Why Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer is #1 at the Box Office

Two nights ago, I sat in an absolutely packed-out theater. Kids, adults and teenagers of all sorts surrounded me. 'Fantastic 4: Rise of the Silver Surfer' obviously had something to offer. Having already earned $57.4 million in it's first weekend, the summer superhero blockbuster topped all competitors, including 'Ocean's Thirteen' and 'Pirates of the Carribean: At World's End.'

What 20th Century Fox has done with 'Fantastic 4' is actually quite simple: make a movie from a story that American's can relate to, and make it big. 'Fantastic 4' has more than one hero, giving it an advantage even over films such as 'Spiderman' and 'Superman Returns.' 'Fantastic 4' achieves something much closer to what the 'X-Men' trilogy has; making a broad range of characters for audience go-ers to choose from and enjoy. Children and adults get a quadruple package with Mr. Fantastic's stretching, The Thing's super strength, The Human Torch's 'flame-on!' and The Invisible Woman's, well, invisibility. All this doesn't even include the return of Dr. Doom and the arrival of The Silver Surfer, another classic comic book character. The sequel returns with the star-studded cast of Ioan Grufford, Jessica Alba, Michael Chiklis, Julian McMahon and Laurence Fishburne as the voice of the Silver Surfer.

'Fantastic 4' returns with (thankfully) a better story, more action and a heightened sense of thrill for what will probably be the best ride audiences can take all summer. Kids will find humor in the simple jokes and excitement in the action. The attraction for adults is really just the same, with an added sense of attachment to a beloved comic book story. In the film, the Fantastic 4 must deal with a new threat from outer space: The Silver Surfer. The Silver Surfer brings destruction of Earth with him and the four heroes must fight to save their planet and their friendship. In the midst of all this havoc is a quite congenial detail and a pressing matter in the film: the marriage of Sue Storm (the Invisible Woman) to Reed Richards (Mr. Fantastic).

Fox made a smart move in pushing a 'PG' rating for the film instead of a 'PG-13' ensuring the family audience. Fox also set the release date for June 15 in order to attract audiences in the first weekend of summer for many American children. Advertisements for the film could be seen everywhere, but Fox did well not to 'show the entire film in the previews,' a seemingly common mistake of production studios these days.

'Fantastic 4: Rise of the Silver Surfer' had a great start and will continue to succeed because it does not disappoint. Unlike 'Spiderman 3,' 'Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End' and 'Shrek 3,' 'Rise of the Silver Surfer' does not create high expectations and leave audience members feeling as though they were ripped-off. I went to 'Rise of the Silver Surfer' expecting something similar to the first installment. When I left the theatre, however, I felt much more satisfied and content than I had anticipated. While I wouldn't rate the film up against last year's 'The Departed' or 'Children of Men,' this film works for a family-oriented superhero adventure.

All in all, if you are seeking a fun, family-friendly and exciting movie, do not hesitate to grab tickets to 'Fantastic 4: Rise of the Silver Surfer'. I guarantee you won't feel like you wasted your time.