Marvel’s first family has returned, and this time under the umbrella of the MCU. Starring Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Joseph Quinn, and Ebon Moss-Bachrach. With director Matt Shakman helming the film, is the fifth time the charm for the Fantastic Four, or is The Fantastic Four: First Steps another misstep for this famed family?
The Fantastic Four: First Steps opens with the Fantastic Four at the height of their fame. They are Earth’s mightiest defenders. They are lauded as celebrities and icons, all the while keeping themselves a cohesive family unit. However, the times are changing, and the family has to deal with a major event; Sue (Kirby) and Reed (Pascal) are pregnant. This throws the found family for a loop, but they’re excited. Then, a silver woman appears from the sky and says their world is doomed for destruction by the hands of the eternal Galactus.
With the Earth now on borrowed time, the Fantastic Four take on the Herculean task of stopping the machinations of a being who is basically a god.
Hold your loved ones close
The Fantastic Four: First Steps is fine. The cast has a decent rapport, and they sell their family dynamic well. In particular, Pascal and Kirby balance each other well. Kirby’s Sue is strong and confident. She has the presence of the world’s mother, highlighted in a scene where she speaks to the people of New York City, explaining the world will be saved not just by the Fantastic Four, but by the entirety of the world.
It’s a charm she carries throughout the whole film. Pascal is on the other side of the spectrum emotionally; he is a supporter, doing away with a large portion of his usual style of charm for something far more subdued. It’s an acquired taste, and it didn’t always work for me. There are moments where his brain overrides his heart, and though it is true to the character, I feel the film wasn’t brave enough to truly traverse the depths of Reed’s calculating nature.
With regards to the two other members of the Fantastic Four, they were fine. Though Ben and Johnny are played commendably, neither is given a story of their own. The film touches on Johnny being bored with Earth and encapsulates it within the Silver Surfer (Julie Garner). With regards to Ben, he is interested in a woman, and that’s about it. It’s a shame because they felt too safe.
Which brings me to what ultimately let me down with The Fantastic Four: First Steps, it’s plain. For all its bells and whistles. For all the fanfare, it’s every first run-in with Galactus story you’ve seen before. It borrows elements from several other iterations of Fantastic Four stories from all forms of media. The first interaction with the Silver Surfer and the Human Torch is almost beat for beat the same as it was in Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer.
Then there is the CGI within The Fantastic Four: First Steps; it’s messy, but when it’s great, it’s great. The introduction of Galactus, a chase scene involving the Fantastic Four and the Silver Surfer and a black hole. All quite impressive. However, there was no oomph when it came to the design of the Human Torch. There were major dips in quality with regards to Ben, and worst of all, there were several scenes involving a baby that reminded me of Twilight: Breaking Dawn. If you know, you know.
The Fantastic Four: First Steps is a decent film. It’s a nice introduction to the family, but it is ultimately a film that feels surprisingly emotionless. Family is a theme that can hit hard, and the fact that I didn’t tear up once is a red flag in my books.
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