Given that previous Fantastic Four films ranged from mediocre to atrocious, the bar was very much at bedrock. However, The Fantastic Four: First Steps captures the colourful, jovial aspects of the source material in stellar fashion, forging its own identity even beyond the surrounding MCU.
It took decades, but we finally have a good Fantastic Four film in First Steps. Prior attempts to bring this beloved Marvel superhero team to the big screen have been critically and financially unsuccessful, often due to production issues or uncertainties about how to adapt the colourful source material. 2015’s Fant4stic is arguably the worst of all modern superhero films, at least among the bottom three. By contrast, First Steps, the latest in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, offers heart, vibrancy, and sincere thematic resonance that feels individualistic compared to the increasing clutter of the MCU.
Set on Earth 828 – a separate, retro-inspired dimension from the main MCU timeline – the Fantastic Four have been saving lives for the past four years. Consisting of Reed Richards (Pedro Pascal), Ben Grimm (Ebon Moss-Bachrach) and siblings Sue and Johnny Storm (Vanessa Kirby and Joseph Quinn, respectively), the four of them were scientists who, during a trip to space, acquired superpowers from a celestial event. They have since become iconic figures, seen effectively as representatives of the entire planet. Yet they still have their personal lives to contend with, as Reed and Sue are married with a baby on the way.
The arrival of an alien harbinger disrupts their comfortable normal, the Silver Surfer (Julia Garner). She announces that Earth is marked for death by an ancient intergalactic being named Galactus (Ralph Ineson), who survives by devouring life-inhabited worlds. The Fantastic Four assemble once more to stop this incoming threat – a danger that is amplified when Galactus proposes an ultimatum that adds personal stakes to the global one.
Connoisseurs of Fantastic Four will recognise this setup as it’s adapted from one of the team’s most memorable conflicts, the 1966 Galactus trilogy. In fact, 2007’s Rise of the Silver Surfer adapted the same comic story. This will be an issue for newcomers as the narratives between these two films are very similar, right down to specific emotional beats in the climax. Thus, the film is perhaps more predictable or overly familiar than other MCU entries. Indeed, it seems to be a return to something more generic and simple, unlike recent MCU films like Thunderbolts or Deadpool & Wolverine, which required viewers to do homework on other Marvel properties to appreciate them fully.
However, this is part of the appeal of First Steps. This is the first MCU film in years that fully stands on its own. You don’t need to have seen any of the previous MCU films to find enjoyment here, as it’s refreshingly self-contained as a narrative. Unshackled from the burden of crossovers, references and mandatory setup, outside of a midcredits scene, the filmmakers, captained by director Matt Shakman of WandaVision, have free range to focus on characters and themes. The result is a product that feels much more earnest and emotionally satisfying as a film.
©20th Century Studios/Marvel Studios.
As cheesy as it sounds, family has always been the core theme of Fantastic Four, and First Steps champions that sentiment with every bone in its body. The movie is about how family – be it of this team or the human race as a whole – can withstand any threat or fault. Reed Richards is given particular focus as a scientist renowned for his genius. Yet his intelligence is as much a hindrance as a gift, as his smarts make him equipped to deal with a force like Galactus but ill-equipped to handle things that require emotional smarts, such as raising a child. But this is where his teammates – his family – smooth out his edges, as he smooths out theirs. Far from lionising this team, as the civilians of Earth mistakenly do at first, the film instead uses them as a template for just how strong the idea of family can be.
Each character feels nuanced and genuine, as opposed to archetypes in prior adaptations. Not only is Reed’s scientific mind given deeper dimensions, but the film showcases how intelligent and vital each team member is. Johnny isn’t just portrayed as a reckless loudmouth, but a creative, unorthodox mind who’s much more sentimental than he lets on. Ben is more at peace with his changed appearance than he was in prior films, but he still contends with people’s perception of him rather than who he truly is. Meanwhile, Sue provides the necessary emotional maturity needed for the group to succeed, demonstrating a diplomacy that the others lack – something that is directly challenged by Galactus’s impossible ultimatum. Every actor embodies their roles with charisma to spare, bouncing off each other effortlessly in the portrayal of these fun, compelling roles. Quinn and Kirby are especially dynamic, their performances carrying the most emotional weight during the climactic battle.
©20th Century Studios/Marvel Studios.
Because these characters are portrayed superbly, the action and visuals have that much more intensity and vivaciousness. Some scenes set in space, notably sequences involving a black hole and Galactus passing near identifiable worlds, are jaw-dropping to witness; the intimidation born from their scale reminds one of Star Wars. The action involves the usual superhero brawl tropes of crumbling cities and size versus teamwork – the climax is arguably just one big boss battle. But because there are personal stakes as well as global ones, each punch thrown and each explosion endured aches with that much more weight, involving us in the fighting emotionally as well as a piece of spectacle. It’s thrilling to witness as the colours pop off the screen and the characters radiate with chemistry.
Although there’s a lot of set and costume designs to admire – namely the use of colour in the Silver Surfer and Fantastic Four outfits – CGI is relied on heavily. While this occasionally results in beautiful imagery, especially in the space-set scenes, there are also times when the CGI is outright hideous. Reed and Sue’s baby becomes an important character in the film, and the CGI used to bring them to life could give the digital baby in Twilight a run for its money. Its fakery is so creepily apparent that merely looking at it generates a discomforting uncanniness. Even those who forgive the more generic plot may struggle with these bouts of blatant CGI.
Given that previous Fantastic Four films ranged from mediocre to atrocious, the bar was very much at bedrock. However, The Fantastic Four: First Steps captures the colourful, jovial aspects of the source material in stellar fashion, forging its own identity even beyond the surrounding MCU. Effortlessly charming and bursting at its cosmic seams with action-packed fun, it contains a freshness and an integrity akin to the best Phase One films. Between this and the recent Superman, comic book fans can rest easy knowing that they have solid options to choose from for this weekend’s cinema outing.
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