After two decades consisted of three unfortunate adaptations of Fantastic Four movies and a merger with 20th Century (formerly 20th Century Fox), Marvel Studios is finally here with their interpretation of the popular superhero family. Teased at the end of this past May’s Thunderbolts*—alternatively titled *New Avengers—, this action-adventure science-fiction comic book movie is the next major stepping stone for the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s (MCU) Multiverse Saga. Serving as the opening film in Phase Six of this saga, The Fantastic Four: First Steps exhibits life on another Earth. The narrative meticulously revitalizes the late Stan Lee and Jack Kirby’s early-1960s Marvel Comics issues with their “First Family”. Simultaneously, the film comes off as a promising liminal shove for the end of the Multiverse Saga into what can follow.
The Fantastic Four: First Steps is written by Josh Friedman (War of the Worlds, Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles, Terminator: Dark Fate, Avatar: The Way of Water, Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes, Snowpiercer), Eric Pearson (Thor: Ragnarok, Godzilla vs. Kong, Black Widow, Transformers One, Thunderbolts*), Jeff Kaplan, Ian Springer, and Kat Wood. The film is directed by Matt Shakman (It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, Game of Thrones, WandaVision).
In this review, I will discuss The Fantastic Four: First Steps. As this article’s title suggests, no spoilers will be present.
20th Century Studios and Marvel Studios’ The Fantastic Four: First Steps Synopsis
According to Marvel Studios, here is the official synopsis for Matt Shakman, Josh Friedman, Eric Pearson, Jeff Kaplan, Ian Springer, and Kat Wood’s action-adventure science-fiction film, The Fantastic Four: First Steps.
Set against the vibrant backdrop of a 1960s-inspired, retrofuturistic world, Marvel Studios’ “The Fantastic Four: First Steps” introduces Marvel’s First Family — Reed Richards/Mister Fantastic, Sue Storm/Invisible Woman, Ben Grimm/The Thing and Johnny Storm/Human Torch as they face their most daunting challenge yet. Forced to balance their roles as heroes with the strength of their family bond, they must defend Earth from a ravenous space god called Galactus and his enigmatic Herald, Silver Surfer. And if Galactus’ plan to devour the entire planet and everyone on it weren’t bad enough, it suddenly gets very personal.
Marvel Studios
Discussion
Shakman and the screenwriters’ tone is easily the greatest element to The Fantastic Four. Approaching the entire narrative as a 1960s-inspired alternate reality allows for a surreal vibe to retro-futuristic culture. I have seen Robert Zemeckis and Bob Gale’s Back to the Future trilogy, and I have seen Brad Bird, Damon Lindelof, and Jeff Jensen’s Tomorrowland. Compared with these two intellectual properties (IPs), The Fantastic Four: First Steps has a stellar layer to it.
Shifting Perspectives
Director of photographer Jess Hall’s cinematography and production designer Kasra Farahani’s set pieces go hand-in-hand at getting the aesthetic look right to perfection. In this manner, Johnny “Human Torch” Storm (Joseph Quinn) quite literally lights up a room with his presence. Visual effects supervisor Scott Stokdyk and his department do what they can to bring characters to life, and Johnny is a great example of this. The team’s Fantasticar looks better in this film than in Tim Story, Mark Frost, Don Payne, and John Turman’s Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer from 2007. It may be due to the fact that the Fantasticar here looks more like a literal flying car and not an aircraft.
On a bigger scale, I appreciate the location settings that First Steps offers. The Fantastic Four’s Baxter Building penthouse deviates from the what’s seen in the comics’ outlines of their headquarters. In my opinion, that’s a benefit to the narrative. Johnny’s man-cave bedroom and Reed Richards’s laboratory are stand-outs. Galactus’s space vessel has Infinity War-level interiors are awe-inspiring. The antagonist’s intricate armor is the best out of all the characters’ outfits, thanks to costume designer Alexandra Byrne. I can tell she did her extensive research, and thank goodness for that.
Music composer Michael Giacchino crafts one of his greatest soundtracks to date. He refers to his composition as “a love letter to exploration and to the idea of the evolution of character”, and it show throughout. Johnny’s initial investigation into Shalla-Bal/ the Silver Surfer’s (Julia Garner) warnings raises curiosity. Conversely, the score surrounding Galactus (Ralph Ineson) is incredible and suspenseful. The dissonant choir vocals could be enough to send chills down your spine.
