The Fantastic Four: First Steps

 It’s reviewin’ time!

Say what you want about Tim Story’s Fantastic Four movies, but I think they’re pretty entertaining. Granted, it’s been a while since I’ve seen them, but I do remember them being better than the 2015 film. Even the first film’s teaser trailer, which I saw theatrically with Elektra, was much better than that cinematic disaster.

It took a long while, but Marvel’s first family finally makes their MCU-debut with The Fantastic Four: First Steps, which certainly lives up to that adjective. Let’s get to it.

It’s 1964 on Earth-828, as opposed to modern times on the main Earth-616. There, the Fantastic Four - Reed Richards/Mr. Fantastic (Pedro Pascal), Susan Storm-Richards/Invisible Woman (Vanessa Kirby), Johnny Storm/Human Torch (Joseph Quinn), and Ben Grimm/The Thing (Ebon Moss-Bachrach) - are celebrating their fourth anniversary as superheroes. Not only that, but Reed and Susan are expecting a baby, which is cause for celebration and alarm. After all, who knows if the cosmic rays that mutated the Four will affect the newborn?

One night, the Silver Surfer (Julia Garner) announces that Earth is now the next course of her planet-eating master, Galactus (Ralph Ineson). The Fantastic Four visit Galactus to ask him to go away. The Big G agrees, just as long as he gets the Richards Baby, whom he realizes will be one of the universe’s most powerful beings. He’ll just transfer his insatiable hunger into the newborn and that’s that. Oh, and just to emphasize his point, he speeds up the delivery process. 

Naturally, the Four refuse the trade, which means Earth is still on the menu. But with Reed’s scientific abilities, Susan’s gift for diplomacy, Johnny’s interstellar detective work and Ben’s super strength, the Fantastic Four work up alternatives to drive off the Big G. I think that about sums it up.

Unlike Superman, this film, at least, gives us a tangible context for the Fantastic Four. We get a quick rundown, thanks to Ed Sullivan-esque TV host Ed Gilbert (Mark Gatiss), of how they got their powers, their adventures, and how they became the most important people on the planet. It's pretty much everything you need to know about this world in just a few minutes. You won't even feel lost at sea when Reed name-drops a few villains at one point, particularly because you'll have seen them fight several more. One of their villains, Harvey "Moleman" Elder (Paul Walter Hauser), even becomes a somewhat reluctant ally near the end. That's some great world building, to say nothing of the stunning retrofuture world "built" by production designer Kasra Farahani.

What can we expect from this team? Susan's role as the team diplomat gives her plenty of justifiable focus. She may have brokered world peace but watch out if you make her mad. Johnny's not too far behind, as he pieces together the Silver Surfer's backstory with good ol' linguistics. Reed is a bit callous and insufferable, but he rises to the occasion more than once. Ben, meanwhile, has some body issues, but he's mostly come to terms with his mutation. His relationship with a schoolteacher, Rachel Rozman (Natasha Lyonne), helps emphasize his moniker of the Ever-Lovin' Blue-Eyed Thing. Their familial chemistry feels real whether they engage in petty squabbles, fight villains, or quarrel over how to protect the planet. Their robot buddy, H.E.R.B.I.E., is not only funny, but a pretty good ally when he needs to be. What else can I say? It's a Fantastic bunch, and they get slightly better when baby Franklin finally appears.

Our heroes are accompanied by some great villains. Galactus was previously depicted as a giant storm cloud in 2007's Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer, much to many a comic fan's dismay. I'm sure those same fans will relish this Galactus's literally gigantic presence, as well as the practical depths used to visualize him. That's right, Ineson wore an actual suit that was only slightly modified with CGI. Galactus is a menacing villain, in more ways than one, but he's understandably driven by a cosmic role he detests. Sure, how he tries to remedy that is pretty selfish, but we can kind of pity him. It helps that neither he, nor his herald, indulge in their villainy. In fact, getting through the Silver Surfer's cold CGI-exterior proves to be the key to stopping the Big G. That's where Johnny's detective work comes into play.

What else do we have? Hauser makes the most of his minimal screentime as the egomaniacal, yet pretty cordial, Moleman. The Red Ghost, a name-dropped adversary, was cast with John Malkovich, who even appeared in the trailer, but he got cut from the film. It's a shame, but a fight with one of the Red Ghost's Super-Apes is a highlight in the opening reel. The film's biggest moment comes when the Four escape Galactus's ship, with the Surfer in pursuit, Susan heavily in labor, and our heroes flying through a blackhole at one point. It's a masterpiece in tension and visual effects, which is matched by the final battle with Galactus. These moments are accentuated by a stellar score by Michael Giacchino, who gives the film a rousing heroic theme as memorable as John Ottman's theme in the Story films.

Perhaps its biggest moment comes during the credits, where we get a sort-of prelude to Avengers: Doomsday, and a preview of the MCU's gutsiest casting choice ever. I know it's coming soon, but after spending nearly two hours with this Fantastic Four, I'm already waiting for their next standalone film, whenever that is. Hopefully, it will be worth the wait. In the meantime, why not take the first steps to watch The Fantastic Four: First Steps? I think they'll be worth it.

'Nuff said.