Review - The Fantastic Four: First Steps (2025)

      Hey guys, Chuck here, and we're taking a look at Marvel Studios' new film The Fantastic Four: First Steps,. directed by Matt Shakman, and starring Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Joseph Quinn, Ebon Moss-Bacharach, Julia Garner, and Ralph Ineson. 

      Set on the retro futuristic Earth-828 in the year 1964, the superhero team known as the Fantastic Four are forced to contend with a dangerous cosmic villain known as Galactus. And, to complicate matters, Susan Storm and Reed Richards find themselves juggling saving the world with having to care for their newborn son Franklin, who is himself a target of Galactus. 

      Okay, so all cards on the table, I have never been truly satisfied with any of the previous cinematic adaptations of the Fantastic Four. The two movies from director Tim Story were certainly fun, and had their moments, but were utter disappointments. As for 2015's Josh Trank directed Fant4stic, the less said about that cinematic dumpster fire the better. So, do Marvel Studios and director Matt Shakman break the longstanding curse of awful Fantastic Four movies, or is the latest MCU offering just another statistic in why Marvel's First Family is better left in the comics? 

      Well, I can honestly say that I did not like this movie. As a matter of fact, I effin' LOVED this movie! See, THIS is how you portray the Fantastic Four. Focus on them as a family, and put that element as the central focus of their character dynamics, and everything else is pretty much smooth sailing. And, the way that the four were portrayed was pretty damn fantastic. Vanessa Kirby is very much the heart and soul of the movie as Sue Storm, and her scenes with Pedro Pascal as Reed Richards were absolutely terrific. And, while we're on the subject, Pedro as Reed was great in this movie, and he portrays Reed as the brilliant leader of the Fantastic Four quite well. Although, we do see some moments where Reed is overcome with doubt, and Pedro's performance conveys that very well. 

      Joseph Quinn as Johnny and Ebon Moss-Bacharach as Ben were both terrific, and they played into the characters' natures and personalities from the comics in a way that wasn't forced, and felt genuine. And, while Johnny is somewhat toned down when compared to his comics counterpart, he is very much a ladies' man, and we see this in his numerous attempts to reach out to, and flirt with, Shalla-Bal/Silver Surfer. And, while the choice to go with the Shalla-Bal version of Silver Surfer was a point of contention for fans, I thought she worked for the context of the movie, and Julia Garner played her exceptionally well. 

     And, thank God we finally got a proper cinematic version of Galactus. Unlike the 2007 version seen in Fantastic 4: Rise of the Silver Surfer, which was a fugly cloud in space, this movie shows Galactus as this massive being, portrayed with a terrifying brilliance by Ralph Ineson. And, I think that the scale, while not as towering as the version from the comics, is still quite large and is genuinely intimidating. Also, I gotta give props to Paul Walter Houser as Harvey Elder/Mole Man, who has a small role in this movie, and is pretty entertaining. 

       The visual and design aesthetic of the movie is fantastic. Setting it in a retro futuristic 1964 was certainly different, and it gives a vibe very akin to the classic Fantastic Four comics by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby. And, the idea of the technology feeling both futuristic and analog at the same time is really neat. The music, composed by the always brilliant Michael Giacchino, also added to the retro futuristic vibe of the movie. And, I absolutely loved both H.E.R.B.I.E. and the FantastiCar.

       Now, there are a lot of people that want to compare this movie with the recently released Superman. And, there are certainly some points of comparison between them, as both movies are colorful and vibrant, and are unabashedly comic book movies, and that's because director Matt Shakman, much like James Gunn with Superman, approached The Fantastic Four: First Steps from the perspective of a comic book fan. However, while Gunn's style of humor often undercut the more serious moments of Superman, Shakman allows the audience to absorb the more serious moments of this movie. Is there humor? Yes. But, it's only present when it's needed. 

       Overall, this is easily one of the two BEST superhero movies of 2025. Does this mean a resurgence for superhero movies? Not quite, but it's certainly a step back in the right direction. Honestly, I absolutely loved The Fantastic Four: First Steps, and I highly recommend seeing it in theaters. 

      Alright guys, this is Chuck signing off, and I'll see you in the next review.