The Editing and the Pacing
Editors Nona Khodai, Tim Roche, and Terel Gibson do fine at cutting and assembling the initial footage and reshoots. The opening montage recapping the team’s origin story and the missions that stemmed from it is tough work. Harvey “Mole Man” Elder’s (Paul Walter Hauser) creature from Monster Isle is a sweet allusion to the comic book cover for The Fantastic Four Issue No. 1. The team’s signature “4” flare is also a lovely touch. Shakman and his production crew takes the audience through snippets of the team’s first four years leading up to the main present-day events. However, Red Ghost’s (John Malkovich) absence is sadly felt in the edits.
If that weren’t such a task, succeeding that montage with another montage not too long after shows that the narrative wants to be brisk. Giacchino’s score, paired with the sound designers and sound effects editors’ integration of chalk writing upon a blackboard and electric outlets getting covered up, demonstrates wonder and whimsy. The second act is easily the grandest sequence of events I have ever seen, and the film just goes there. I admire the phenomenal appearance of what looks to be hyperdrive.
The film’s final act delivers well. Its montage of Earth-828’s preparation for Galactus’s eventual, inevitable arrival is an enticing mixture of gravity and levity. However, it continues to rush the pacing to the conclusion instead of developing a more concrete narrative. As expected, Galactus is a larger-than-life entity, even larger than the Statue of Liberty herself. The entire “final confrontation” sequence with him is a blast compared with The Fantastic Four Issues No. 48 to 50.
The Screenwriting
The subtitle, First Steps, has fans scratching their heads. Yet, for a Fantastic Four film, I see its vision akin to Jon Watts, Jonathan Goldstein, John Francis Daley, Christopher Ford, Chris McKenna, and Erik Sommers’ Spider-Man: Homecoming. Shakman et al’s The Fantastic Four: First Steps follows the Marvel Comics IP being reinterpreted for the MCU. Alongside what the superhero team can offer this franchise, the film also serves as a triple entendre.
On the one hand, the Fantastic Four is shown in the first decade of their time as superheroes following their attempted moon-landing. The first steps for humankind are massive and foil profoundly with the newest addition to the “First Family”, i.e., Richards and Susan “Sue” Storm’s (Vanessa Kirby) newborn son, Franklin. The Fantastic Four: First Steps has a clear three-act structure to keep such a cosmic tale so contained. Its world-building is the main objective, and it’s evident in how every element is put together.
Easter Eggs
Earth-828 cleverly alludes to Fantastic Four co-creator Jack Kirby’s birthday, August 28th. The film teases Victor “Doctor Doom” von Doom’s (Robert Downey Jr.) role in this Earth through his country Latveria’s inclusion in Sue’s Future Foundation. Rachel Rozman’s (Natasha Lyonne) role is small, but it’s intended as an homage to Kirby’s wife, Roz Goldstein. To be honest, this is a good change for Ben “The Thing” Grimm’s (Ebon Moss-Bachrach). He’s normally seen in a romantic dynamic with Alicia Masters, the step-daughter of the Puppet Master, who is also referenced by name in the film. In juxtaposition, the homage to Stan Lee is something to behold.
While the film doesn’t show all of the team’s rogues gallery, the audience gets a taste for how the team has been affected by their enemies. Aside from Mole Man, a lot of these supervillains get shout-outs via namedrops. I would be fascinated, then, if a version of the Inhumans—and perhaps even the X-Men and the Avengers—exists on this Earth. Farahani’s depiction of the legendary Yancy Street is a joy to see. It’s a nice neighborhood predating the emergence of the Fantastic Four, compared to its infamous reputation in the comics.
Moreover, Sue’s rhetoric about family calls upon telling others and the audience about her and Johnny’s parents. It interestingly references The Fantastic Four Issues No. 31, 32, and 37, telling more than it should show. Then again, this helps lend ethos to Sue Storm as a leader archetype.
The Crew Behind The Fantastic Four: First Steps
Fantastic Four is created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby.
Jess Hall serves as the director of photography.
Jay Maidment (Casino Royale, Captain America: The First Avenger, Guardians of the Galaxy, Avengers: Age of Ultron, Doctor Strange, Spider-Man: Far from Home, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, Deadpool & Wolverine) serves as the still photographer.
Lee Walters serves as the gaffer. Pat Sweeney is the gaffer for additional photography (UK).
Nona Khodai and Tim Roche (It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, Silicon Valley, Curb Your Enthusiasm Season 10, WandaVision, Hawkeye, Thor: Love and Thunder) serve as the editors.
Terel Gibson (Sorry to Bother You, Ready or Not, Haunt, Hawkeye, Cuckoo, Skeleton Crew, Opus) is the additional editor.
Music
Michael Giacchino (The Incredibles, Mission: Impossible III, Ratatouille, Cloverfield, Lost, Let Me In, Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol, Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, Inside Out, Doctor Strange, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, Spider-Man: Homecoming, War for the Planet of the Apes, Spider-Man: No Way Home, The Batman, Werewolf by Night) serves as the music composer.
