‘The Fantastic Four: First Steps’ Review: The Best FF Movie?

Given the number of less-than-satisfactory Fantastic Four films that have been produced, it’s reasonable to wonder: What makes crafting a successful one such a challenge?

As a dedicated comic book enthusiast and moviegoer, I’ve got to admit that the Fantastic Four franchise, one of Marvel’s longest-running comic book series, is a consistent monthly read dating back to 1961. However, when it comes to their big screen adaptations, they’ve been somewhat hit-or-miss. Compared to the success stories like Spider-Man, X-Men, Iron Man, Captain America, the Avengers, and almost every other major Marvel property, a satisfying Fantastic Four movie has been hard to come by. So, among the existing Fantastic Four films, The Fantastic Four: First Steps is currently the best, not so much for its greatness but more due to the lack of it in its predecessors.

Absolutely, it surpasses previous works to some extent, but it still has a ways to go before it reaches the caliber of top Marvel films or the legendary “Fantastic Four” comics by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby. Above all other series, Lee and Kirby’s “Fantastic Four” were instrumental in establishing the Marvel brand and setting its distinctive style with innovative concepts, visually stunning artwork, intricate characters, intelligent science-fiction elements, clever dialogue, and exhilarating tales.

The movie titled First Steps intermittently embodies the essence of Lee and Kirby’s Fantastic Four. This is primarily noticeable when the team encounters the near-omnipotent celestial being, Galactus (voiced by Ralph Ineson), and his emissary, the Silver Surfer (Julia Garner). Standing tall amidst mortals, draped in ornate purple and blue armor, Galactus is a character birthed from Kirby’s imagination. First Steps pays tribute to “The King” by filling the film’s Galactus-centric scenes with mind-boggling and inexplicable cosmic machinery that echoes Kirby’s art.

After the Alien Surfer lands on Earth and decides it’s fit for consumption (even powerful extraterrestrials have emotional hunger sometimes), the Fantastic Four – elastic Reed (Pedro Pascal), invisible Sue (Vanessa Kirby), flamboyant Johnny (Joseph Quinn), and rocky Ben (Ebon Moss-Bachrach) – face off against a cosmic equivalent of Joey Chestnut to protect their cherished planet from annihilation. This battle mirrors classic Marvel: Vivid visuals, catastrophic consequences, and at least one surprising plot development.

The FF vs Galactus series is arguably the best First Steps has to offer, largely because it downplays the shortcomings of earlier episodes – particularly the characters and their seemingly shallow connections. One aspect that set Lee and Kirby’s Fantastic Four apart (and has consistently shaped the series in the years since) was the unique dynamic where the Fantastic Four functioned as a family before anything else, acting as a team second. The Fantastic Four: First Steps, however, emphasizes this aspect more prominently, albeit in a rather surface-level manner. It opens with a family dinner scene and frequently has Reed, Sue, Johnny, and Ben reiterating their familial bond, promising to face their challenges united as a family.

Yet, the Fantastic Four comics frequently delve into the unpolished aspects of family life. Instead of focusing on battles against subterranean creatures or cosmic voyages, they explore the challenges faced by Reed and Sue in their marriage, as well as the frequent disagreements between Ben and Johnny.

In my opinion, the original Fantastic Four, crafted by Lee and Kirby, deviated noticeably from conventional Fantastic Four lore, which I believe is one reason why First Steps never followed suit. The characters within this extraordinary team were a fascinating blend of distinct personalities: the brilliant Reed, the caring Sue, the headstrong Johnny, and the brooding Ben. It’s true that their diverse backgrounds – a physicist, a pilot, a scientist’s girlfriend, and her annoying younger brother – might have seemed an unlikely combination for a space voyage, especially one subjected to cosmic rays. However, this intriguing contrast in personalities was instrumental in driving the emotional depth found in classic Fantastic Four comic books.

In a slight modification made by director Matt Shakman, along with five other credited writers for “First Steps,” all four Fantastic Four characters have been transformed into scientists. This alteration accounts for their joint journey into outer space and provides Johnny Storm and The Thing (Ben Grimm) with more opportunities to participate in the sci-fi problem-solving that is central to the plot of “First Steps.

After addressing the initial concern, a new challenge emerged: The team was left with four members who shared many similarities. This new “Fantastic Four” lacked distinct personalities or clear definitions. They were all exceptionally intelligent, mentally stable superheroes. Reed, however, was the only one with a noticeable emotional arc, as he worried about the potential effects of his and Sue’s altered DNA on their unborn child.

