Film Review – The Fantastic Four: First Steps

July 25th, 2025 | POSTED BY Allen Almachar

***Warning: This Review Contains Minor Spoilers***

The Fantastic Four have had a rocky history with big screen adaptations. The 1994 version has its charm, but it exists more as a cult anomaly than a beloved mainstream property. The opposite can be said about the mid 2000 films as well as the 2015 version, all of which were large scale productions that had less than positive receptions. The first family of Marvel Comics have struggled to find footing compared to their superhero counterparts such as Spider-Man, Iron Man, Captain America, and the Avengers as a whole. So, when it was announced that the Fantastic Four would finally get their turn in the Marvel Cinematic Universe – in The Fantastic Four: First Steps (2025) – the feeling of trepidation was understandable.

Thankfully, this outing is the best iteration of the team, even if it is by default. Directed by Matt Shakman (with screenplay credits going to Josh Friedman, Eric Pearson, Jeff Kaplan, and Ian Springer), the film mixes the silly with the sincere. Although the narrative doesn’t hit every one of its intended targets, there is a sense that the production tried to capture the essence of what made those first MCU entries so memorable. Part of that approach is that we get, finally, a standalone story. You no longer must watch countless other movies or TV shows to follow what’s going on here. Homework is not a requirement to enjoy this one. It is all contained, with a beginning, middle and end. 

The first thing we notice is the production design. The setting takes place on Earth-828 – an alternate version of our own world. This universe takes heavy influence in the stylings of 1960s Americana. The bold, splashy pastel colors, sleek set designs, hairstyle and costumes, etc. The aesthetics exhibit both futuristic and retro elements. An opening montage quickly gets us informed of The Fantastic Four and how they came to possess their superpowers. The montage incorporates a late-night talk show reminiscent of The Ed Sullivan Show. News anchors break the latest adventures of the team with the same tone and inflection as 1960s stalwart Walter Cronkite. Even the famous costumes The Fantastic Four sport are not like the tactical outfits we’re accustomed to, but more like comfortable lounge wear. You know your characters have swag when they wear blue turtlenecks with white gloves and boots and make it look cool.

But even with all these period style furnishings, Shakman and his team do not hesitate injecting cosmic twists into the narrative. The hijinks that Reed Richards/Mister Fantastic (Pedro Pascal), Sue Storm/The Invisible Woman (Vanessa Kirby), Johnny Storm/The Human Torch (Joseph Quinn), and Ben Grimm/The Thing (Ebon Moss-Bachrach) get themselves into have a throwback, sci-fi quality. When the four put on their color matching spacesuits and trot around the galaxy in their ship, I couldn’t help thinking of mid 20^th century space adventures like Fantastic Voyage (1966) or the show Lost in Space. Following in the footsteps of this summer’s Superman (2025), First Steps puts us right in the middle of the action. When we first meet them, The Fantastic Four has already become famous as guardians of the planet. Citizens around the world hang onto their every word and press conferences are must-see TV.

The team faces their biggest challenge when the mysterious Silver Surfer (Julia Garner) appears informing them that their world has been chosen to be destroyed and devoured by the intergalactic being known as Galactus (Ralph Ineson). Galactus is, putting it mildly, enormous. Giant, planet-destroying monsters are a dime a dozen in the superhero genre, but in this instance the production really captured Galactus’ overwhelming size. He moves with weight and presence, making everything and everyone around him miniature by comparison. Sure, as a character, Galactus operates at a single level. He doesn’t have much dimension at all – he just wants to eat. At least The Silver Surfer is given some background for us to attach to. The Fantastic Four’s attempts to reason with Galactus fail, putting them in a position to make impossible choices that could lead to the end of the Earth. And so, the four must use their powers, intelligence, and trust in one another to take down the cosmic behemoth before he makes them all his next meal. 

The first and third acts are where First Steps really shine. It’s in these sections where the dynamics of the team are explained, the stakes are set, and the action pops off. It’s the second act where things slow down. We get drawn out debates over what the four should do with Galactus, how they are supposed to defeat such an intimidating figure, and whether society can still put their trust in them to save the day. I don’t mind movies that are dialogue heavy, but the conversations here are not compelling enough to keep us glued in. That is no fault of the actors’ commitment to their roles. Both Pedro Pascal and Vanessa Kirby work well together, and their back and forth shows them displaying real chemistry. Sadly, this cannot be said about Johnny Storm or Ben Grimm. The Human Torch and The Thing are relegated to supporting roles, and what little we get of them doesn’t have much impact. We’re told that Johnny Storm is charismatic, but he ends up feeling a little bland, especially with his interactions with The Silver Surfer. Ben Grimm is even less refined, and his connection with the schoolteacher Rachel Rozman (Natasha Lyonne) is an afterthought.

The writing dips in the middle section, as it tries to juggle various plates as it heads toward the back half. How the four navigate dealing with Galactus and winning over the public isn’t as cohesive as intended. One of the biggest, dramatically charged scenes also turns out to be one of the weakest – in which Sue Storm pleads with humanity to trust them. I understand the intention of the scene, especially when you take in the circumstances that brought Sue to that position in the first place (of which you’ll have to discover on your own). However, the writing wasn’t strong enough to hit the emotional chord it was reaching for. Her monologue wasn’t inspired or moving, but awkward. The third act makes up for the lull with an action-packed set piece. It’s too bad the character dynamics and conversations weren’t engaging enough to carry us there.

I might have my issues with The Fantastic Four: First Steps, but overall, I did have fun watching it. It’s spirited, lively, and a tad goofy – all of which provide a much-needed boost to the MCU. Where does The Fantastic Four fit in the grand scheme of things, especially regarding the upcoming Avengers: Doomsday? That is yet to be seen. But at least we can say we have a good Fantastic Four movie. It took a while to get here but thank goodness it finally arrived.

Avengers: Doomsday, Ebon Moss-Bachrach, Eric Pearson, Fantastic Voyage, Featured, Ian Springer, Jeff Kaplan, Joseph Quinn, Josh Friedman, Julia Garner, Lost in Space, Matt Shakman, Natasha Lyonne, Pedro Pascal, Ralph Ineson, Superman, The Ed Sullivan Show, The Fantastic Four, The Fantastic Four: First Steps, Vanessa Kirby, Walter Cronkite