Back when the original "X-Men" movie came out in 2000, it had the distinction of being the first of what was to be an onslaught of recent superhero movies and therefore felt fresh.

Since, there have been two more "X-Men" sequels, three "Spider-Man's", "The Hulk", "Batman Begins" and "Superman Returns", to name a few. "Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer" is the latest addition to the never-ending list. The sequel to the 2005 hit tries to offer more than its predecessor but it ends up serving more of the same.

What "Silver Surfer" lacks in ambition, though, it makes up for in expediency -- the film clocks in at a nimble 92 minutes. The original quartet all are back to reprise their roles; Ioan Gruffudd as Reed Richards (aka Mr. Fantastic), Jessica Alba as Sue Storm, Chris Evans as Johnny Storm and Michael Chiklis as Ben Grimm. The plot of the globetrotting sequel is essentially established during the opening credits. The fact that the plot is silly and incomprehensible under examination should go without saying.

The wedding between Reed and Sue is interrupted when radioactive anomalies randomly occur throughout the world. These anomalies are seemingly created by a computer-generated silver man with a permanent scowl and chiseled abs who happens to ride a surfboard (hence, the Silver Surfer.) Reed, the scientist, (reinforced by the constant pseudo-intellectual jargon Gruffudd is forced to spew throughout) discovers that every planet the Silver Surfer has visited has been destroyed within eight days.

So, Reed (who can stretch), Sue (who turns invisible and conjures force fields), Johnny (who turns on fire and can fly, but seemingly only when "flame on!" is yelled beforehand) and Ben (a deep-voiced talking rock with super strength) must work together to stop the surfer (soothingly voiced by Laurence Fishburne.)

Without giving too much away, there is more to the surfer than initially thought, and the group must work with presumed enemies in order to stop a greater cosmic force called Galactus to save the planet from mortal peril. Got that?

The major problem with the plot lies in its repetition. The heroes' powers are repeatedly used as the punch lines for jokes. Alba as the Invisible Woman, for example, accidentally reappears in public nude (careful guys, nothing is shown.) Johnny gains the ability midway through to swap powers with the rest of the group, which again invites the same jokes into the room as if they were new (we get it already, a talking rock is ugly.) Worse, the romance between Gruffudd and Alba should have been the heart of the film, but instead their scenes together are the film's worst. Alba seems to share more chemistry and heat with her supposed on-screen brother, Evans.

It's all too easy to critique the acting in a film like this, and truthfully, it doesn't matter much. Of the cast, only Evans makes any sort of impression -- mixing screwball goofiness with a vaguely appealing overconfidence - but Gruffudd and Alba seem bored and irritated. Kerry Washington -- so good in "The Last King of Scotland" -- is wasted a second time around in a thankless supporting role as Chiklis' wise but blind girlfriend Alicia (casting directors: please give her some meatier roles.)

At the end of it, nothing shocks or surprises in the humdrum "Silver Surfer." Action sequences (including a particularly fake looking sequence involving the London Eye Ferris Wheel) are bland and tiresome. Moreover, the directing, special effects and the script, especially, are all uninspired. Characters get mad and forgive each other quickly as one would expect they would, while characters die and come back to life as one would expect they must. "Silver Surfer" is not a step forward for the franchise (the ending of course suggests there will be another), but it isn't a complete abomination either. It is the cinematic equivalent of fast food -- tastes fine while going down, but leaves the stomach strangely empty afterward.