---
title: "Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer"
year: 2007
kind: "film"
canonical: "https://film.one/film/fantastic-four-rise-of-the-silver-surfer"
fi1m_id: "fantastic-four-rise-of-the-silver-surfer"
imdb_id: "tt0486576"
tmdb_id: 1979
wikidata_id: "Q390063"
fi1m_score: 52
critics_score: 51
critics_reviews: 13
published: "2026-10-05T05:16:53.755340+00:00"
updated: "2026-10-05T05:16:53.863491+00:00"
region: "GR"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer (2007)

Directed by Tim Story · 1h 32m · ΓΓΤΕ 13 · Science Fiction, Adventure, Action

## Identity

Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/film/fantastic-four-rise-of-the-silver-surfer
- **Type:** Film
- **Fi1m ID:** fantastic-four-rise-of-the-silver-surfer
- **IMDb ID:** tt0486576
- **TMDB ID:** 1979
- **Wikidata ID:** Q390063
- **Same entity:** https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0486576/, https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/1979, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q390063

**Fi1m score: 52** · Critics 51 from 13 reviews

*In a sentence:* The Silver Surfer turns up and makes four superheroes look like a staffing problem

> Tim Story’s superhero sequel has a welcome lightness and one compelling arrival in the Silver Surfer. Thin characters and clumsy dialogue leave too little to care about between the effects.

## Synopsis

The Silver Surfer arrives in a science-fiction adventure centred on Reed Richards (Ioan Gruffudd), Sue Richards (Jessica Alba), Johnny Storm (Chris Evans) and Ben Grimm (Michael Chiklis). Doug Jones plays the visitor, with Laurence Fishburne providing his voice. Victor Von Doom (Julian McMahon) also figures in their story, alongside Alicia Masters (Kerry Washington), General Hager (Andre Braugher) and Captain Raye (Beau Garrett). Tim Story directs a PG-certificate film that combines superhero action with comedy and runs for 92 minutes.

## Review

Tim Story makes room for a superhero adventure that is cheerful, brief and largely free of solemnity. We welcome that, and *Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer* is modestly entertaining whenever it gives its strange new arrival some attention. But the four leads remain too thinly written to make the danger matter, while the jokes cannot consistently make up the difference. At 92 minutes, it is easy enough to finish and difficult to recommend.

Chris Evans finds some comic energy in Johnny Storm, while Michael Chiklis gives Ben Grimm a warmth the writing could use more of. Ioan Gruffudd’s Reed Richards and Jessica Alba’s Sue Richards are harder to care about, though that is largely a problem on the page. Don Payne and Mark Frost’s screenplay supplies quips more readily than revealing responses. Without those, the banter becomes something to sit through between action scenes, however willing the actors.

The Silver Surfer changes that for a while. We felt a small rush of excitement at his arrival, because the animation gives him an assurance and strangeness missing from much of the surrounding film. Doug Jones plays him, with Laurence Fishburne supplying the voice, and the character holds our attention without the script constantly insisting that he should. His presence makes the uneven effects elsewhere harder to ignore, particularly when the human characters already need all the help they can get.

Larry Blanford’s cinematography makes the action easy to follow without giving it much force. William Hoy and Peter S. Elliot’s editing keeps the adventure brisk enough for its younger audience, but the dramatic moments need more room than the cutting allows. A short running time is welcome; it does not automatically make a film feel well paced. The action offers occasional ingenuity, then the dialogue returns and the energy begins to drain as we wait for another sequence to get moving.

Kirk M. Petruccelli’s production design is less memorable than the visitor passing through it, which leaves the film unusually dependent on a single animated figure. John Ottman’s music adds energy without making the danger feel particularly urgent. Both departments help sustain the cheerful adventure, but neither can supply the interest missing from the characters. The lighter tone is still a virtue: superhero adventures can bear a certain amount of silliness, and the director is sensible enough not to apologise for it.

Julian McMahon’s Victor Von Doom is the clearest disappointment, an unconvincing villain in a film that already struggles to establish anything worth worrying about. For an adventure with such a light touch, he is a dispiritingly ordinary obstacle. The screenplay never makes him interesting enough to justify the attention he takes from the Surfer. This is where the film most needs some invention, and Tim Story’s otherwise useful straightforwardness begins to look like a limitation. If the Silver Surfer is not already a particular interest, we would choose another adventure.

