‘The Fantastic Four: First Steps’ is Absolutely Fantastic
Marvel’s first family makes their highly anticipated return to the silver screen in The Fantastic Four: First Steps this weekend! It’s been nearly a decade since this superhero team’s last cinematic appearance, a second attempt from 20th Century Fox to produce a franchise, which was both a critical and box office disappointment.
With three past attempts to bring the Fantastic Four to the big screen, all of which struggled to find their footing, there is an immense amount of pressure on Marvel Studios to finally get it right. However, with First Steps not only kicking off Phase Six of the Marvel Cinematic Universe but also the closing chapter of the Multiverse Saga, there’s a new sense of hope as this film signals a return to form for Marvel Studios.
Matt Shakman heralds the arrival of the Fantastic Four in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, creating a distinct story that visually reflects his previous work with the studio, WandaVision. There’s almost no one better suited to bring to life the screenplay from Josh Friedman, Eric Pearson, Keff Kaplan, and Ian Springer. The film honors the work of Jack Kirby and the worlds he created at Marvel, while also launching the MCU into a new and vibrant direction.
While The Fantastic Four: First Steps is a standalone story, the narrative direction towards Avengers: Secret Wars has never been clearer. There’s an undeniable energy and excitement that comes with the Fantastic Four taking their first steps into the larger Marvel sandbox that I haven’t felt in a long time. Ready to strap yourself in and jet off to explore the most fantastic cosmic story in Marvel Studios’ history?
[Warning: light spoilers and impressions from The Fantastic Four: First Steps are below!]
The Fantastic Four: First Steps: an intimate story amidst a bigger world
Being a hero can be a full-time job, which perhaps doesn’t leave much time for a life outside of saving the world; however, The Fantastic Four: First Steps strikes a balance, highlighting that these four are a family first. Family is truly the narrative thread throughout the entire film, but not just in the traditional sense. First Steps unites the entirety of New York, albeit the world, as a sense of family that must stick together in times of distress.
While the movie features our heroes, Reed Richards (Pedro Pascal), Sue Storm (Vanessa Kirby), Johnny Storm (Joseph Quinn), and Ben Grimm (Ebon Moss-Bachrach), fighting against enemies of all kinds, it always circles back to the humanity at its core. Perhaps the ad campaign where Marvel Studios dropped the Sunday dinner clip exactly at 7 pm every week captures that energy perfectly.
Matt Shakman found the intimacy and bonds that exist between these characters and made them something special. Don’t get me wrong, there’s plenty of action that you’ve come to expect from a Marvel Studios film, but the creatives on this film developed the stakes that come with the world ending, Galactus (Ralph Ineson), and his herald Shalla-Bal (Julia Garner), and make audiences believe them.
It’s hard to believe that so much can be packed into only two hours, but much like WandaVision, so much is said in the allotted time. Messages of strength, resilience, fear, and perseverance help to complete the film without feeling too preachy or overwhelming (although some might feel that way with the message of family). First Steps grounds these heroes in ways that have never been achieved in any previous Fantastic Four film. You spend time with them as they are cooking dinner and solving math equations, whereas past iterations were all flame-ons and clobbering time.
This is the most that Fantastic Four has felt grounded in reality as opposed to being an over-the-top comic book movie, and for this version, it works. Reed is someone’s college professor, and Johnny is the class clown who has grown up. They feel real in every moment of screen time, as they explore their own anxieties and fears from this monumental challenge.
A vibrant comic book look and feel
The Fantastic Four: First Steps also doesn’t lose the comic book feel that I know so many are desperate to have again from superhero cinema. The world is incredibly vibrant, capturing the colors and styles that feel quintessentially futuristic 60s. It was like watching the early volumes of Fantastic Four or even the cartoon world of The Jetsons come to life before your eyes. First Steps is a love letter to the early world of Marvel Comics and those that brought them to life page after page.
Fantastic Four Reading Guide: 1961-1998
That isn’t to imply that the film doesn’t have its problems. There are some shots where the CGI did look a little unrefined, one scene in particular towards the end that many audience members laughed at because it looked odd. But aside from that, most of the shots, specifically those featuring the team, were expertly done, finally making their awkward powers look a lot more natural on the silver screen.
The Fantastic Four: First Steps is pure Marvel magic
Praise must be given to all four of our heroes, who truly make this film something special. Vanessa Kirby shines as the Invisible Woman, serving as the emotional crux of the film and balancing out the rest of them. From the hot-headed but lovable Human Torch to the stretched-to-his-limits Mr. Fantastic to the rock of the group Ben, each one of them has given their heart and soul to make First Steps a major win on all fronts.
There was something special about seeing The Fantastic Four return to cinemas, especially for a film that felt as epic as this one. The visuals are stunning, with scenes that felt huge and remind us of the power and strength Marvel Studios commands from properties such as this.
Will I be watching this fantastic film as much as possible? Absolutely, as nothing stuns as much as Marvel’s first family returning home. The cosmic side of the MCU has never felt so alive and waiting to be explored, with First Steps making me even more excited for what’s to come next with Avengers: Doomsday and beyond!
You can see The Fantastic Four: First Steps in theaters starting tomorrow! How excited are you to see this latest Marvel Studios project? Let us know on social media @MyCosmicCircus, or join our Patreon and private Discord to discuss with other fans.
