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Nope.

*My thoughts upon hearing the movies title: "I bet they fuck up Galactus"*

I actually enjoyed the first film for what it was, but gave up on seeing a decent Galactus when the producers started raving about what a stunning reinvention of the character and concept Warren Ellis created for Marvel's Ultimate line(1).

That'll be a swarm of giant space-bees made of Terminator 2 metal that was finally defeated by shooting it with a big gun, for those that didn't read it - and quite fortunate you were, too.






(1)  Which was itself a rip-off of Mageddon from Grant Morrison's JLA run - right down to the utter anti-climactic disappointment of his arrival and defeat (via shooting).

Yeah, but the end of Galactus' original appearance in issue 50 of FF came when he buggered off after being threatened with the Ultimate Nullifier, which is basically just a big gun - at least Ellis actually fired the bloody thing.*













*This should be in no way construed as a favourable reaction to the Ellis Ultimate line of dross, which I gave up on even before the Space Bees turned up.

Isn't the design of Galactus the way it is 'cos Avi Arad won't allow giant humanoids in the Marvel movies, hence the apperance of only a sentinel's head in X-Men 3?

Reminds me of Kevin Smith's Superman Vs. The Giant Spider story.

One more thing..

Is Doom such a screeming queen in the first movie??

'Cos he's camp as get out in this.

Doom's campness was noticeably absent in the first one - he just seemed a bit pouty more than anything else, and never talked about himself in the third person, which I thought was a bit of a step too far.

"Ultimate Nullifier, which is basically just a big gun"

No it wasn't!  The Ultimate Nullifier was a bomb, if anything - which would destroy everything, everywhere, leaving Galactus with nothing to feed on, and was a massive bluff by Reed Richards.  He basically out-thinkified the encroaching menace, while Ellis' concept was that Galactus was shot with a space-laser, which apparantly no-one in the entire history of the universe ever thought of before.
The Nullifier bluff was the equivalent of outsmarting the school bully and laughing at his stupidity afterwards - the space-gun was the equivalent of waiting for the school bully to take things too far by breaking into your house, then shooting at him after he's shat in your cutlery drawer.  Sure, he's buggered off, but now there'll always be a distinctly shitty aftertaste to the whole episode.

"Avi Arad won't allow giant humanoids in the Marvel movies, hence the apperance of only a sentinel's head in X-Men 3?"

But cycle-riding skeleton demons with burning heads, a man made of sand and an evil oil-alien that turns Spider-Man into an emo tosser are fine?  
Strange that only the Marvel movies where Avi Arad is sidelined or marginalised by more influential voices turn out good, while the ones where he has a lot more say as producer...  Not so much.

Such as?  Genuinely interested- I just can't be bothered to check!

It's probably no coincidence that Spider-Man 3 was the movie where Avi insisted Sam Raimi include Venom because "it's what the fans want to see".

"The Ultimate Nullifier was a bomb"

Well now you're just quibbling over terms, aren't you? (First sign that you know you're wrong, and probably some form of negative attention seeking)

What's the difference between a bomb and a gun? A gun is an object that fires high-velocity projectiles, whereas a bomb is an device designed to generate a rapid release of energy when triggered. Bombs can sometimes be (though are not necessarily) used in conjunction with some form of delivery device, some of which are indeed technically guns, so I put it to the jury that the Ultimate Nullifier would have required some form of delivery mechanism for it to work, and that it was indeed *both* and a gun and a bomb - a gunbomb that only the younger, cooler, more Ultimate Reed had the balls to explode upside Space Bee Galactus' gestalt-head.

You could argue that generally a bomb is static and anything that needs a delivery device is a missile, an artillery round or projectile etc

Doesn't a missile contain explosive material though? Does a bomb only count as a bomb if it's being dropped or specifically placed? After all, a bomb on a moving ship (in effect a delivery device) is indeed still a bomb.

The Ultimate Nullifier was a small box with a button on one side - you pushed the button and all matter in the universe became devoid of energy, making it useless to Galactus.  It wasn't a missile, it wasn't a gun - it wasn't even a bomb, that was just an analogous reference point for the purposes of making my tedious bully/spoon-drawer/poo simile.

"Such as? Genuinely interested- I just can't be bothered to check!"

He's technically a producer on everything with the Marvel name attached in the same way that Wagner and Grant were 'consultants' on the Dredd movie, but with fringe-appeal properties like Ghost Rider, Daredevil, SpiderMan unlimited, Man-Thing, Elektra or Ultimate Avengers, he's sort of forced to the front as lead producer, either by being the driving force behind getting the film/show made in the first place (Ghost Rider, Elektra), or left to his own devices after being told making a particular show is a bad idea (Spiderman Unlimited, Man-Thing).
To be fair, he was right about putting Venom in Spiderman 3, it's just a pity it amounted to no more than a brief cameo before getting explosionated.  Having him as the main villain in a standalone story would have made for a better movie - even if it was only because it would have been about five hours shorter.

Point, but as I understand it, he basically strong-armed Raimi into a position where he either dropped the Sandman plot that had already been developed or shoehorned both plots into the one film, leading to the unwieldy mess we ended up with.

