The Fantastic Four: First Steps Review
Reel Rating: 8.1/10 | 4-min read | Rated PG
It’s been a long time since Marvel delivered a truly great movie. So when one finally shows up, we hesitate. Not because it isn’t good, but because we’ve been burned too often by overstuffed sequels and half-baked setups from a cinematic universe that’s started to feel more like homework than entertainment.
The Fantastic Four: First Steps is different. It’s exciting, rewatchable, and absolutely worth seeing in theatres. With an ensemble that captures the charm of the original comics, a villain who actually feels dangerous, and visuals that echo the scale of sci-fi epics like Interstellar, it has all the makings of a great superhero movie. But it’s the film’s clear creative vision that push it one step closer to being fantastic.
On screen, the stakes are massive with Galactus threatening to consume the planet. Off-screen, the pressure is just as high. Marvel’s recent films have stumbled financially, and even critical wins like Thunderbolts failed to deliver the box office return the studio hoped for. The outcome of The Fantastic Four: First Steps could very well shape the future of the entire cinematic universe. You can feel that tension throughout the film in a way that’s not just noticeable, but oddly energizing, as if both the studio and the audience are aware of just how much is riding on this one.
What’s certain is this: The Fantastic Four: First Steps succeeds because it knows exactly what it wants to be. The real question is whether Marvel will finally start letting more of its movies do the same.
The Fantastic Four Is Marvel’s First Steps Back In The Right Direction
Trying to figure out what’s gone wrong with Marvel lately shouldn’t be that complicated, but somehow, the studio has made it feel like rocket science. At this point, you’d need to be Reed Richards just to solve the problem.
Is it the acting? The writing? The VFX? The constant setups for stories that never get closure? Whatever it is, Marvel’s once slick formula has turned clunky, bloated by expectations and obsessed with being “big” instead of being good.
To casual viewers, it might look like a franchise trapped in a relentless pursuit of perfection. But that frustration points to something deeper: It’s not that audiences don’t care anymore. It’s that they still do.
The Fantastic Four: First Steps feels like the direction Marvel’s multiverse saga should have taken from the start: stories built around new worlds, new stakes, and the possibility of connection without obligation. No cameos. No convoluted backstory. Just a clear, confident story that knows what it’s about. That clarity gives the whole film life; it doesn’t just tell a story; it builds a world that moves with purpose.
A big part of that comes from director Matt Shakman’s eye for crafting a distinctive retro-futurist world. His work on WandaVision proved he could marry style and storytelling, but here he pushes it further. From the sleekly old-fashioned costumes to the retro-inspired designs for Reed’s cutting-edge tech, every frame feels beautiful and meticulously composed. The camera doesn’t just capture these details; it invites you into them, making the world feel tactile, lived-in, and easy to step into for fans.
The plot? Classic superhero stuff: team forms, villain rises, showdown happens. But it works, not because it’s reinventing the wheel, but because it’s grounded in something real. The secret weapon here isn’t a new power or tech. It’s the thing that’s been missing from so many of these movies lately: heart. In The Fantastic Four: First Steps, that heart is family.
Meet Reed, Sue, Johnny, and Ben: The Fantastic Four
There was a lot of “what if” casting buzz surrounding this movie. A-list names like Adam Driver, Margot Robbie, Matt Smith, and Paul Mescal were all tossed into the mix. And while it’s always fun to imagine what those alternate timelines might’ve looked like, I’m glad Marvel went with this version. What sets this team apart isn’t just their powers (though they’re pretty damn cool), but how they interact, support, and challenge one another. The cast has real chemistry, and the story’s strength lies in how fully the cast leans into that bond, making the emotional stakes feel just as vital as the cosmic ones. Before the film sells us on saving the world, it sells us on the people doing it.
Vanessa Kirby brings a commanding presence to every role she takes on, and for Sue Storm, it’s the kind of presence you’d expect from someone married to the smartest man alive. It’s easy to write a pregnant character into a corner, but both Kirby and the script flip that trope. Her pregnancy doesn’t make Sue vulnerable; it makes her fierce. So when the world starts to lose faith in the Fantastic Four, she stands tall and says, “I will not sacrifice my child for this world, but I will not sacrifice this world for my child.” It’s a statement of defiance against the false choice that often comes up in superhero stories: save your loved one or save the world. She’s saying she’ll fight for both, even if that seems impossible.
Joseph Quinn nails Johnny Storm. He brings that perfect mix of younger brother energy, humour, and a surprising amount of soul to the role. He’s the emotional throughline character for the story, not just a hothead, but someone who genuinely ties the team together and will risk it all for his family. My only issue? No “Flame On!” Not once…I get that it can be cheesy if overused, but considering the whole celebrity angle the film plays with, I really thought we’d get at least one crowd-pleasing moment. But hey, maybe they’re saving it.
Ebon Moss-Bachrach might be the most unexpected choice of the bunch. Despite a prior role in Marvel’s The Punisher, this didn’t seem like the next step in his career, until it was. Fans of The Bear already know what he brings to the table when it comes to complicated families, and that ability to wear emotional depth like a suit of armour carries over here. Under all that rock, he brings a real human presence to Ben Grimm. That said, I wish we got more of him. No one ever actually calls him “The Thing,” and while his arc sets up something poignant for the origin of that name, it’s never given the screentime to play out.
