THE FANTASTIC FOUR:FIRST STEPS (2025)

If you grew up on or rely on the cinematic Marvelverse for your superhero knowhow you may:

1. believe that back in the day the Guardians of the Galaxy was a comic series all of the youth were reading

and

2. be unaware that the Fantastic Four is arguably the heart and soul of Marvel.

It’s understandable given that there have been so many Guardians of the Galaxy movies and cameos and only failed attempts at the Fantastic Four, as is the weariness when faced with yet another incantation. But original fans of the comics always knew and know, that there are countless epic Fantastic Four stories ready to go if only moviemakers could harness the iconic franchise correctly. There hasn’t even been a legitimate Doom thus far and it’s 2025! Thankfully, the bad streak has ended and The Fantastic Four: First Steps is a satisfying winner. The film dives right in, nailing a retro 1960’s inspired Jetsons-esque world (including idealized and visionary eye candy), immersing one into the nostalgia, while moving tightly and quickly through the characters’ origin stories byway of a clever film within a film, summing up anything and everything viewers need to know real quick like, so that we may hit the ground running; which is see this close-knit family dynamic in action. Pedro Pascal and Vanessa Kirby are palpably in harmony as patriarch/matriarch Reed Richards and Sue Storm, as are Richard’s best friend Ben Grimm (Ebon Moss-Bachrach) and Storms’s younger brother Johnny (Joseph Quinn) with their brotherly banter. To top it off, Marvel finally and properly brings to life the nemesis planet-eater Galactus (side-eye to you cloud Galactus from Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer (2007)). Now I admit I had my doubts about the cast, but everyone here is exceptional and tonally perfect. Even the Silver Surfer’s (Julia Garner) gender switch-up, which felt, well, forced, political climate-wise, adds to the plot and humour, particularly with Human Torch Johnny. My biggest critique would be Pascal not shaving his stash. Otherwise, he’s the best Mister Fantastic to date. He’s properly calculated and almost chillingly obsessive, which is where Sue comes in to shine her eyes on the admirable complexities and sheer manliness of the man. As well, the choice to not bombard us with cameos and tie-ins was refreshing in this movie era. This is a standalone film that doesn’t require one to watch a plethora of Disney+ series and a decade’s worth of feature films to understand who means what to whom. Of course this is a real treat for me, being a lifelong fan, still it works for everyone, epitomizing the comics themselves, being inclusionary and, most importantly, flame on fun.

WATCH OR NOT: WATCH

Additional musings: Probably the best visuals I have ever seen in a superhero movie, period. See it in 3D while you can.