I’ll also add that the movie’s theme is family. So much so, that it rivals The Fast and the Furious. That whole opening is family. Don’t give up the baby. There’s all this interaction as superheroes that is all about family. I get it when it comes to the amount of superhero stuff… It’s right on par with Roger Corman’s Fantastic Four (who can be seen in cameos throughout).
I’ll end with the good. Casting is great. Vanessa Kirby nails it as Sue Storm. Joseph Quinn and Ebon Moss-Bachrach are good as Johnny and Ben. Although I didn’t like the casting of Pedro, he proves he can act. My issue is how Reed was portrayed in the story. Reed should be a leader who inspires his followers. Here he’s just the most intelligent man in the world. Also, (not Pedro’s fault,) Reed’s power is basically a Spider-Man copycat—he slings from building to building to reach danger quickly.
My only real issue here is that we’re given the Fantastic Four right off the bat, and I felt like I never truly had a chance to embrace them as characters. The most prominent example of this is Ben, who was always a tortured soul because he got the raw end of the super-power deal regarding his appearance. Glad Ben had gotten therapy early on this one.
Joseph Quinn as Johnny Storm/Human Torch in 20th Century Studios/Marvel Studios’ THE FANTASTIC FOUR: FIRST STEPS. Photo courtesy of Marvel Studios. © 2025 20th Century Studios / © and ™ 2025 MARVEL
“I left the theater not feeling overwhelmed, neither good or bad…the movie is fine.”
Marvel has also returned to form by making its story on Earth deadly serious. Yes, there are light moments, but the characters are not constantly throwing out one-liners. This seriousness was the tone of the early MCU movies, up to Endgame. By being serious, all the Galactus stuff is allowed to be taken seriously as well.
Lastly, as mentioned before, this feels like a quick story arc from a Fantastic Four comic book, which honestly is fine. There’s a broader issue of sacrificing a baby to save the Earth, which is wrestled with—not just as an easy answer, but as a means of uniting the world in crisis.
The Fantastic Four: First Steps is good, when it should have been great. I’ll let Shakman and crew off the hook for a moment as I’ve always felt this team is the hardest nut to crack from a movie standpoint. The fact that the film isn’t a failure is a good sign, but it might not get the repeat viewing it desperately needs.
"…Don’t give up the baby."
