I Say: Fantastic! Four Stars!

Sorry for the delay, but I need to add my 2 cents to the debate over "Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer." Mary and I caught the matinee Sunday and the film is a genuine thrill ride. It is a good time that plays true to the comic book and is better than it predecessor, 2005's "Fantastic Four."

This time around, FFROTSS is that rare comic book-turned-movie that is great fun that kids and parents will enjoy equally. I knew this before I saw it (and before I read anything from film critics who wouldn't know a comic book from a orangutan much less recall the comic book story arc when Johnny was put in charge of the business side of the FF and set about making product endorsement deals) on Saturday morning when a mom and her two boys entered the comic book shop ahead of me. 
 
"Do you have any comic books with the Fantastic Four or the Silver Surfer?" she asked the guy behind the counter. The boys were like 8-10 years old and mom and dad had taken them to see the movie the night before. They left with an armful of comics and I thought: "This is awesome. A new generation of fanboys!"

Too many times, Marvel and DC have wrapped their characters around complex plots and dark images ("Batman Begins," "Spider-Man 3," "Daredevil") that have not exactly been accessible to younger or more sensitive viewers. Clearly, the decision has been made to go the "bubble gum" route with the FF movies and I, for one, say "Here! Here!" As a result of this accessibility, FFROTSS opened as the No. 1 movie this past weekend at $57.4 million, up from the 2005 opening of $56.3 million.

Of course, film critics mostly pilloried the latest adventures of Reed, Sue, Johnny and Ben. I will address them later. I found this interesting, however: Two years ago, both my brother, Eric, and my brother from another mother, Brad, hated the initial FF movie. This time around? Here's Eric's view:

Rise of the Silver Surfer: It is Fantastic .

Brad has posted the views of his alter ego, Sherlock Holmes IV, here:

The Cinema of the Four

More later,


Mark