Book Review: Skin

Ted Dekker has to be one of the best Christian novelists today and his intriguing, suspenseful thriller, Skin, lives up to his reputation. Three terrifying tornados drive a group of people together who get caught up in the manipulations of a serial killer. The group all seem to have something in common but are not sure what that is. The killer is extremely clever and seems to be ahead of their every move to escape. I won't say much more because the suspense builds and the reasons for the circumstances of the group are revealed slowly making the book a pleasure to read. It has some very profound underlying spiritual themes and leaves some provocative things to think about when it is all done. Get it and read it if you like a good thriller with thought provoking themes! It will have you on the edge of your seat as well as stretch your mind.

Movie Review: Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer

I caught a movie here in London last night - Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer. It's a fun movie with the usual good vs evil plot line along with some great special effects.

Silver Surfer started out a bit woodenly with the actors delivering their lines in a somewhat contrived fashion as if they were trying a bit too hard to make rather thin dialogue work. But after awhile they settle into their roles in a completely predictable plot that is never mind stretching in the least.

The silver surfer is an alien that has come to earth to destroy it and, of course, the Fantastic Four have to save the planet. This time, though, the threat is so bad they are required to work with an old enemy if they are going to succeed - which brings its own problems.

Silver Surfer is a reasonably enjoyable yarn if you approach it with low expectations and it is lifted a little with its themes of accepting one's uniqueness and working with it rather than trying to be something different. But that message is getting a bit worn now - everyone seems to want to make it. The action is good and the surfer is pretty cool!

My Rating: ***1/2 (out of 5)

Positive Review

'It's almost a surprise that the sequel is actually better - much better - than the original.' - Jack Mathews/New York Daily News

Negative Review

'Surely the dullest of Hollywood's many comic-book-derived summer movies, "Silver Surfer" is drearier than corn dying in the Iowa sun, slower than molasses in Antarctica.' - Stephen Hunter/Washington Post

Content Advice

Sequences of action violence, some mild language and innuendo

AUS: PG

USA: PG