Fantastic Four - The First Steps - It's all about loving your "super"Family.

Fantastic Four - The First Steps

English - Superhero Drama / Action

115 mins

In Cinemas

The Fantastic Four never really captured my fancy. I never read the Marvel comics, the movies made so far have been pretty average. Everyone watched the first one because of Jessica Alba. I did not even bother with the reboot (woeful casting!). The animated shows, which weren’t half as bad. They gave us plenty of good ol’ “Clobberin’ time!” moments that made them fun.

My enthusiasm for this new film was muted as well,  two things drew me in. First, the cast—all solid actors, each having graduated from iconic TV or streaming shows. Second, my loyal commitment as a Marvel cinematic geek.  I am not  fan of 3D (unless it is the  Real James Cameron-style 3D), so I was pleasantly surprised to find one show with the  2D IMAX at a screen closeby. Why not, then?

For the uninitiated, here is the setup: The four—Reed Richards (Pedro Pascal), a brilliant scientist; his spouse Sue Storm (Vanessa Kirby); her brother Johnny Storm (Joseph Quinn); and their close friend Ben Grimm (Ebon Moss-Bachrach, EMB)—are astronauts in the 1960s who make a momentous journey into space. A cosmic event alters their DNA, and they return home as superheroes with unique powers. The Fantastic Four (F4)—a happy, if unconventional, family.

The first 10 minutes of Fantastic Four - The First steps,  set things up nicely, starting with a slick “Fantastic Fourized” IMAX intro, followed by a solid 4–5 minute montage that tells their backstory. They are now the protectors of Earth-828 (multiverse stuff). Reed and Sue are expecting a baby and the world is celebrating with them. But Reed, ever the overthinker, is concerned the baby might be “special” and not really sure how much their mutations may have impacted him, while Sue assures him "all is well".

Trouble  glides in—literally, when a mysterious alien,  Silver Surfer (Julia Garner) interrupts their babymoon with an ominous warning: “The Devourer” is coming. Galactus (Ralph Ineson), a cosmic, planet-eating behemoth, has set his sights on Earth-828. 

The F4 family takes it upon them to make a house call to Galactus, where through his powers,  he believes the unborn child is his cosmic heir—destined to inherit his hunger. His message is simple: "Hand over the baby and I will spare your planet. Refuse, I am having Earth for dinner".

Normally, I would not share plot in a superhero review, but let us be honest, as advertised, this one has far more drama than action. It is as close to Kjo territory as Hollywood superhero cinema gets. All the emphasis is on the strength of togetherness and family - very much F4’s brand.

Matt Shakman, who gave us the solid WandaVision, directs well. The characters are well-defined and he meets the "superhero family" brief. Despite all the ominous buildup and planet obliteration, Galactus feels undercooked. The pacing is decent—any more “family moments” would have been a bore.

The VFX are mostly solid—lots of black holes, cosmic travel, and the scale of Galactus is well depicted, mixing CGI and practical effects. Thanks to watching the 2D version, the images and the scale was terrific in IMAX. Truly a visual feast. The effects falter when baby Franklin, arrives. The CGI baby is clearly artificial, and we have definitely seen better. The action sequences (only a couple of them) are inventive and well executed. Michael Giacchino’s score is good—the F4 theme is especially memorable.

The cast delivers:

• Vanessa Kirby (The Crown, Mission: Impossible) is delightful and a scene-stealer. As the emotional heart of the team and a mother, Sue’s character gives her plenty to work with—and she absolutely digs in.

• Joseph Quinn, who shot to fame as Eddie Munson in Stranger Things, has arguably the second-best role and is splendid throughout. Charming and protective.

• Ebon Moss-Bachrach (Girls, The Bear) might be hidden behind layers of CGI, but his emotional vulnerability shines through, contrasting with his rocky exterior.

• Pedro Pascal (Game of Thrones, Narcos, The Mandalorian, The Last of Us) is always a joy to watch. It is great to see his moment in the sun (even if the internet jokes about Pedro being everywhere!- not untrue!). His portrayal of Reed feels a bit flat and two note, emotional restraint and dramatic intensity. No doubt committed, but surprisingly, he is overshadowed by the rest (maybe it is Reed Richards!)

As a movie, Fantastic Four – The First Steps met my low expectations. It is essentially the Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham of the superhero world—more drama than mayhem. In fact, I probably had more fun watching Thunderbolts, which had similar family vibes, with better humor and more happening overall. All said, this is an important chapter for Marvel, as it introduces key characters and concepts for the next phase of the movies.