Hello everybody and welcome to a brand new review! For this one, I will be taking a look at the newest attempt to bring Marvel’s first family to the big screen, this time within the MCU. The Fantastic Four: First Steps stands as the 4th effort to do this (if you count the 1994 Roger Corman feature that never got released) and there is a lot riding on this one as it has to bring back enthusiasm that has waned quite a bit for the brand in recent memory and get fans excited for next year’s Avengers: Doomsday. For me personally, there is an inherent curiosity in seeing if Marvel can finally crack what has been a property that has been indifferently received at best cinematically (the two Tim Story directed films from the 2000s) or lambasted at worst (Josh Trank’s infamous Fant4stic back in 2015). I think these characters have a lot of potential, if done right, and I was very interested with the direction this latest iteration seemed to be taking, as it looked to be taking place in a universe separate from the main MCU timeline and was going to have neat looking 60s aesthetic to it. Trailers have been strong and I like a lot of the actors involved, so I was naturally immensely interested in seeing what this had offer. Was this finally the Fantastic Four movie we’d all be been hoping for? Let’s jump right in and see just if this film was… fantastic! (sorry force of habit)
Taking place on Earth-828 in the year 1964, the world is celebrating the four year anniversary of when astronauts, Reed Richard, Sure Storm, Johnny Storm, and Ben Grimm, went up into space and came back with super powered abilities after an encounter with cosmic radiation. Now they serve as Earth’s protectors as well as celebrities whom the planet looks up with much admiration. Things look to be changing a lot for the team as Reed and Sue are expecting a baby together, with Reed doing everything he can to make sure his child is raised in a safe living environment. Things escalate however, when an intergalactic being called the Silver Surfer descends onto Earth’s surface and comes with a warning: that a cosmic being known as Galactus is on his way to devour their planet. Not content to wait and sit idly, the Fantastic Four decide to go up to try and stop Galactus before it is too late.
Similar to this summer’s other big super hero movie where blue is a major color, this starts off with a recap of the origin of our heroes, with the whole film having them as established heroes and this approach ends up working well here too. With this being in its own universe, there is no extra baggage involved as far as worrying how this fits into everything, as the movie is completely stand alone which to me is a net benefit. I liked seeing this status quo in which the Fantastic Four are the only heroes in their world and how the world views them as we get to see them interact with citizens, play to crowds, and even get involved in political matters. Things get even more interesting when the Four find out that Galactus will spare their planet if they give something important up and when the Four refuse to do so, we see how this ends up changing their light to the people of the world and it shows the heavy cost that being responsible for the world can come with. It also ties into the movie’s central messaging of parenthood where both Sue and Reed (especially Reed) figuring out how best to raise their child, with Reed trying all he can to protect him. There’s much to be said about the lengths parents will go to protect their children in ways that are both amusing (Reed baby proofing the house for instance) and that make for engrossing character work. In fact, the movie has a lot of great dramatic work in it with the character having interesting conversations that speak to what director Matt Shankman (he who did WandaVision) is going for in regards to the idea he is tackling regarding learning to trust and believe in something greater than oneself, and the dilemma that poses when the ones we love are involved. The film also just succeeds as a fun super hero adventure that manages to pack in enough action that never sacrifices the drama or character work and the tone is nailed perfectly. The comedy lands consistently and I never felt that it detracted from anything as the scenes that are intended to be serious land perfectly in this regard. As much as I do enjoy the film though, there are some things that hold it back a bit and my biggest one is that there was clearly quite a bit that they had to cut out. There are certain scenes that and story elements that feel like they had more to them at one point, but were then taken out for running time purposes. I also would have liked more character moments to spend more time with certain individuals (Ben especially) as I really liked those kinds of scenes and felt the feature would have further benefitted from those.
Perhaps the biggest selling point for me personally was the retro futuristic setting that Shankman is going for as I really dig that aesthetic and was excited to see it applied to a big budget Fantastic Four film. Am happy to say that it looks terrific in this regard with it truly feeling like we are in a different time period with the mix of 60s and future sensibilities being present in every facet from the technology to the architecture to the costumes. It is immensely impressive from a production standpoint with so much attention to detail going in to make this a truly lived in setting, fitting in with the idealistic worldview that was present in that era in regards to hoping for a better future where humanity could be capable of great things (didn’t quite turn out that way but still). Michael Giacchino’s score is a key component in making this shine even brighter as it has that feel of something from the world of tomorrow with a sweeping theme that gives off vibes of optimism and super heroism in equal measure. It also just gets stuck in the head easily adding excitement and is the perfect theme for our heroes (whenever the choir just belts out “Fantastic Four!” I get goosebumps). Easily among the best compositions of the MCU and another banger from Giacchino.
Visually speaking, this is also just one of the MCU’s better looking movies in recent memory. It is well shot with Jess Hall’s cinematography helping in bringing to life this alternate Earth in a visually appealing way while also excelling when things get cosmic and we get some epic looking shots that convey scale really well. This is especially true whenever Galactus comes into the fray as the film plays around with his size in fun ways that make him into a truly intimidating threat. The CGI also looks great with the Four’s abilities being very well realized from a visual standpoint with even Mr. Fantastic’s stretchy abilities looking convincing when they are onscreen. Thing also looks perfect, feeling like he came straight out of the original comic books. There were never really any moments that looked or felt off and I do think the VFX artist did a great job integrating everything all of the practical and digital stuff seamlessly. When it comes to the action, there isn’t quite as much as I think some may be expecting, but the stuff we get is very well done. There’s a chase scene through space involving Silver Surfer that is exhilarating and feels like something out of a classic space adventure film with great editing and an excellent showcase of the team dynamic. The big climactic battle with Galactus is also well done with Kaiju sensibilities and I like the way in which it is structured in how the Four plan out how to take him down while also assessing certain consequences as well.
