddie.
Okay I'm off of
my soapbox. Look, Fantastic Four is nothing more than it is trying to be - a
fluffy, quick popcorn movie. And it delivers. Plus Jessica Alba loses her
clothes...again. Michael Chiklis and Chris Evans shine as The Thing and Torch
respectively. Their bickering is fun. And I feel like the four have chemistry.
I do wish they could figure out a rockier version for The Thing. And will
someone tell these actors (yes Toby Macguire, too) that we are going to see the
characters they play, not them. In all the viewings I saw of FF cartoons, I can't
remember ever seeing The Thing as Ben Grimm. What the hell!?! Ioan Gruffudd is
fine as Reed. And the Fantastic Car is dope.
Oh and the Silver
Surfer is like wow. Yeah the four deserved this. The chase between Johnny and
the SS is off the chains. The fx are hot. The subplots are funny. And they
globe hop. And yes Jessica Alba loses her clothes. And the flick is 87 minutes.
What's to hate?
The DVD is chock
full of goodies from production diaries to behind the scenes magic. I really dug the history of the Silver
Surfer and the making of the Fantastic Car. The special Circuit City DVD also contains fun production
diaries from the crew. It’s well worth the 21.99 I paid for it.
MOVIE: THREE
AND A HALF BALL POINT PENS
DVD EXTRAS:
FIVE BALL POINT PENS
OTHER JESSICA
ALBA MOVIES WORTH NOTING: Sin City, Fantastic Four, Good Luck Chuck
OTHER MICHAEL
CHIKLIS MOVIES/PROJECTS: The Shield
OTHER DOUG
JONES PROJECTS: Hell Boy, Pan’s Labyrinth