Alan Silvestri scores a theme for the film’s mid-credits scene.
Dave Jordan (Fantastic Four, Ghost Rider, the Iron Man trilogy, the Captain America film franchise, James Gunn’s Guardians of the Galaxy trilogy, Doctor Strange, Jon Watts’s Spider-Man trilogy, Avengers: Infinity War, WandaVision, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, Deadpool & Wolverine, Thunderbolts*) and Justine von Winterfeldt serve as the music supervisors.
Nashia Wachsman (Devil’s Due, Guardians of the Galaxy, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, Black Panther, Avengers: Infinity War, Hawkeye, Loki), Paul Apelgren (Ratatouille, Let Me In, Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, War for the Planet of the Apes, The Batman, Inside Out 2), Stephen M. Davis (Ratatouille, Up), and Alex Levy serve as the music editors.
Krystal Johnson serves as the assistant music editor.
Sound
Matthew Wood (Titan A.E., WALL·E, Star Trek Into Darkness, Star Wars: Episode VIII – The Last Jedi, Phantom Thread, Solo: A Star Wars Story, WandaVision, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, Obi-Wan Kenobi, The Mandalorian, Loki, Skeleton Crew) and Josh Gold (Glass Onion, Werewolf by Night) serve as the supervising sound editors. Gold is also the sound designer in post-production.
In post-production, Kyrsten Mate (Ratatouille) serves as the additional sound designer. Jon Borland (Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, Star Wars: Episode VIII – The Last Jedi, Incredibles 2, The Mandalorian Season 1, Loki Season 1, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Daredevil: Born Again), David Chrastka, Richard Gould, Mac Smith (Up, Snow Bear), Ian Chase, and Robert Stambler are the sound effects editors.
Casting
Sarah Halley Finn (Mission: Impossible II, Iron Man, Kick-Ass, Tron: Legacy, Thor, Captain America: The First Avenger, Dredd, Iron Man 3, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., Guardians of the Galaxy, Avengers: Age of Ultron, Captain America: Civil War, Spider-Man: Homecoming, Black Panther, WandaVision, Eternals, Everything Everywhere All at Once, The Mandalorian, Werewolf by Night, Loki) serves as the casting director.
Reg Poerscout-Edgerton (Guardians of the Galaxy, Loki Season 1, Eternals, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness) and Lillie Jeffery (Eternals, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, Loki Season 2) serve as the UK casting directors.
Molly Doyle (Black Widow, Eternals, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, Thunderbolts*) and Jordyn Gregory (Werewolf by Night, Deadpool & Wolverine, Ironheart) serve as the casting associates. Lucy Ordaz serves as the US casting assistant.
Benedict Minghella serves as the UK casting associate. Sian Crisp serves as the UK casting assistant.
Storyboards, Stunts, & Visual Effects
Giles Asbury (X-Men: First Class), Richard Bennett, Doug Lefler, Raymond Prado, Jeremy Simser, Daniel West, and Simeon Wilkins serve as the storyboard artists.
Rowley Irlam serves as the supervising stunt coordinator.
Ben Wright serves as the key assistant stunt coordinator. Leigh Maddern serves as the assistant stunt coordinator.
Martin Wilde serves as the Reed Richards stunt double.
Laura Swift and Ailis Smith serve as the Sue Storm stunt doubles.
Scott Stokdyk serves as the visual effects supervisor. Sandra Balej and Marcus Dryden serve as the additional VFX supervisors.
Lisa Marra (Avengers: Infinity War, Deadpool & Wolverine) and Cyndi Ochs serve as the VFX producers.
Anton Capaldo-Smith, Michael Fendick, Tyler Whitman (Eternals, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, Deadpool & Wolverine), Michael Stone, Patrick Gallagher, and Adam Kimmerlin are the VFX editors.
Aesthetics
Kasra Farahani (Loki) serves as the production designer.
Nick Gottschalk serves as the supervising art director. Alex Baily, Liam Georgensen, Oliver Goodier, Laura Miller, Tom Whitehead are the art directors.
Jan Gronczewski (Knuckles, Mickey 17) serves as the assistant art director for additional photography (UK).
Jille Azis serves as the set decorator.
Alexandra Byrne serves as the costume designer.
India Ayles, Emma Burnand, Joanne Lees, and Charlotte Wiseman are the assistant costume designers.
Elizabeth Yianni-Georgiou serves as the hair & makeup designer.
Anita Burger serves as the hair & makeup artist for additional photography (UK).