When it came time for the cast to be announced, there was a quite a bit of skepticism if the ones chosen would be the right fits for these characters or if Feige was looking for high profile names to fill the marquee. Thankfully in my eyes I thought this was a case of the former as I thought each role was filled out perfectly. Pedro Pascal makes for a fantastic (okay I’ll stop… maybe) Reed Richards, capturing the calculated intelligent, yet sometimes difficult to work with side of the character in ways both funny and serious while also adding the humanity needed to make him into someone one can root for. His arc of learning to trust those around him and learning to be a father (one who doesn’t want his child to end up like him, which is conveyed in one of the film’s best dramatic beats) is very compelling and I think Pascal is able to nail what can be a tricky balancing act. Reed’s relationship with Sue is extremely well explored with the latter being the heart of the feature in many ways, being able to unite everyone when it is needed. Vanessa Kirby commands this role so well, playing up Sue’s strength as character being able to be tender and loving in some scenes and determined and frustrated in others, showing just how much range Kirby has as an actress. Her journey into motherhood provides a lot of emotional backbone where she wants her son be the best individual he can be and wants him to be raised in an environment where he feels valued. I really like the conflict she has to deal with later on with the four’s actions being questioned by the public her having to decide what is best for the world and for her child and whether those can both be satisfied. Her and Reed’s relationship is filled with frustrations and disagreements, but there is still a strong love present that unites them in a powerful way and it made for a strong foundation to lay the story on.
Joseph Quinn and Ebon Moss-Bacrach aren’t given quite as much screentime as Johnny and Ben respectively, but that doesn’t change the fact that both nail their roles. The former has the energy and stubbornness that Johnny is known for, but I love how we get to see him at work as a scientist who is fascinated by the cosmos and wants show the team just what he can do behind all of the quips and power (never once came off as annoying which can be a risk with the wrong talent). The latter is pitch perfect casting, playing the loyal friend whose often good at reading people and delivering some fun wise cracks. He brings such a warmth to the role that is so nicely portrayed in the scenes where he’s just walking around the city and interacting with the citizens (again, more of these would’ve been great). The whole team manages to play off one another so well with them having a dynamic that would be expected of a family with the squabbles and disagreements, but also the sense of familial strength and togetherness that makes this team unique among Marvel’s canon. Oh and if we’re counting H.E.R.B.I.E (voiced by Matthew Wood) as a member, he serves as wonderful comic relief that gets some nice laughs and is an impressive mix of practical and digital effects.
As far as the non Four members go I thought Julia Garner made for a terrific Silver Surfer (real name here being Shalla-Bal), one who works as a secondary threat, but also has a lot more to her. I like that even as she is serving these ominous proclamations, there is still a humanity present where deep down she knows that she isn’t exactly on the right side of things. In fact I appreciated how the relationship formed between her and Johnny goes in a way I did not expect, where she ends up being confronted with her sins in a pretty devastating, but effective way and Garner handles it all masterfully and with so much emotion. I would also be hard pressed not to mention just how expertly casted Ralph Ineson is as Galactus (sporting a refreshingly comic accurate design that looks incredible) as his booming voice helps in making the character into a threat to be taken seriously and I quite enjoyed him spouting platitudes that explain who he is and his motivation. His ponderous attitude makes hm into more than mindless devourer and how he ends up tying into the themes of nurture, serving as a contrast to the kind of parents Sue and Reed want to be, by passing down his faults to whoever might follow him, is rather clever. In regards to who could’ve benefitted from having more scenes I definitely feel like Ben’s love interest, a school teacher named Rachel played by Natasha Lyonne, could’ve added more to that character’s story and as much as I loved Paul Walter Hauser’s fun portrayal of Mole Man, it REALLY does feel like his scenes were expanded on in an earlier version of this picture.
All in all, I found The Fantastic Four: First Steps to be a very worthy addition to the MCU canon that finally gets this family right. It could’ve used additional screentime and certain characters should’ve gotten more, but it is a very fun adventure that delivers plenty of compelling family dynamics, interesting ideas, a really cool style, impressive production values, well constructed action, engrossing character moments, and a strong cast. Honestly if it weren’t for my above noted issues, this could’ve very well have been a top ten MCU film for me as it does so much right. Still, it works very well nonetheless and I can’t see fans of these characters not being happy or those in the mood for a well done super hero flick not feeling satisfied with this one. Am I even more stoked for the MCU’s future than before? Not really, as I still am rather indifferent towards Avengers: Doomsday and am frustrated we won’t be exploring this status quo any further before the universe altering events set in. However, this is definitely one that I can see myself re visiting often and perhaps appreciating more as time goes on. Considering where things were for this property a decade ago, it is very nice to see an iteration that comes close to being… well you know the rest.
Side note: There are two after credits scenes for this one. The first is a key one in setting up Doomsday so if one is interested in seeing nuggets for what that movie could entail, it is an important one. The second is a very nice call back to something referenced earlier in the film that I thought was delightful.
Rating: A-
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