The first “Fantastic Four” film was a bright and shiny counterpoint to some of the darker superhero movies of the past. It was colorful, it was funny and it didn’t take itself too seriously. Sure there were lessons about being true to yourself and your friends, but overall it was four funky heroes taking down a metallic baddie.

The recently released second installment is the same thing. The characters - Mr. Fantastic, a stretchy genius; his fiancée Sue Storm, an Invisible Woman; her brother, Johnny, The Human Torch; and their buddy, Ben Grimm, The Thing, team up to take down the Silver Surfer. Who is the Silver Surfer? Well, he is an alien emissary that comes to a planet and digs craters. Seven days later, his boss, Galactus, comes and sucks the energy out of a planet, destroying it.

Oh yeah and Victor Von Doom comes back - though I’m unclear on how - but he brings some much needed nastiness to the film. Von Doom was a former friend of the Fantastic Four and now he is their biggest foe. This movie forces them to work together and it makes things interesting.

Chris Evans as The Human Torch is the best part of this movie. He was the best part of the first movie too. He is funny and believable as a young guy who inherits some special powers. The rest of the four are pretty good too, but Evans steals every scene. The effects with the Silver Surfer are awesome and there are a few great action sequences, but “Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer” is more about being a fun superhero movie and less an action film.

It is a fun movie and well worth the price of admission - if you like films like this. I do and I wasn’t disappointed.

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