*Fi1m score 52, published 5 October 2026.*

## What the critics say

The consensus is mixed, with several critics finding a modest improvement on the first film rather than a persuasive reason to celebrate the sequel. Praise centres on the Silver Surfer, whose presence and animation give the reviews their most consistent point of interest. The lighter tone also wins some support: several critics enjoy the cheerful silliness, comic-book humour and undemanding action. Better effects earn qualified approval, though the praise is not uniform.

Reservations cluster around thin characterisation, weak villains and drama with little at stake. The spread is wide: warmer reviews accept the film as disposable family entertainment, while detractors find it dull and inconsequential. The New York Times is particularly hostile, citing recycled ideas, dead air and casual sexism. Den of Geek offers a more divided response, enjoying the inventive action and Doug Jones’s Silver Surfer performance but finding the ending rushed and incoherent.

## Straight answers

**Is Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer worth watching?**

*Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer* is difficult to recommend beyond those particularly interested in the Silver Surfer, and we score it 52 out of 100. Its cheerful tone and brief running time help, and the visitor supplies some excitement, but thin characters and clumsy dialogue make the stretches between action scenes a chore.

**How long is Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer, and what is it rated?**

*Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer* runs 1h 32m and is rated 13 by the ΓΓΤΕ in Greece. It is a science fiction and adventure film.

**Where can I watch Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer in Greece?**

*Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer* is streaming on Disney+ in Greece, and it is also available to rent from Apple TV from €3.99. Availability is checked daily; the links above go straight to each service.

**How does Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer compare to The Incredibles?**

*Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer* offers a lighter, thinner superhero adventure than [*The Incredibles*](https://film.one/film/the-incredibles), which we recommend for its more involving family and better jokes. The Silver Surfer is a compelling presence, but the four leads lack the recognisable grievances that make Brad Bird’s family worth caring about; his film is the stronger choice despite a slightly stretched running time.

**What should I watch after Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer?**

After *Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer*, try [*The Incredibles*](https://film.one/film/the-incredibles) (2004, Fi1m 88): A superhero family whose arguments matter as much as their powers. Then [*Castle in the Sky*](https://film.one/film/castle-in-the-sky) (1986, Fi1m 82): Flying machines, strange technology and young heroes worth worrying about; and [*The Iron Giant*](https://film.one/film/the-iron-giant) (1999, Fi1m 88): Another imposing visitor from space, given the emotional weight missing here.

### Reviews we read (13)

- **Empire**, Angie Errigo (65/100, inferred): Errigo finds the sequel silly but more polished than its predecessor, with a decent balance of action and juvenile humour. She singles out the Silver Surfer as the film’s most compelling presence. [Read](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/fantastic-four-rise-silver-surfer-review/)
- **The Guardian**, Peter Bradshaw (65/100, inferred): Bradshaw finds the film entertaining despite its silliness and lightweight tone. He praises its defiantly cheerful, no-brainer romp while noting its lack of gravitas. [Read](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2007/jun/15/actionandadventure.family)
- **Screen Daily**, John Hazelton (64/100, inferred): The visible excerpt introduces the sequel as aimed at a broader, slightly younger audience, but the review’s verdict is hidden behind the paywall. It identifies the Silver Surfer as a major new Marvel character, without revealing what the critic praises or criticizes. [Read](https://www.screendaily.com/fantastic-four-rise-of-the-silver-surfer/4033128.article)
- **Radio Times**, Andrew Collins (3/5): The review gives the film a middling-positive verdict. It singles out Ioan Gruffudd’s improved American accent for praise. [Read](https://www.radiotimes.com/movie-guide/b-a7qlz8/4-rise-of-the-silver-surfer/)
- **Total Film**, Total Film (3/5): The review finds the sequel an improvement that only just delivers, though it remains below Marvel’s best. It praises the Silver Surfer’s striking arrival while criticizing Victor Von Doom as a weak, ill-fitting villain. [Read](https://www.gamesradar.com/fantastic-four-rise-of-the-silver-surfer-review-2/)
- **The Hollywood Reporter**, Michael Rechtshaffen (55/100, inferred): The critic finds the sequel a modest improvement over its predecessor, though its clunky dialogue and underwritten characters limit it. The welcome satire and upgraded effects, especially the Silver Surfer, are singled out for praise. [Read](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/fantastic-four-rise-silver-surfer-review-movie-2007-158219/)
- **Variety**, Justin Chang (55/100, inferred): Chang finds the sequel breezy and cheerfully entertaining, but ultimately disposable and lacking real dramatic stakes. He praises the Silver Surfer’s striking animation and preserved character mythology, while criticizing the underdeveloped heroes and uneven visual effects. [Read](https://variety.com/2007/film/awards/fantastic-four-rise-of-the-silver-surfer-2-1200558569/)
- **Slant Magazine**, Nick Schager (2/4): Schager finds the sequel modestly entertaining but hampered by weak execution and forgettable drama. He praises its lighthearted fidelity to the comic-book source material. [Read](https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/fantastic-four-rise-of-the-silver-surfer/)
- **Time Out**, Mark Salisbury (2/5): The page is identified as a review, but the review text is unavailable, so its verdict cannot be determined. The visible metadata does not identify what the critic praised or criticized about this film. [Read](https://www.timeout.com/movies/fantastic-four-rise-of-the-silver-surfer-1)
- **The New York Times**, MANOHLA DARGIS (10/100, inferred): Dargis pans the sequel as a crashing bore assembled from recycled ideas and dead air. She singles out its casual sexism and dumb quips as part of its many failures. [Read](https://archive.nytimes.com/query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage-9D07E4DC153FF936A25755C0A9619C8B63.html)
- **Eye for Film**, Amber Wilkinson (70/100, inferred): Wilkinson finds the sequel a clear improvement: tighter, funnier and suitable for family audiences. She praises the better effects and make-up, while describing Tim Story’s direction as merely workmanlike. [Read](https://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/review/fantastic-four-rise-of-the-silver-surfer-film-review-by-amber-wilkinson)
- **Den of Geek**, Craig Lines (40/100, inferred): Lines finds plenty to enjoy but says a rushed, incoherent ending undermines the film. He praises the inventive action, comic-book-style dialogue, and Doug Jones’s performance as the Silver Surfer. [Read](https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/fantastic-four-rise-of-the-silver-surfer-review/)
- **Digital Spy**, Nick Levine (20/100, inferred): The critic finds the film an oddly inconsequential, boring blockbuster. They single out its lack of a convincing villain and superheroes who never feel super. [Read](https://www.digitalspy.com/movies/a61351/fantastic-four-rise-of-the-silver-surfer-review/)

