The Fantastic Four: First Steps (2025)

     ♫ Fantastic FOOOOOOUUUURRRRR ♫ The world's first superhero family is back for one more crack at it, this time with a whole new cast and much, much better uniforms than Fantastic Four (2015). Once again, they face the Silver Surfer (a female version this time) and her master, Galactus, who promises the destruction of Earth. Not only are the newest version of the fantastic foursome responsible for saving Earth, however, but they also carry the weight of saving the Marvel cinematic universe (thankfully there is no need to watch six different Disney plus shows in order to be fully prepared for this one).



I'll admit, I haven't been super tuned into Marvel movies lately, I've been trying to catch up, but the formula has grown thin, and the constant quips and increasingly shoddy special effects haven't really helped. However, when I saw that Galactus was finally actually going to be portrayed in this film, I knew I was already in for the ride. A giant eternal being who relentlessly consumes planets, Galactus has been hinted at or referenced in the past Marvel films (including Fantastic Four: Silver Surfer), but he has never been shown in his full glory. I have to say I wasn't disappointed with Galactus' appearance(s) in this movie, although it did leave me wanting more; also, if you haven't seen the film yet, do yourself a favor and watch it in IMAX, the extra large screen makes the Galactus scenes feel even more immersive and really shows off his enormous size.

Honestly, my main problem with this movie is that it wasn't quite long enough, with a running time of just under two hours, I really feel as though they could have added more to help flesh out the characters (seriously, they could have at least cut one of the five family dinner scenes instead of completely cutting out whoever John Malkovich was supposed to be). For example, we barely get to see any stretchy powers from Mister Fantastic, and the Thing has a side plot romance that seems like it was almost completely cut from the film. Additionally, while there are a few scenes where Reed and Sue showcase their romantic chemistry, I was sometimes left questioning what brought them together in the first place (in one scene Sue essentially berates Reed for being a genius who thinks of everything, which seemed a little forced considering she should know him by now).

As far as the cast goes, I had my doubts going into the film, particularly in regards to Human Torch, but I have to say Joseph Quinn surprised me with a solid and well-rounded performance that might actually be the best Human Torch has looked on-screen yet (and they basically made Silver Surfer a woman so he could flirt with her, which is just so Johnny). Pedro Pascal is mostly just Pedro Pascal in this film (which is not bad, to be honest, I definitely prefer him over other previous castings), but every now and then you get a glimpse at the old-school Atlantic accent that Disney rejected. I loved the Thing (Ebon Moss-Bachrach, from The Bear) as well; unlike previous films he actually gets to have fun and doesn't spend the whole film sulking that he looks like a boulder. Vanessa Kirby does an adequate job as Invisible Woman, and I really appreciated how they made her the face and spokesperson of the Fantastic Four, however, I feel as though she doesn't get to show off her powers enough until later on when she suddenly seems overpowered.

All of that being said, I was locked in while watching this movie, especially during the space scenes; it is a fun ride that I'm sure a majority of Marvel fans will enjoy, and if the movie leaves you wanting more, that isn't necessarily a bad thing (especially since lately, Marvel movies have been leaving me wanting LESS). Making the movie take place on Earth 828 and giving it a 50's aesthetic was an excellent choice as well. I will say though that this is the last superhero movie that gets to do a last-minute, somehow highly efficient evacuation sequence of the entire city right before the bad guy gets there, the stakes don't feel high enough and I feel like we are very much ignoring the reality of traffic. Still, this is definitely the best Fantastic Four has looked in a long time (not really a high bar, I realize) and should help build excitement for the next phase of Avengers.

-Ryan Maples

7.5/10