The Cast of The Fantastic Four: First Steps
Pedro Pascal (The Adjustment Bureau, Game of Thrones Season 4, Narcos, Kingsman: The Golden Circle, The Equalizer 2, If Beale Street Could Talk, Triple Frontier, We Can Be Heroes, Strange Way of Life, HBO’s The Last of Us, Gladiator II, Materialists, Eddington) portrays Reed Richards/ “Mister Fantastic”.
Vanessa Kirby (Mission: Impossible – Fallout, Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw, Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning, Eden) portrays Susan “Sue” Storm/ “Invisible Woman”.
Ebon Moss-Bachrach (Stealth, HBO’s Girls, The Punisher Season 1, Jami O’Brien’s NOS4A2, The Dropout, Andor Season 1, No Hard Feelings, Christopher Storer and Joanna Calo’s The Bear) portrays Benjamin “Ben” Grimm/ “The Thing”.
Joseph Quinn (Overlord, Stranger Things Season 4, A Quiet Place: Day One, Gladiator II, Warfare) portrays Johnny Storm/ “Human Torch”.
Matthew Wood also voices the Fantastic Four’s Humanoid Experimental Robot B-Type Integrated Electronics (H.E.R.B.I.E.) robot.
Julia Garner plays Shalla-Bal, the Silver Surfer.
Ralph Ineson (Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Parts 1 & 2, Game of Thrones Season 2, Guardians of the Galaxy, Kingsman: The Secret Service, The Witch, Star Wars: Episode VIII – The Last Jedi, Ready Player One, Chernobyl, The Green Knight, The Northman, The First Omen, Nosferatu) portrays Galactus, the primary antagonist.
Natasha Lyonne plays Rachel Rozman, a Jewish woman who is interested in The Thing.
Paul Walter Hauser plays Harvey Elder/ “Mole Man”.
Sarah Niles portrays Lynne Nichols, the Fantastic Four’s Chief of Staff.
Mark Gatiss (Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning) plays Ted Gilbert.
Angela Jones plays a Mole Man attack witness.
Performances and Character Developments
Pascal’s role as Reed Richards is easily one of the better performances he’s had this year. It might be because I have seen him this summer in Celine Song’s Materialists and Ari Aster’s Eddington. The character is grounded for a majority of the film, but I do enjoy his scenes, such as his talking to his child about what he can grow up to become. His fight against Galactus is more of a team effort. Yet, when he fights, the narrative tries to stretch him to his limits.
Shedding away the original comics’ misogynistic rhetoric towards Sue Storm, Kirby’s role as Invisible Woman is magnificent. The actor owns the character through her assertive American accent and her body movements to conjure force fields. I would argue that she is more powerful than Mister Fantastic in what she represents. Sue can serve as an inspiration for those who want to give up on the world. Then again, she does so well because of the family that surrounds her. Hair and makeup designer Elizabeth Yianni-Georgiou does excellently models Kirby’s Sue from the comic book Sue. That, plus a dark headband for decor.
Quinn recontextualizes what many know and love about Johnny Storm. He’s still the comic relief of the narrative, such as in its inquires about the Silver Surfer’s silver surfboard. However, his investigation into learning who Galactus’s herald is taps into a more severe side to him. The character is brilliant for his own good, yet that is displayed within the spaces of privacy. He takes on a role that Alicia Masters plays when Galactus makes his three-issue first appearance. The role leans on posthumanist qualities that I did not expect from the Human Torch, and it’s executed masterfully.
The Devourer of Worlds
Ineson’s deep, terrific impression of Galactus is what lured me into the theater. For Shakman and his production crew to get the character right is feasible. The actor portrays the Celestial being as if a god to smaller lifeforms. I’m utterly intrigued by the character’s involvement in Franklin Richards’s birth and the potential thereof to partake so much more in the world-building. Ineson leaves a lot to be desired about Galactus, and seeing that the character plays roles in Infinity Gauntlet, Infinity War, and Secret Wars, I’m eager to see what other films the Marvel Cinematic Universe has in store for someone of his magnitude.
Final Thoughts on The Fantastic Four: First Steps
You need gravity to push.
Reed “Mister Fantastic” Richards (Pedro Pascal)
The journey into mystery includes discovery, and Shakman et al’s film seemingly finds its footing with ease. Blending tradition with reinvention, its specific perspective is indisputably marvelous. The Fantastic Four: First Steps accurately depicts the family aspects proficiently, but it isn’t without minor flaws here and there. The narrative is incomplete, but Shakman intends for it to be this way. Overall, I’m just grateful that Marvel’s “First Family” is finally on our screens once again!
4.5/5 stars
The Fantastic Four: First Steps is now playing in theaters!
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