Rated PG for sequences of action violence, some mild language and innuendo.
Directed by Tim Story (Fantastic Four)
Starring Ioan Gruffudd, Jessica Alba, Chris Evans, Michael Chiklis and Julian McMahon
Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer is a comic book movie done right.
Life is good for the Fantastic Four. Dr. Doom (Julian McMahon) has been defeated, Reed (Ioan Gruffudd) and Sue (Jessica Alba) are finally getting married, Ben (Michael Chiklis) and Alicia (Kerry Washington) are happy and Johnny (Chris Evans) is still Johnny. But all that is about to change with strange occurrences around the world and the arrival of the mysterious Silver Surfer (Doug Jones and Laurence Fishburne). The team learns that the Surfer is working for the planet-eater, Galactus and he is on his way to Earth.
I’m one of the few that liked the first Fantastic Four movie, but Tim Story’s second effort with one of the original comic book characters is so much better. The Rise of the Silver Surfer has a strong, fast-paced story and some of the best special effects I have seen in a while.
There is also a realness (yes I said realness) to the characters. They are flawed and don’t always get along. This is especially true of The Thing and The Human Torch, and their banter is even better in this installment. While they may not be perfect they find a unity amongst themselves in order to save the day. SPOILER WARNING: At the end there are two scenes that reminded me of some familiar Bible passages. First, the Four combine their powers to defeat Dr. Doom (1 Corinthians 12) and then the Silver Surfer sacrifices himself in a very familiar pose.
If you are looking for the next Best Picture Academy Award winner…keep looking. But if you are in the mood for a fun entertaining movie with some amazing effects, check out Rise of the Silver Surfer.
SHOULD KIDS SEE IT?
My 9 and 6 (yeah Caleb had a birthday) year olds loved it, although Silver Surfer scared him a little. There are a few sexual innuendos and some mild language but other than that, it is a fun family movie.
Conversation Starter
Three Simple Questions (with Answers You May Be Looking for):
- What are some of the messages or themes you observed in this movie?
- How do you suppose we—as serious Christ-followers—should react to this movie?
- How can we move from healthy, Bible-based opinions about this movie to actually living out those opinions?
