‘The Fantastic Four: First Steps’ Review: The MCU’s Most Spectacular, Vibrant & Creative Film To Date

Marvel Studios has finally delivered a film about its First Family that’s bold and beautiful, intense but very heartwarming.

Marvel Studios’ The Fantastic Four: First Steps is directed by Matt Shakman and it’s about the iconic quartet superhero family preparing to go up against one of the franchise’s biggest threats, cosmic planet destroyer Galactus and his herald, Silver Surfer.

Matt Shakman, who directed all 9 episodes of the Emmy award-winning Disney+ Marvel series WandaVision is the driving force of the film.

Shakman clearly understood the assignment, capturing the aesethic of the early comics by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby with the help of setting the movie in a 1960s retro-futuristic world. The 1960s retro-futuristic tone fits perfectly in the film by giving the film a much more creative swing that’s hardly been seen in other MCU entries.Giving New York City a 1960s retro-futuristic feels both authentic and fresh that looks both similar but something that you never seen before thanks to Kasra Farahani’s production design and Oscar winner Alexandra Byrne costume designing. The practicality is truly insane with the sets they built and even their helpful robot H.E.R.B.I.E is adorable and realistic.

First Steps showcases some gorgeous visuals that’s it’s a massive spectacle in the film that feels very much like watching classic sci-fi movies and TV shows but also modern films as well like 2001: A Space Odyssey, The Jetsons, and Christopher Nolan’s Interstellar.

Without giving away spoilers, there’s an epic chase scene that takes in space that involves The Fantastic Four and Silver Surfer that is so intense, thrilling, and extremely visceral, something that has to be witness in the biggest screen.

The film has a runtime under 2 hours, approximately an hour and 55 minutes, but it’s so well paced and doesn’t feel rush at all. The plot is very straightforward with focusing on the threat and important message of family, love and optimism.

That’s always been the theme of the Fantastic Four. While this film isn’t super action heavy like other MCU movies, it deals with exploration because these characters are astronauts and explorers who care about each other and their dynamic is wholesome.

Now, this isn’t an origin story. Our quartet superhero family are already established characters and are treated as celebrities. What helps this succeeds is the ensemble cast in the film.

Our leads truly bring Marvel’s First Family like never before. Pedro Pascal becomes Reed Richards. He brings Reed’s intelligence and vulnerability into the role so well. Vanessa Kirby is the heart and soul of the movie as Sue Storm. She brings so much strength to the role that makes her one of the best female characters in the MCU who’ll become an instant favorite like Scarlet Witch and Yelena Belova.

With Sue being pregnant in the movie, she’s still a force of nature thanks to Kirby’s performance. Reed and Sue’s chemistry is classic movie romance and is showcase throughout the film since we hardly see romantic aspects in the film, Fantastic Four makes up for it.

Joseph Quinn and Ebon Moss-Bachrach are very charismatic as Johnny Storm and Ben Grimm respectively. With story arcs that involve Ben accepting himself as a giant rock (with looks ripped right of the comics) and Johnny adjusting to his sensitivity, they bring so much humor and emotion to the film.

You couldn’t ask for a better cast for Marvel’s First Family who delivers tons of chemistry are really a family. Paul Walter Hauser has a show-stopping performance as Harvey Elders aka Mole Man. Super fun with a small but important role. Other standouts are the aforementioned villains Shalla-Bal a.k.a. the Silver Surfer played by Emmy winner Julia Garner and Ralph Ineson who plays Galactus.

The Silver Surfer really looks cool in the film. They way she moves on her surfboard is so magical to see and her VFX on her super clean. We see her backstory as to why she becomes Galactus’ herald and you really feel bad for the character that makes you want to feel her pain.

From her introduction to her scenes with Johnny Storm, she really makes an impression.

As for Galactus, he will give you goosebumps. Ralph Ineson may already be known for having a very powerful voice, but when he appears on screen as Galactus in his comic book accurate look, he’s super intimidating that’s sends a chill down to the spine. Off screen you feel his terrifying presence too.

For those who don’t know, Galactus is a cosmic being who consumes the life of planets and his goal is to go after Franklin Richards who’s a threat to him. But if the Fantastic Four isn’t gonna follow his wishes, he’ll go after Earth and destroy it.

The film really raises the stakes up to an eleven with Galactus as the main villain who’s been a villain to the characters in the comics so it makes it all the way intense with adapting the Galactus trilogy.

The VFX througout the film are impeccable. The Fantastic Four’s superheroes are used so well in this film and not overly used. From Reed’s stretchy powers to Johnny Storm’s fire ability and Sue Storm’s forcefields and invisibility doesn’t disappoints.

Jess Hall’s cinematography is very cinematic and the color use in the film are incredibly vibrant and pops so much in the very single frame. And Michael Giacchino’s music score soars sky high to space and is one of his best work to date.

Fantastic Four: First Steps feels ripped right out of comics and is the best adaptation of these characters. Marvel has truly outdid themselves telling a simple story that’s fun, thrilling, electric and so heartwarming that it’s beautiful to witness.

The Fantastic Four: First Steps will be blasting off to theaters worldwide July 25 and see it on the biggest screen especially in IMAX.