## Details

- **Director:** Tim Story
- **Director:** Tim Story
- **Screenplay:** Don Payne, Mark Frost
- **Story:** John Turman, Mark Frost
- **Cinematography:** Larry Blanford
- **Editor:** William Hoy, Peter S. Elliot
- **Music:** John Ottman
- **Production design:** Kirk M. Petruccelli
- **Costume design:** Mary E. Vogt
- **Producer:** Bernd Eichinger, Ralph Winter, Avi Arad
- **Cast:** Ioan Gruffudd as Reed Richards; Jessica Alba as Sue Richards; Chris Evans as Johnny Storm; Michael Chiklis as Ben Grimm; Julian McMahon as Victor Von Doom; Laurence Fishburne as Silver Surfer (voice); Doug Jones as Silver Surfer; Kerry Washington as Alicia Masters
- **Runtime:** 1h 32m
- **Certificate (ΓΓΤΕ):** 13
- **Release (Greece):** 14 June 2007
- **Genres:** Science Fiction, Adventure, Action
- **Budget:** $130 million
- **Box office:** $302 million

## Where to watch in Greece

- Disney+: streaming, hd
- Apple TV: rent €3.99, hd
- Apple TV: buy €7.99, sd

*Checked 2026-10-05.*

Also available in: AR, AT, AU, BE, BG, BR, CA, CH, CL, CO, CZ, DE, DK, EC, EE, ES, FI, FR, GB, GR, HK, HR, HU, IE, IS, IT, JP, KR, LT, MX, NL, NO, NZ, PA, PE, PL, PT, RO, RS, SE, SG, SI, TR, US. Add `?region=XX` to this URL for another country.

## If you liked this

- *The Incredibles* (2004), Fi1m 88: A superhero family whose arguments matter as much as their powers. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/the-incredibles.md)
- *The Rocketeer* (1991): Cheerful aerial adventure with a clearer sense of what makes a hero.
- *Castle in the Sky* (1986), Fi1m 82: Flying machines, strange technology and young heroes worth worrying about. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/castle-in-the-sky.md)
- *The Iron Giant* (1999), Fi1m 88: Another imposing visitor from space, given the emotional weight missing here. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/the-iron-giant.md)
- *The Host* (2006): Family squabbling meets creature chaos, with sharper humour and much harsher consequences.

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/film/fantastic-four-rise-of-the-silver-surfer