"The Ultimate Nullifier was a small box with a button on one side - you pushed the button and all matter in the universe became devoid of energy, making it useless to Galactus."

But as the button was never pushed, you have absolutely no evidence to base your lack-of-delivery theory - if anything it's more of an anti-bomb, drawing energy in rather than releasing it, and as such the device itself is in fact the method of delivery - and since you clearly have misunderstood how it can be used in the first place, you're obviously just flailing around desperately in the dark for an argument here.

"and since you clearly have misunderstood how it can be used in the first place, you're obviously just flailing around desperately in the dark for an argument here."

A classic straight line if ever there was one...

Even on a forum full of nerds- this has to be one of the most frighteningly nerdy arguements I have ever read.
I salute you both!

Well I did try to spoilerise a funny image but ti didn't work however the film has been out for a day now so here is said image

why Avi Avad n ot allow it?

Avi Arid ids the source of all Marvel Movie evil. Cocking VENOM being in Spiderman 3 was his fault.

I quite enjoyed the movie. It's a little slow to get going, and there were perhaps a one or two too many  "lighthearted character moment" scenes (but nowhere near as many as Spider-Man 3).

The movie really kicks into gear for the second half - if the first half had been as good it would be a classic.

The surfer was excellent and some of the effects were absolutely stunning. As for Galactus... I'll post my opinions on that aspect when more people have seen the movie!

-- Mike

"But as the button was never pushed, you have absolutely no evidence to base your lack-of-delivery theory"

The button is sort of pushed by Quasar in the Infinty War.  It doesn't really give a graphic illustration of how it works though.
Quasar's thoughts as he activates it are "Have to keep concentrating on my target.  Clear my mind of all thoughts except the Magus.  Can't let a single extraneous thought creep in or the sphere of ultimate nullification will grow..."
There's nothing visibly emitting from the Ultimate Nullifier itself.  Magus' base has got swirly lines and stuff around it but there's a battle going on inside the base so it could be because of that.
When Magus uses the Infinty Gauntlet to turn the Ultimate Nullifier against Quasar he's covered in TV static then vanishes.

Apparently Galactus' herald Morg also fires the Ultimate Nullifier in an issue of Silver Surfer but I stopped collecting it before that happened.

Anyway the Ultimate Nullifier just seems to create a nullification sphere wherever the wielder wants in some amazing technological way that our puny human brains can't comprehend.

Ultimate Nullifier.  One button- everything goes pop.  You'd have to push it wouldn't you- just to see what happened.  How could you not?

Better than both X-Men 3 and Spiderman 3. Galactus wasn't as bad as I feared.  

The film was almost ruined for me by an especially obnoxious group of plummy voiced teenies, OK the film is stupid, but you're more stupid.

Better than both X-Men 3 and Spiderman 3.

Oh dear.

Oh, and both films were written by Mark Frost, of Twin Peaks fame. Which is probably a hefty chunk of cash for him, but still, what a step-down...

Better than both X-Men 3 and Spiderman 3

No it's not.

And how could Galactus not be as bad as you feared? It couldn't be more unlike Galactus.

It would be hard to Galactus well as a 50 storey dude but the big cloud of vapour he was shown as was plain rubbish. The Silver Surfer also snuffed him out pretty easily - he didn't need the FF at all! What they are saying is that the SS could have killed Galactus anytime he wanted but he happily killed billions of people instead of sacrificing  himself on day one. Of course it was the great old humans who showed him the value of life.

I did quite like it though especially the 90 minute run time. It was good to see Vic Mackey show up and despite some ropey Mr Fantastic effects (dancing) the various powers were better applied. Dr Doom was a pointless inclusion as was the bad ass general. Worth seeing for the Simpsons trailer alone. Also had the same trailer for the fifth Harry Potter in a row - ooh stage school kids in mild peril!

Also saw 'Vacancy' which I really enjoyed for subverting many of the standard slasher cliches - Don't go back to the baddie's body he won't really be dead - oh he is!

I have just got back from the cinema with a spoiler for you:

Fantastic Four - Rise of the Silver Surfer?

Don't bother. It'll be on television one day anyway.

"No it's not."

No, it is.

Went to see this last night, and actually thought it was alright (as in not nearly as bad as I suspected it was going to be), and mercifully short, which was the reason we decided to watch the film in the first place. Obviously it's a kiddie flick, as we noticed when we were surrounded by nippers in the auditorium, but relatively decent for what it is - until you get to the end of course, when it all just falls apart. Bit of a fortunate coincidence that Johnny Storm just happened to develop this power-filching thing after his initial showdown with the Surfer - who could have predicted that it would later be such a crucial plot device...?

Fuck knows what was going on with Dr. Doom, but I've not seen the first film so may be missing out on something here, and I can't bring myself to be too hard on any film starring Jessica Alba.

Indeed, as my mate said at the time, "Every cloud has a Silver Surfer"...*










*He's from Scouseland, so we try to encourage his passing attempts at wit.

The key phrase in the above post is "mercifully short".

Certainly shorter than Oceans Thirteen or Pirates of the Caribbean: At the World's End, which did it for us.

