In The Fantastic Four: First Steps, it’s been four years since the galactic anomaly that gifted scientists Ben Grimm (Ebon Moss-Bachrach), Sue Storm (Vanessa Kirby), Reed Richards (Pedro Pascal), and Johnny Storm (Joseph Quinn) their powers. Our heroes have been saving the day as a team ever since, and are beloved by all. Sue breaks the news that she is pregnant, and as our core four work to get things ready, Earth is visited by Shalla-Bal/The Silver Surfer (Julia Garner) with some bad news: Galactus (Ralph Ineson), a gigantic God-like being that devours planets due to his insatiable appetite, is eyeing Earth as his next meal. Can our heroes save their world?
The Fantastic Four were created by Jack Kirby and Stan Lee in November 1961 as Marvel’s first family/team of heroes. The rest is history. Hollywood has been trying in vain for sixty-four years to make a faithful and fun adaptation of Marvel’s first family. Have they finally cracked the code?
Matt Shakman (director and creator of WandaVision) takes the reins for this latest attempt, and he has a unique vision for First Steps. First Steps is set in an alternate reality where modern day resembles what people in the 60s believed the future would be like. That’s right, the world of F4 is pure 60s retro-futuristic pastiche. It’s almost like watching a better version of Brad Bird’s Tomorrowland.
The production design by Kasra Farahani is not only stellar, it’s some of the best of the year. Farahani is most well-known for production design on the two seasons of Loki. The world crafted for First Steps is incredibly creative, clever, and cool. While the choice to set this film in an alternate universe may seem odd, the fantastical setting only adds to and enhances the proceedings.
The cinematography by Jess Hall is superb. Hall previously shot projects including Hot Fuzz, Son of Rambow, The Spectacular Now, Transcendence, Ghost in the Shell, Serenity, and WandaVision. First Steps has a film grain-y look to it at times, at others it resembles the cinematography found in this year’s Superman (This is a compliment). The stylized cinematography only compliments the very stylized world F4 is set in.
The score by Michael Giacchino ranks as some of his absolute best. Giacchino scored Brad Bird’s Tomorrowland, so this isn’t his first foray into retro-futurism. The score is perfection, it’s very retro/60s with some light futuristic sounding synth and electro sprinkled in. Giacchino has been one of the best film composers working today, and his work on First Steps only highlights why he has the reputation he does.
The special effects in First Steps are pretty good. The CGI is of a crisp, sharp, polished, high quality. It looks great, but still looks like CGI regardless. The Thing is probably the most convincing CGI creation, while the least convincing is baby Franklin. It seems like they used a real baby as a model, and they either filmed the child separately or created a CGI character out of his likeness. Either way, it’s unsettling and uncomfortable. Baby Franklin easily passes over into uncanny valley territory. It never looks like the baby is in the room with the actors and is instead being digitally inserted after the fact.
First Steps was penned by Josh Friedman (Creator of Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles and Co-writer on War of the Worlds and Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes), Eric Pearson (Co-writer on Thor: Ragnarok, Godzilla vs Kong, Black Widow, Transformers One, and Thunderbolts*), Jeff Kaplan, and Ian Springer. Usually having a team of writers working on a film is a red flag, but luckily the screenplay for F4 is solid. All of our characters are handled respectfully, and with care. The world they live in is fleshed out and, despite having a strong sci-fi edge, it feels real.
All of our actors do impressive work. Each fits their role well. Pedro Pascal makes for a much better Mr. Fantastic/Reed Richards than one might at first expect. He’s still the leader of the group, despite what some of the marketing might tell you. His stretching powers are believably and convincingly conveyed (and in one scene, horrifically so). He doesn’t use his powers often, and this has the welcome effect of making it appear that Reed’s true superpower is his intellect (it is). The film itself is also jubilantly nerdy, such as a chase scene set in space (To go into specifics would spoil the fun).
Vanessa Kirby plays Sue Storm/ The Invisible Woman and she’s great as well. She’s essentially co-captain of the team. Her invisibility and force field powers are portrayed in a creative, unique, and comic-accurate way. First Steps uses Sue’s powers in ways like you’ve never seen on screen before.
Ebon Moss-Bachrach plays The Thing/Ben Grimm. As previously stated above, the CGI work for his character is likely the best in the movie. You believe he’s in the same room or space as the other actors. Ebon imbues so much heart, soul, and kindness into his role. Much like the comics, one of his defining traits is his friendship with Johnny Storm/The Human Torch.
Joseph Quinn plays Johnny Storm/The Human Torch. Just like Ebon, Quinn fills his role with heart, soul, and kindness. Johnny is still quick-to-act/react, and he still loves him the ladies. The way Ebon and Quinn play off of each other when they are required to do so is just perfection, and the friendship the two share is strong. Johnny’s torch powers are also used in inventive and cool ways too.
Ralph Ineson plays Galactus, and he fits the role very well. Galactus is only ever seen in human form, never cloud/storm form. He remains as freaky and imposing as ever. Galactus isn’t a great villain, but there’s an inherent thrill in watching a giant space man trample around NYC for a bit. Yes, it can occasionally look silly, but more often than not it looks cool as hell.
Julia Garner plays Shalla-Bal/The Silver Surfer. She does a great job and, despite being gender-swapped, manages to play a very accurate version of The Surfer. She is indeed intimidating, but there’s an inherent pathos and weariness to her that makes total sense. This Surfer and her arc are similar to what we got from his last appearance in 2007, except they are handled in a better and much more satisfactory way here.
Ultimately, there is very little wrong with First Steps. A good deal of the first act is centered around baby preparations. In other words, it takes a bit for Galactus to enter the picture. The film loses some of its pacing after The Four’s visit to Galactus. The ending also isn’t what most are likely expecting (and once again draws into question the reason to set this in an alternate universe), but it is far from bad. On a side note: Paul Walter Hauser makes for a perfect Mole Man, but very little is done with him.
Every single adaptation of the Fantastic Four has been bad…until now. Matt Shakman is clearly a big-time fan of The Fantastic Four, and he brings us the first ever faithful/accurate adaptation of Marvel’s First Family to the big screen. Watching First Steps is like reading a comic book. There are multiple shots that look like panels out of a comic book and the proceedings have that comic book feel to them.
The Fantastic Four: First Steps almost feels like a throwback to Phase One in a way. It’s a self-contained film the likes of which we haven’t gotten from Marvel in a long time. This is the best Marvel film of the year. I’m gonna say it: The Fantastic Four: First Steps is fantastic!
4 STARS
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