The Fantastic 4: First Steps

"Unlike the last dozen-or-so MCU plods, which turned derring-do comic book heroics into endurance tests, THE FANTASTIC FOUR: FIRST STEPS spins a ripping yarn that soars not only on spectacle, but also smarts and sentiment..." Read the full review here: https://bit.ly/4o5P6rP

Well good news, after ages and having given up trying “Sue” (Vanessa Kirby) and boffin “Reed” (Pedro Pascal) are going to have a bairn! This is great news for her brother “Johnny” (Joseph Quinn) and the stony fourth member of their gang “Ben” (Egon Moss-Bacharach). The news is greeted enthusiastically by their adoring fans too, but those celebrations are cut short when a mysterious woman descends from what looks like a meteor shower to forewarn them that their planet is doomed. Her (Julia Garner) boss “Galactus” (Ralph Ineson) is on his way, and he is hungry for not just some rare earths, but all of it! Blessed with their array of super-powers, the quartet embark in their warp-capable rocket to meet this chap and he offers them an alternative to global destruction. It’s one hell of a sacrifice for the would-be parents though, but with the fate of humanity hanging on their decision - what will they choose? Perhaps they can think of a scientific alternative? There is a slightly retro-look to the production, with their flying car looking like a converted Citroën that belonged in a Jacques Tati film, and there is plenty of inter-galactic adventure with some effective visual effects, a decent degree of menace and it stays sufficiently devoid of sentiment, and the multiverse, until the denouement. Though they do gel well together, none of the acting isn’t really anything special, nor is the writing, but “Ben” looks good with his beard and Quinn probably steals the show with his engagingly flaming character and his spray-on white 501s. There are loads of gadgets and gizmos and anyone who has ever had to argue with a child seat and a car might empathise, too. It’s an old-fashioned save the world movie that hasn’t sold it’s soul to the CGI, and I enjoyed it.

Much of The Fantastic Four: First Steps is built around Reed Richards (Pedro Pascal) and Sue Storm (Vanessa Kirby) getting pregnant and having their child, Franklin. Everything seems to be built around baby proofing and preparing for someone new to enter their lives until The Silver Surfer (Julia Garner) arrives to let everyone know that an enormous cosmic being named Galactus plans to swing by and eat the entire planet. The superhero film feels like a sci-fi film from the 1960s, which makes sense since Fantastic Four #1 debuted in 1961. Maybe it’s the bright colors or the fact that H.E.R.B.I.E. is featured so prominently, but the first half of the film feels like a multi-episode arc of The Jetsons. Things are lighthearted and fairly silly until The Silver Surfer shows up. But The Fantastic Four and James Gunn’s Superman seem to be honoring the silver age of comic books, which is a welcome change for superhero films. Oddly, the marketing makes it seem like the family bond amongst The Fantastic Four is so strong because it doesn’t seem that great while watching it. The film isn’t an origin story, as you only get a brief montage of how they got their powers. But there’s a lot of indecisiveness amongst the team with Franklin on the way. The way time passes in the film is weird. Sue’s pregnancy and Franklin’s age (apart from a certain time jump) seem accelerated, and it’s difficult to decipher if that much time has passed (nine months for the pregnancy, plus however many additional months Franklin is supposed to be) or if it’s fast-tracked because they all have powers. The casting in The Fantastic Four: First Steps is fine, but they still seem to be finding a rhythm as a team. Reed’s brain works in a way that has him thinking of the worst scenarios, while his plans and logic stem from building everything around the most horrible solution. Sue just wants her baby to thrive in the presence of a loving family. She doesn’t want to give him to Galactus or decide his fate if he happens to have powers. She wants him to live and flourish with his own identity and choices. The film seems to hint at Johnny being a womanizer, but he’s painfully single here. He latches onto The Silver Surfer and devotes a good chunk of the film to learning her language just so he can talk to her. The fate of the world may be at stake, sure, but dat silver ass has light years to travel and he’s got to make his moves now. Ben is kinda boring, honestly. He shows interest in Rachel Rozman (Natasha Lyonne) and returning to the places that remind him of what it’s like to feel normal, but unless he’s destroying something or lifting a car over his head, he’s a little forgettable. He isn’t conflicted enough and doesn’t clobber enough things to leave a lasting impression. Reed and Sue have noticeable chemistry, and they should given that they’re married. And Johnny and Ben have this macho kind of bro energy where they’re always ribbing each other and yet also sarcastically supporting one another (Ben’s beard, Johnny referring to himself in third person). As a foursome and a team, though, they still seem to be lacking, like they’re still learning to coordinate cohesively instead of Reed or Sue calling it on the spot. The film takes place four years after the cosmic storm that caused them to gain their powers. But maybe the “first steps” part of the title refers to them still learning to work together as a team, as well as Franklin’s first baby steps. The visual effects are mostly extremely impressive, with a few noticeable green screen shots and face animations being the only funky inclusions. The Silver Surfer’s face looks awkward at times, like it isn’t properly centered on Julia Garner’s body, or something. I wasn’t a huge fan of how the Human Torch looked either. His body is just orange with some lazy flames at the sides that don’t even cover his entire body. The Silver Surfer chase sequences in the wormhole are some of the best the MCU has ever done. There was a bit of an uproar amongst the internet community when The Silver Surfer turned out to be female in this, but the character is given the coolest moments in the film and arguably the film’s most emotional sequence apart from the film’s finale. It's been apparent since Doctor Strange has been hinting at it in both of his films, but the MCU needs to go fully cosmic for its next phase. Despite being beloved around the world and being a team for a decent amount of time, it feels like The Fantastic Four are still working out the kinks of being a solid team in First Steps. The performances are solid, the chemistry amongst the cast is great, and there are sentimental moments sprinkled throughout the entire film. There’s a lot of promise in what the future of the MCU holds with this version of The Fantastic Four, and it’s somewhat of a relief to have a Fantastic Four film that is actually worthwhile and hopefully worth revisiting with fondness instead of regret.