And then there’s Mr. Fantastic. I’ll speak for everyone when I say it’s Pedro Pascal’s universe, we’re all just living in it. Like others, I had my doubts when he was first announced, but once again, he proves that he can disappear into just about any role. His Reed Richards isn’t arrogant or quippy like some of Marvel’s past geniuses; he’s measured, thoughtful, and clearly burdened by responsibility and past failures. It’s clear throughout the entire film that he is the leader of the group and the person everyone looks to in a time of crisis, and he carries the weight of all of those decisions.
A Superhero Movie Is Only As Good As Its Villains
Julia Garner as Silver Surfer/Shalla-Bal is a standout, which is no shock as she’s one of the best young actresses in Hollywood at the moment. She brings a quiet intensity that embodies the cosmic threat Galactus represents. From her very first scene, she sends chills through the audience. It’s clear she possesses immense power, yet you can still see the restraint of someone being forced to do someone else’s bidding. It’s a captivating performance that leaves you hoping to see her character return in future instalments.
Ralph Ineson’s Galactus is massive, especially in IMAX, and his presence alone radiates menace. Everything seemed perfectly aligned to position him as the next major MCU villain. Yet, unlike previous villains such as Thanos, whose motives blend atrocity with twisted philosophy, Galactus feels surprisingly one-dimensional for a being said to predate the Big Bang. He speaks so little that it’s a missed opportunity to fully utilize Ineson’s deep voice. Thanos’s goal to “balance” the universe was chilling precisely because it sprang from a warped logic that audiences could grasp. Galactus, by contrast, lacks that complexity. His desperation to transfer his hunger onto Franklin should feel like a profound, almost religious awakening, a cosmic entity witnessing a miracle after eons of endless consumption.
Instead, it lands more like a stroke of luck, as if it’s a mere chance this planet happens to harbour someone with the power to inherit his curse. Especially since it’s Shalla-Bal, not Galactus, who selects the planets to target, and she seemed unaware of the child. It’s rare, but ultimately accidental, and in this context, accidents don’t carry the same weight or tension as deliberate, sought-out plans. And because of that, it might leave Galactus remembered as one of the MCU’s less compelling villains, yet again.
There’s Not Enough Time For The Fantastic Four To Save The Day
I get it, long runtimes have become a problem. Not every film needs to push three hours with endless exposition and indulgent spectacle. And while I really enjoyed The Fantastic Four: First Steps, the one thing holding it back from being truly fantastic is its runtime.
At just 1 hour and 55 minutes, The Fantastic Four: First Steps feels too short, especially for a Marvel film with this level of anticipation. Not in the Marvel fan way where we’re always hungry for more, but in the way where you can sense how much was cut. You leave the theatre knowing a 9/10 version of this film might be sitting on the editing room floor.
Trailers hinted at scenes and subplots that never made the final cut, not surprising in Marvel’s marketing. However, it feels like the film was trimmed to meet a mandate rather than letting the story unfold as it wanted to. You can see the edges where things were sliced. And while the tension is supposed to be tight and the stakes constantly high, the movie could’ve easily handled another 20–30 minutes without losing an ounce of momentum.
Several arcs suffer because of the film’s aggressive editing, which seems obsessed with racing to save time wherever possible. Scenes feel like they need just 30 seconds more breathing room, but instead, we’re rushed through the story with barely a moment to pause.
Johnny’s bond with Shalla-Bal, Sue’s Future Foundation role, and Rachel Rozman’s hinted past with Ben all feel underdeveloped. The footage clearly exists to support the world this movie is building, but on screen, they linger in the background, promises of depth that never quite pay off. Reed ends up feeling like the only character with a complete arc, likely because his story is most directly tied to the core plot. That imbalance is hard to miss, especially in a film called The Fantastic Four.
It’s hard not to see the fingerprints of business and analytics on the final cut, especially when you’re dealing with a $300 million gamble. Studios today build these films with contingency plans baked in. If the data says a 2.5-hour runtime plays better, they’ve got the footage to support it. If analytics suggest a sub-two-hour cut will sell more tickets, they can trim it down without breaking the narrative spine. It’s smart economics, but you have to wonder: how much of the creative vision survives when every decision is filtered through a spreadsheet?
Director Matt Shackman announced via an interview that there are no plans for a director’s cut of Fantastic Four, citing unfinished VFX as the reasoning behind that. But considering that there is now a year and a half gap until Avengers: Doomsday. It feels like investing some more money into releasing a director’s cut of this project, either on Disney+ or in theatres, would be more beneficial than attempting to fill that void with a mediocre TV show.
So What Does This Movie Mean For The MCU?
The Fantastic Four: First Steps isn’t just another entry in the MCU; it feels like a genuine fresh start. It’s a film made with care and a clear creative vision, reminding us why we fell in love with these heroes in the first place. And for once, I’m not left with complaints, just anticipation. If Marvel can resist the noise and give this foundation the space to grow, we might finally be witnessing the dawn of something truly exciting, something fans haven’t been able to say for a while now. This isn’t just a first step forward; it’s a hopeful promise that the future of Marvel, and its first family, could be brighter than ever.
But what do you think? Does The Fantastic Four: First Steps mark the new direction Marvel desperately needs, or is it just a rare bright spot in an otherwise uncertain future? I want to hear your take! Drop a comment and let’s talk about where the Marvel Universe goes from here.