It made me care again, not just about the MCU, but about the people trying to save it.
📸 Photos courtesy of The Walt Disney Studios
A version of this review was published on PhilSTAR Life.
This year has turned out to be surprisingly good for superhero films. Back in May, Marvel Studios dropped “Thunderbolts*,” and to me, that felt like a direct apology to fans who thought the MCU had lost its spark. That asterisk in the title? A wink to its own ambition, a “risk in asterisk,” if you will. It was a bold, thematically dark film that, against all odds, tapped into something deeply human. It made us realize that when superhero movies break free from the formula and choose to lean into vulnerability and sincerity, they can actually soar.
That’s precisely the feeling I had watching “The Fantastic Four: First Steps.” It’s a film with a big heart, and remarkably, it never feels manipulative. Compared to “Thunderbolts*,” “First Steps” is more grand in scale, and undeniably brighter in tone and visuals, but it still grounds its cosmic spectacle in something deeply emotional.
It has everything I’ve been missing in recent superhero fare: humor that lands naturally, dazzling visuals (both literally and figuratively out-of-this-world), propulsive action, an epic score, and most importantly, a clear sense of stakes — a genuine need for something or someone to be saved. The film strikes a confident balance between honoring the Marvel formula and daring to step beyond it.
The humor may not be as sharp or frequent as in other Marvel outings, but what it lacks in punchlines, it makes up for in heart. There’s a genuine sense of purpose here, a team devoted not just to saving the world, but to reminding it that heroism can be collective, too.
Directed by Matt Shakman, “First Steps” reintroduces Marvel’s first family: Reed Richards (Pedro Pascal), Sue Storm (Vanessa Kirby), Ben Grimm (Ebon Moss-Bachrach), and Johnny Storm (Joseph Quinn). The story begins with their historic journey into space, where cosmic rays transform them into superhumans. Reed becomes the stretchy, brainy Mr. Fantastic. Sue gains the power of invisibility and force fields. Johnny becomes the fiery Human Torch. And Ben, now made of stone, wields immense strength as The Thing.
But just as the team begins to settle into life with their superpowers, Sue learns she’s pregnant. That tender moment is cut short by an interstellar threat: Shalla-Bal (Julia Garner), herald of the world-devouring Galactus (voiced with menace by Ralph Ineson), arrives with a warning. Earth is next. With Sue nearing labor, the team races to Galactus’s home to negotiate or, if necessary, stop him. It’s a mission that tests not only their powers but their unity as a family.
The acting is a clear highlight. The core four share fantastic chemistry that makes their family dynamic feel natural and genuinely lived in. Quinn and Kirby are standouts, but truthfully, the entire ensemble is, forgive the pun, fantastic. The screenplay gives each character room to breathe, allowing them to shine both individually and as a unit. Kirby brings a quiet strength to Sue Storm, grounding the film in real emotion. Garner, as a female Silver Surfer, is an inspired choice. Her scenes with Quinn’s Johnny Storm bring unexpected warmth and emotional depth. Their chemistry? Absolutely cosmic. For a film so rooted in cosmic physics, it's the chemistry between actors that truly powers it.
If there’s one flaw, it’s that the film occasionally breezes through what should be pivotal emotional beats. While the characters are well-drawn and brought to life by a strong cast, some arcs, particularly the more intimate or transitional moments, could have benefited from just a little more breathing room.
Shakman’s direction brings flair and freshness, immersing the story in a vibrant, retro-futuristic 1960s setting. The production design is bold, stunning, and never derivative. The visual effects, for the most part, are spectacular and worthy of the film’s cosmic scale, though there are moments when the CGI falters and briefly pulls you out of the experience.
Still, what truly elevates “First Steps” is its screenplay. It obliterates the low expectations set by previous adaptations and establishes a new gold standard for this iconic team’s cinematic portrayal. The world-building woven throughout this narrative is a phenomenal achievement. It crafts a backdrop so rich and immersive that it feels like a character itself. The narrative stands firmly on its own, with no unnecessary subplots or cameos weighing it down. And yet, it still manages to enrich the sprawling MCU narrative and never feels burdened by its complexities.
Ultimately, the greatest triumph of “The Fantastic Four: First Steps” is that it makes you care — not just about what these characters are fighting to save, but about a cinematic universe many of us were ready to give up on. — WALPHS.com
