‘The Fantastic Four: First Steps’ (review)

While the narrative may be formulaic in terms of superhero fare in general, the film is refreshingly free from the constraints of the tired MCU formula associated with previous offerings, casting forced humor and reference overload to the wayside in favor of a more sincere story with engaging performances.

What saturates the performances in particular is how the cast not only shares believable chemistry as a whole, but also the humanity each player brings to their individual character.

Seemingly omnipresent Pedro Pascal’s take on Reed Richards showcases the doubts of the genius with delicate vulnerability, while his counterpart in Vanessa Kirby’s Sue Storm embodies her character as a woman who exudes warmth and strength, all the while avoiding falling into tired cookie cutter tropes, resulting in her being neither a girl boss nor a damsel in distress.

Joseph Quinn’s Johnny Storm maintains the brash demeanor associated with the character, however, thanks to the actor’s inate ability to imbue any character he portrays with sensitivity and heart, his rendition is immature in a more endearing way than previous cinematic renditions.

Similarly, Ebon Moss-Bachrach’s Ben Grimm also dials back the self-pity, being much more emotionally stable than he has at times been portrayed, his insecurities about his transformed exterior being present without overshadowing the performance.

As for the antagonists, much like the protagonists, Julia Garner’s Shalla-Bal brims with humanity under her shiny facade as the reluctant herald to the ancient, intergalactic inevitability that is Galactus, and while the main villain of the piece has certainly long since left behind any sliver of humanity he may have once possessed, having Ralph Ineson lend his rumbling baritone to the Devourer of Worlds is an inspired bit of voice casting.

The Fantastic Four: First Steps successfully combines the better cosmic adventures of the franchise’s earlier phases with the more character-driven approach of recent entry Thunderbolts*, showcasing once more that the franchise is at its most engaging when it takes its characters seriously instead of being a disengaging jokefest primarily focused on setting up the next dozen shows and films.

This is not to say that the film is flawless, as remnants of loose threads of abandoned storylines are left floating dissatisfyingly here and there, however, the film is still largely cohesive as it nestles the viewer in its well-realized world.

With James Gunn’s Superman bringing its eponymous character back to his fun and colorful roots mere weeks ago, seeing Marvel Studios embrace more character-driven storytelling once more after the refreshing Thunderbolts* pleasantly surprised earlier in the year, this bright, warm and decidedly less convoluted formula than usual makes The Fantastic Four: First Steps work exceedingly well as a stand-alone piece for the uninitiated, all the while still being a worthwhile addition for long-suffering fans of the franchise.

Verdict: 8 out of 10.