If not, instances of family squabbles such as fruitlessly searching for a lost medication container or wrestling with the baby’s safety seat, are instead presented comically rather than dramatically. Where is the conflict? The internal tension is minimal. This version of Fantastic Four is surprisingly… amicable.

The film excels from the get-go in the realm of design. Unlike other Marvel Cinematic Universe films, “Fantastic Four” exists independently; its New York City setting boasts a retro-futuristic charm, complete with 60’s-style architecture and fashion. Consistency is key here – from their headquarters, to their flying Fantasticar, to their distinctive blue-and-white costumes, every element shares a unique, cohesive aesthetic. Visually, “First Steps” offers an enjoyable experience, with its 60’s-inspired Manhattan and the strange realm of Galactus making it a delight for the eyes.

It’s a good starting point, but there’s still potential for more refinement.

Additional Thoughts:

Among the few aspects that the Fox Fantastic Four films accurately portrayed, the Silver Surfer was one. He was depicted as sleek, imposing, and genuinely alien. In comparison, the Silver Surfer in First Steps is even more impressive. She appears as if she’s a living block of precious metal, and her movements while traversing the cosmos mirror those of an actual surfer. She’s visually stunning, albeit a shame that she doesn’t appear more often in the film.

Marvel introduced a robot companion for their Fantastic Four team called H.E.R.B.I.E., who was initially developed for a 1970s Fantastic Four cartoon series that couldn’t use the Human Torch character. In the movie First Steps, H.E.R.B.I.E. has a cute face made from analog tape reels and communicates with adorable bleeps and bloops, similar to an older model of BB-8. He’s endearing, but his frequent appearances can become excessive, making one wish for less H.E.R.B.I.E. in the beginning scenes.

It seems challenging to create an exceptional Fantastic Four movie due to the numerous main characters and villains involved, which can make the story feel cramped within a two-hour timeframe. Unlike X-Men or Avengers films that can be adapted according to the talent pool, or introduce new characters to keep things interesting, the Fantastic Four remain essentially constant – four individuals with consistent powers. Making this setup feel fresh is quite a task. Marvel managed to achieve this by altering the world surrounding the team, which proved to be a successful move. However, the core cast of the film continues to present a challenge.

RATING: 6/10

The Worst Performances in Marvel Movies

Zawe Ashton, The Marvels

To give Zawe Ashton her due, it’s worth noting that even Lawrence Olivier might have struggled to add depth to the character of Dar-Benn, a vengeful alien leader who accuses Captain Marvel of destroying her home planet. Essentially, she is just bitterness personified with a powerful cosmic bracelet. Despite the one-dimensional and formulaic nature of Dar-Benn’s motivations in the film, Ashton managed to avoid repeating the clichés often associated with this type of stock character that has been featured numerous times in Marvel movies.

Gemma Chan, Eternals

In the film “Eternals,” the tumultuous relationship between Gemma Chan’s character Sersi and Richard Madden’s Ikaris ought to serve as the emotional heart of the story. However, despite Ikaris possessing extraordinary energy abilities, their chemistry is nonexistent, even in their highly-anticipated love scene, which was a groundbreaking moment for Marvel Studios. Sadly, this scene, along with much of the film, falls flat and delivers one of the least passionate portrayals of intimacy in recent mainstream cinema. (I’m struggling to find an explanation for it, and my best guess is that perhaps ancient space gods like the Eternals are not well-versed in human intimacy?) The term “lifeless” might be the most fitting description for the entire film, and unfortunately, this lackluster quality extends to both lead performances.

Russell Crowe, Thor: Love and Thunder

Just as tales of Thor, the powerful Norse deity, have been handed down for centuries, stories about Russell Crowe’s eccentric portrayal of Zeus in this movie will likely be shared in future times. Some may find it hard to believe, but they will speak of its mythical status. It is said that Crowe was determined to adopt a broad Greek accent for Zeus, while director Taika Waititi initially had reservations. To ensure flexibility, Crowe recorded his scenes twice: once with the exaggerated Greek accent and once with a more conventional British one. In an interview, Waititi mentioned that the audience tests favored the Greek accent and expressed satisfaction with the final product. Despite my differing opinion – I found Crowe’s accent work so over-the-top it paled in comparison to the subtle “Cheezborger! Cheezborger!” characters from the classic Saturday Night Live sketch.

Christopher Eccleston, Thor: The Dark World

As a passionate film enthusiast, one of the reasons I find “Thor: The Dark World” often criticized within the Marvel Cinematic Universe is the absence of a truly engaging villain. In this installment, Thor’s adversary is Malekith, a Dark Elf who covets an Infinity Stone. However, if you found watching “Thor: The Dark World” a bit of a struggle, then you can only imagine how challenging it must have been to create it. But there’s no need to imagine; the actor who portrayed Malekith, Christopher Eccleston, was so dissatisfied with the entire production that he likened it to pointing a gun at his own mouth. “I paid dearly for my whoredom during those times,” Eccleston said in an interview with The Guardian. And it seems audiences did too.

