Movie Review: The Fantastic Four: First Steps
After leaving my screening for The Fantastic Four: First Steps, the 37th film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and processing my thoughts on the film, the subtitle First Steps kept circling in my brain. With this being the first time we have seen the Fantastic Four in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the film very easily could have just been titled Fantastic Four, much like how almost every other superhero’s first film is just titled their name (Iron Man, Thor, Black Panther, etc.). There are exceptions to this, especially with MCU sequels, but for the most part, many of the movies introducing a new hero into the universe receive a self-titled name. But the inclusion of First Steps is interesting for several reasons besides just adding a little flare to the standard superhero title.
The Fantastic Four: First Steps takes place on Earth-828, a different universe than the 616 universe, most of the MCU is set in, and during a time that feels like a retro-futuristic 1960s. We meet the Fantastic Four, comprised of Reed Richards (Pedro Pascal), Sue Storm (Vanessa Kirby), Johnny Storm (Joseph Quinn), and Ben Grimm (Ebon Moss-Bachrach), four years after they got their powers following a space mission. Through flashback scenes that look like they were shot on 16mm film, we are given the backstory of who this family was and how they got their powers. It’s easy table setting, in case anyone is unaware of how Ben Grimm turned into a rock man and how Johnny became the Human Torch. The first steps here are a play on Neil Armstrong’s, “one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind,” as the Fantastic Four are seemingly the first people from Earth to conquer space in their timeline.
There is also the plot element of Sue Storm finding out that she is pregnant in the opening scene. Sue’s pregnancy is the emotional center of the film. At first, Sue and Reed are unsure if their powers or exposure to cosmic radiation will affect the baby’s health. But when Silver Surfer (Julia Garner) visits Earth and gives them warning that a planet-eating cosmic entity Galactus (Ralph Ineson) is on its way to destroy Earth, the Fantastic Four go to space to visit Galactus, only for Galactus to give them an ultimatum: give him the child, for he sees him as an all-powerful being who will one day take over his throne, or he will destroy Earth. Sue and Reed decline, and thus begins the plan to save the planet. The first steps here reference the baby’s first steps and show that Reed and Sue’s child, whom they name Franklin, will be a major piece of the plot and ultimately the universe.
The Fantastic Four: First Steps is also our first steps with this new Fantastic Four. Despite various Fantastic Four iterations, from the 1994 unreleased cult film to the 2000s films starring Ioan Gruffund, Jessica Alba, Chris Evans, and Michael Chiklis to the 2015 film starring Miles Teller, Michael B. Jordan, Kate Mara, and Jamie Bell, none have been received well critically or commercially (the 2000s films did okay at the box office). The Fantastic Four: First Steps is far and away the best version of Marvel’s first family. While director Matt Shakman gives us some great action sequences that highlight our heroes’ powers, the film shines brightest when the team is together, regardless of action. First Steps does what all great first superhero films do and establishes its characters. Thanks to a great cast, all of whom give exceptional performances, we get to see the family dynamics at play and understand who each character is as a person and a superhero. We get to understand Reed as a tortured genius filled with regret for what happened to everyone in space. We see how powerful and resilient Sue is. Johnny might come off as cocky, but he is passionate and willing to do anything for the team. And Ben’s exterior might look rough, but he has a heart of gold. Allowing us to understand the characters helps build the stakes of film’s major climax and make for a thrilling and surprisingly emotional finale.
On a bigger level, The Fantastic Four: First Steps felt like the MCU of old. Phases Four and Five of the MCU, the post-Endgame phases, have overall felt meandering and unfocused despite having a few bright spots. The films were inconsistent, there were too many TV shows, and frankly, I’m confused about what will matter leading up to the next major Avengers movies, Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars. But First Steps will matter, and it knows it will matter. The story is concise. It functions as a great introduction for our new MCU heroes while also being a stepping stone for the bigger universe. It is visually one of Marvel’s best efforts in recent years. The retro futuristic look is gorgeous, nothing looks like CGI goop, there are some stunning shots, and you feel the scale of Galactus. The action is exciting, particularly a scene where Silver Surfer is chasing the Fantastic Four through a wormhole in space. It’s filled with emotion, humor, and drama, and the characters are perfectly written. Fantastic Four: First Steps has taken the first steps to realigning the MCU to being a universe that we can be excited about again.
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