I thought it was fun. I quite agree with the above comments re Galactus (who just looked like smog), also the dodgy rubber dancing bit.  We both liked the Fantasticar
  Victor von Doom was a bit rubbish too, just sneering most of the time
  I wonder how John Byrne likes it?

Saw this at the weekend. Fun, but promptly forgotten. Glad I wasn't the only one who thought the Mr Fantastic effects were a bit ropey.

Found myself looking for the classic Galactus silhouette within the cloud. Saw it as the shadow across the moon and thought I saw it in the maelstrom at the end, but by this point I was more interested in wondering where to eat in Brum after the show.

BIG WOK!!!

Bolt-01

Mr Egg.

I'd second that.

Bolt and his lovely wife took us there while at the Birmingham con- it was flippin' awesome!

In august I'm taking the boys to see Transformers followed by a feast at the Wok, though we are tepted to make the trip up to Jimmy Spices in Sutton, Chinese, Thai, Indian and italian all spread over four individual serving stations.

YUM!

Bolt-01

I wasn't going to post until I've seen it (assuming I can be arsed) but, as noticed by Swimini and a chum of mine, Galactus does apparently cast his shadow over Saturn as he enters the solar system.

The aforementioned chum mentioned also that at no point did he get the impression the cloud was supposed to be Galactus.

Umm...what, even though they *call* it Galactus...?

Surprised no one's yet mentioned the Tellytubby-style Silver Surfer's Tummyvision.

"Chinese, Thai, Indian and italian all spread over four individual serving stations."

See, I like Chinese, Thai, Indian and Italian, but not all at the same time...!

The impression given (bearing in mind a shadow that is recognizably Galactus can be seen early on in the film) was that a nebula had formed round the planet-munching one and that Galactus will emerge from it.

Of course, that shadow may be an inadvertent "Up yours" to fans of the comic.

See, I was actually looking at those shadows to see if something roughly approximating Galactus appeared, but I really think that people who think that it did are just (understandably) clutching at straws.

Even so, we were rather hoping that *something* might emerge from that cloud - an evil mist just does seem rather anti-climactic...

I'm not sure my chum would have been seeing things as he wasn't aware the cloud is supposedly Galactus until I'd mentioned it to him after he'd seen the film.

Bah. I'll have to dig out the cinema listings.

The shape of Galactus' horns - or whatever they may be - cast a shadow across Saturn, but in a wavy-type of way, like it was the shadow of a cloud or something.
I suspect it wasn't so much an 'up yours' to fans as  something put in via a combination of storyboard artists and SFX people.

What we didn't see.

The shape of Galactus' horns - or whatever they may be - cast a shadow across Saturn, but in a wavy-type of way

Yeah, that got my hopes up.

I kept expecting the cloud to clear to reveal the devourer of worlds.

But no, had to make do with a sand storm.

"I'm not sure my chum would have been seeing things as he wasn't aware the cloud is supposedly Galactus until I'd mentioned it to him after he'd seen the film."

Well, are you sure he wasn't watching a different film then, because I *was* watching for such a thing, and I didn't see it - it's just a looming shape that people are reading too much into due to wispy fog-based disappointment.

...Actually, why is it that the idea of planet Earth being menaced by an evil plaet-devouring intergalactic pea-souper sounds much better in my head than it does in reality...?

>> ...Actually, why is it that the idea of planet Earth being menaced by an evil plaet-devouring intergalactic pea-souper sounds much better in my head than it does in reality...?

I've no idea. A subconscious desire to see Linda Blair cast as Galactus, perhaps.

As for my chum watching a completely different film, it's quite possible. Underworld: Evolution had me completely baffled yet he was able explain the entire plot to me despite his being asleep for most of it.

Best film I've seen at the cinema this afternoon.

Better than both X-Men 3 and Spiderman 3.

I enthusiastically endorse this view.

Just to clarify, I wan't trying to claim those two films were any kind of gold standard, it's just I thought that those two films were hideously overblown and pompous and FF wasn't. It's only my opinion.

I certainly came out the cinema more satisified with FF2 than I did with Spidey-3 and Pirates-3.  That's not saying much mind. I'm not even going to bother with Shrek 3.

That wlesh bloke and Jessica Alba make a damn fine looking couple.

Shrek 3 was gawd awful with the only good ideas being rehashes of the old ones. Laughed more during 'Wedding Daze'. And they are actually saying that the donkey fucked the dragon - why not animate that? - more fun than the dross we got!

ticket stub read: 'fantastic four: the rise of the silver surfer'

screen showed: 'star trek: the motion picture'

doctor doom was in this movie you say!? where?

suspension of disbelief was well & truly knackered by the fact that anyone can claim to "fantastic" if their arch-nemesis is martin from 'the simpsons'

gobsmackingly lovely panning shot of the sagitarrius arm in the opening scene though. curiously enough, stevie turned to his lady companion at this juncture & cheekily whispered, "it's all downhill from here..."

i've wet my knickers!

"After all, a bomb on a moving ship (in effect a delivery device) is indeed still a bomb."

consider the humble multi-storey building of early hydrogen bombs...