Richard Madden, Eternals

Initially, it seems that the character Ikaris from the movie “Eternals” appears as the team’s bravest and most determined hero. However, unbeknownst to his teammates, he is secretly working against them to bring about the birth of a baby Celestial on Earth, which would ultimately lead to the destruction of all life on Earth. Even a clichéd character like the secret villain can be made interesting with excellent acting, but Richard Madden portrays Ikaris as if he were a lifeless block that could shoot lasers. (It’s worth noting that the Eternals are highly advanced alien robots, so perhaps his understated performance was intentional but fell flat?)

In just a few scenes, Ikaris attempts to stop his teammates, kills one of them in a flashback, then decides to help them before ultimately sacrificing himself by flying into the sun. Throughout these scenes, Madden’s expression remains unchanged and static. Furthermore, he lacks any on-screen chemistry with Gemma Chan. There’s no need for a spoiler alert here, as I have already revealed the information.

Guy Pearce, Iron Man 3

As a devoted Marvel fan, I found myself intrigued by the unexpected twist that writer/director Shane Black took with the Mandarin character in the MCU. Instead of the iconic villain Iron Man’s comics are known for, we got a bumbling actor playing a caricatured Middle Eastern terrorist. To me, this was a refreshing departure; why not keep the audience on their toes by delivering something they least expect?

However, the real issue lay with the “real” Mandarin, portrayed by Guy Pearce. He embodied everything we’ve come to anticipate from an Iron Man villain in the preceding films: a capitalist driven by greed and seeking revenge on Tony Stark for thwarting his plans. The problem was, they didn’t utilize one of the comics’ captivating Mandarin designs for Pearce’s character. Instead, we got a shirtless man in slacks with horrid chest tattoos. I have immense respect for Guy Pearce as an actor, but it seems like his discontent is palpable through those regrettable tattoos.

Bill Murray, Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania

Curiosity strikes: Isn’t it plausible that Bill Murray has never watched a Marvel film in his career? His portrayal of Krylar in ‘Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania’ appears to be quite misplaced, given that he seems like an oddball and flirt in a role intended for a significant resident of the Quantum Realm. It’s puzzling because his character vanishes from the movie after just a few minutes, leading one to ponder if the remaining scenes involving Krylar were deleted due to being unnecessary or if Murray failed to grasp the role requirements. In any case, it seems unlikely that we’ll see Krylar reappear in ‘Ant-Man 4: Yes, But This Time He Shrinks Down’.

Will Poulter, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3

In the highly anticipated cast of Guardians Vol. 3, the character generating the most buzz and media coverage prior to release is Adam Warlock, skillfully played by Will Poulter. Known for his significant role in Marvel’s comics, particularly during the original Infinity Gauntlet series, fans had high hopes that he would finally receive the attention he deserves. However, they were left feeling let down as the MCU’s Warlock turned out to be a minor character in Guardians Vol. 3, serving mostly as a comedic prop and, portrayed by Poulter with little clarity, not particularly humorous.

Mickey Rourke, Iron Man 2

Mickey Rourke capitalized on his career resurgence and Oscar nomination in “The Wrestler” by accepting the high-profile role of Iron Man 2 villain Whiplash. However, the profound psychological depth and soulful sadness he embodied as Randy the Ram were completely absent when Rourke appeared as Whiplash, characterized by an over-the-top Russian accent and numerous peculiarities. (He’s fond of his bird!) Despite Whiplash’s professed hatred for Tony Stark’s father for stealing the concept for the initial arc reactor, Rourke portrayed his quest for retribution with as much emotional intensity as someone who has just woken up from a long sleep.

Sylvester Stallone, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2

Throughout his time at Marvel Studios, James Gunn directed some outstanding performances across the entire MCU, including both human and raccoon actors. However, at times, minor or even tertiary characters in the Guardians films seemed like they were added without much thought, such as Will Poulter’s Adam Warlock character. For instance, Guardians Vol. 2 introduced a whole new team of Guardians seemingly for no other reason than their existence in Marvel Comics, including Sylvester Stallone, who portrayed Starhawk. One may wonder why Rocky ended up in outer space and what he brought to the film. Much like Bill Murray’s appearance in Quantumania, Stallone’s familiar face amidst a cosmic adventure felt more distracting than enriching. This cameo can be seen as an illustration of “more is less.

2025-07-22 19:27