Fantastic Four: First Steps Into A Fun, Emotionally Engaging Adventure 

Image Courtesy of Marvel Studios

By Luis Zonenberg 

As July comes to a close, Marvel decided to step in and throw out one last heavy hitter for the summer blockbuster season. With Fantastic Four: First Steps kicking off the final phase of the Multiverse Saga, the hype behind the latest film has been next-level compared to previous Marvel installments. Thankfully, the film more than lived up to the hype, delivering a truly fun and marvelous experience at the theater. 

The story centers around famed supergenius Reed Richards (Pedro Pascal) as he discovers his wife, Susan Storm (Vanessa Kirby), is pregnant! As the superpowered couple attempt to “baby-proof” the city, their world  begins to fall apart with the arrival of the Silver Surfer (Julia Garner), who heralds the arrival of the planet-eating giant, Galactus (Ralph Ineson). When they discover he is after their newborn child, the fantastic couple work together with their family to prevent a planet-wide disaster! 

The story is a wonderful throwback to the sci-fi serials of the 60s, embracing the campy charm and weirdness of the classic comics with a touch of Nolan’s Interstellar. Similarly to James Gunn’s Superman, director Matt Shakman throws audiences right into the action and (mostly) skips the origins of the classic superheroes. The movie’s central theme revolves around the importance of family and executes it well without it being too much like a Hallmark flick, with each character lighting up the screen and getting their appropriate time to shine. 

The movie was incredibly well-casted, with Pedro Pascal and Vanessa Kirby proving to be a fantastic couple on the screen. Their chemistry is quite remarkable and really had me convinced they were a real married couple on-screen. Anthony Quinn proved to be the real standout as the pyrokinetic Johnny Storm, boasting a lot of charm and wit whenever he popped up on-screen. Ebon-Moss Bachrach, Julia Garner, and Paul Walter Hauser were all fantastic in their supporting roles, with Ralph Ineson turning in an especially terrifying performance as Galactus! 

The movie is incredibly well-directed, tailor-made to be seen on a ginormous IMAX screen! The cinematography was quite phenomenal for a Marvel film, with its intergalactic scope complimenting the rich retro aesthetic. The way they captured the vastness of space and the enormous size of Galactus was simply amazing, making it feel much terrifying as the stakes grew higher. I cannot think of any Marvel film that looked or even felt this massive before, which is quite the achievement! 

A lot of audiences have been praising Michael Giacchino’s score for the film and for good reason. His music captures the simplicity and charm of the 60s, creating a score that truly brings the Fantastic Four to life. He adds the cherry on top of the beautiful sundae Matt Shakman and company crafted, knowing when to elevate the stakes and scale back for the emotional moments. Giacchino clearly had a blast crafting the score, crafting a phenomenal soundtrack that lives up the crime-fighting family’s name. 

Now if Giacchino’s score was the cherry on top of the sundae, then the wonderful production design and sleek VFX were the rich chocolate coating for it. The practical production work truly captured the retro vibe of the 60s, creating a wonderfully futuristic take on the time period that truly brought the world to life! The miniatures and CGI-heavy action scenes looked really awesome on-screen, with maybe only a couple of spotty moments here and there, but that’s about it. 

When taking into account that this is the second theatrical reboot of the Fantastic Four, I was absolutely thrilled that the movie was as good as it turned out. The film is rich in action and heart, with Susan Storm anchoring it with her beautiful charm and devotion to her family. Boasting incredible direction and dazzling set pieces, The Fantastic Four: First Steps lives up to its title with a fun and emotionally charged adventure the whole family can enjoy. 

Fantastic Four: First Steps is now playing in theaters. 

Rating: ★★★★★