The Fantastic Four First Steps Review: A Great Cast & Streamlined Story Produce MCU Excellence

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The initial journey of The Fantastic Four faces a challenging path ahead. Following the phenomenal triumphs concluding the Thanos saga in Avengers: Endgame, Marvel Studios has been compelled to navigate real-world challenges, leading to a lack of clear guidance, some productions met with harsh criticism, and subsequently decreasing ticket sales at the box office.

The responsibility falls heavily on Marvel’s initial clan, but the series “First Steps” offers the MCU a significant enhancement. It’s an engaging storyline supported by a talented cast, robust script, and one of Marvel’s most convincingly adapted antagonists to date, although it does miss some opportunities along the way.

Initially, the team known as Marvel Comics was launched to great success by the legendary duo Jack Kirby and Stan Lee. However, film adaptations of these comics have had their fair share of struggles. The 1994 adaptation produced by Roger Corman was even buried by Marvel itself. Critical reception for films like the 2004 Fantastic Four (with a mere 27% score on Rotten Tomatoes), the 2007 follow-up Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer (37% RT), and the rebooted 2015 Fantastic Four (a dismal 9% RT) have been so poor that only Mole Man, a character known for his expertise in projection, could qualify to rate them.

Although “First Steps” doesn’t draw strength from the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s (MCU) recent turbulent past or the troubles of previous attempts to adapt this franchise, it stands out due to its focused narrative, a compelling family drama boosted by an exceptionally charming and skilled cast, and some astute decisions. It serves as a strong addition to the MCU, hinting at promising developments in the future.

The Cast of The Fantastic Four: First Steps Is Actually Fantastic

The movie unfolds in a unique, blend-of-past-and-future Earth setting. Reed Richards/Mister Fantastic (Pedro Pascal), Sue Richards/Invisible Woman (Vanessa Kirby), Johnny Storm/Human Torch (Joseph Quinn), and Ben Grimm/The Thing (Ebon Moss-Bachrach) find themselves in an exciting turn of events as they learn that Sue is carrying a surprise child. However, the joy soon subsides when Silver Surfer Shalla-Bal (Julia Garner) arrives from outer space to announce that Galactus (Ralph Ineson), a cosmic entity with an appetite for planets, has Earth marked next on his menu.

The main strength of ‘First Steps’ lies in its straightforward narrative, which revolves solely around a family facing their most dire predicament: they must either surrender their newborn baby or watch Earth get devoured by Galactus. This makes it one of the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s most concise stories since it ventured into the Multiverse, allowing the talented cast to deliver standout performances with the compelling material at hand.

Pedro Pascal shines as Reed Richards, skillfully balancing heartfelt sincerity with intellectual reserve, thereby anchoring the team during tense moments. Vanessa Kirby is a force to be reckoned with, convincingly playing a capable leader and a devoted mother who would go to great lengths to secure her child’s safety. Joseph Quinn and Ebon Moss-Bachrach deliver touching and charismatic performances as Franklin’s committed uncles. Each actor handles their emotional scenes effectively.

‘First Steps’ Is An Excellent MCU Outing Despite Missteps

Julia Garner skillfully reveals depths to Shalla-Bal’s character, particularly in scenes where her stoic demeanor subtly cracks. Ralph Ineson imbues Galactus with an authoritative aura, delivering a nuanced performance that captures the essence of the canonical Galactus as a force of nature rather than an evil entity, struggling with an insatiable hunger.

Among the most impressive comic book antagonists brought to life by the MCU is Galactus, who exudes weightiness, wonder, and a feeling of grandeur. Although the emphasis on family conflicts and having one primary villain has its advantages, it does present some minor challenges. The fact that Galactus is such a colossal threat implies that confrontations are relatively rare, and since a film centered around a single crisis might benefit from more scenes featuring the team in action.

The final fight is impressive, especially for Sue Richards who may have the most dramatic ‘I’d lift a car to save my child’ moment ever seen on screen. However, it would be great if we got to see the team working together more often, and specifically more chances for Mister Fantastic (who sometimes looks a bit ridiculous in fights) and The Thing (who could use more engaging roles).

In certain parts of the movie, the scarcity of conflicts slows down the pace, and it seems like some action sequences could have been beneficial. Additionally, certain events appear excessively contrived as plot devices. For instance, why would a late-stage character like Sue embark on a deep-space voyage into potentially dangerous alien territory? Despite Johnny not being portrayed as foolish, his significant strategic discovery towards the end of the film seems unlikely for him to make. These aren’t major plot inconsistencies or disasters, but they are undeniably too convenient.

Setting those matters aside, “The Fantastic Four: First Steps” is undeniably one of Marvel’s finest recent productions. It showcases a superb antagonist, impressive acting all around, a well-crafted script with exciting action sequences, and captivating world development that draws you in. Here’s to hoping we won’t have long to wait before seeing them back in action again!

Final Rating: 8/10

The Fantastic Four: First Steps premieres in theaters July 25, 2025.

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2025-07-22 19:04