Fantastic Four First Steps: After Many Tries (and many fails) Has Marvel Finally Managed To Bring The Fantastic Four Into The Family?

After four tries, three casts, two epic failures, and one deranged director, Marvel finally cracked the code: just do everything differently. And somehow? It worked.

My opinion (which literally no one asked for but you’re getting anyway): Fantastic Four: First Steps is a must-see in theaters for superhero fans—especially Marvel stans who want to catch the setup for some major late-game payoffs.

BUT BONUS!

This is a rare Marvel film you can watch without needing a PhD in MCU continuity. No previous knowledge required. So if you’re just looking for a great action movie with heart? This one’s got you.

But before we go any further…

⚠️ Spoiler Warning: Spoilers ahead. If you’re spoiler-sensitive, check out my two-minute spoiler-free version on TikTok (@uninvited.reviewer) or Instagram (@uninvited_reviewer). You’ve been warned.

Coming right on the heels of Thunderbolts (which slapped), this is now two Marvel films in a row giving me actual hope for the MCU’s future. The trailers gave me good vibes, and I’m happy to report—my Spidey-sense was dead-on.

So what’s got me hopeful? Great question. Let’s dive in:

Yes, there are times when universe-shattering stakes are worth it (Endgame remains undefeated). But we don’t always need infinity stones and cosmic wrist flicks to tell a compelling story. Sometimes, all it takes is a group hug to remind you you’re not alone.

That’s the magic of Fantastic Four. Even though the villain literally eats planets, the script (penned by Josh Friedman, Eric Pearson, Jeff Kaplan, and Ian Springer) smartly keeps the focus grounded—on the people behind the powers. Director Matt Shakman (WandaVision) nails the balance between spectacle and soul.

Set in a retro-futuristic alternate Earth, this version of the Fantastic Four exists outside the MCU we know—free of the stories, characters, and mistakes in the timeline we’re used to: we have a pregnant Sue Storm, who’s son becomes the sole target of Galactus after the Silver Surfer (Julia Garner), chooses their world to be the next one Galactus devours.

Pedro Pascal (Reed Richards), Vanessa Kirby (Sue Storm), Ebon Moss-Bacharach (Ben Grimm), and Joseph Quinn (Johnny Storm) are pitch-perfect. Each brings something fresh to their roles—and more importantly, to their family dynamic.

Pascal brings Reed Richards to life with depth that has been missing from the last three installments of this character, by playing the smartest man alive as someone who doesn’t have the answers to everything. He’s likeable instead of vain, vulnerable instead of broody, blames himself for everything that goes wrong (okay, maybe a bit ego centric), and loves his wife and family deeply. He may have some seriously crazy ideas (MOVING PLANET EARTH REED? SERIOUSLY?) but he also has the brains (and the math) to back up his plays.

Quinn and Moss-Bacharach are the comedic MVPs, effortlessly building a bro-chemistry that delivers most of the laughs. But thankfully, they’re not just comic relief. Johnny’s the one who cracks how to sway the Silver Surfer, and Ben’s loyalty and gut instinct carry the team through more than one rough patch.

But let’s be real: Vanessa Kirby steals this movie.

She’s the heart, the soul, the emotional spine of the story. While Reed might be the team’s face to the world, Sue is its foundation. Her arc delivers the movie’s most powerful moments, especially in the final act—which had me crying not just because it was sad (it was), but because it was beautiful.

Too often in superhero films, sacrifice is either violent or quickly undermined. Not here. Sue’s choice is full of quiet power. It’s not gruesome. It’s not driven by rage. It’s a mother, a wife, a sister, a friend doing everything she can to protect the people she loves. And the film gives her performance to breathe in that moment—which is what makes it breathtaking.

More Highlights:

Julia Garner elevates what could have been a throwaway role into something genuinely compelling. I wish we got more of her as the Silver Surfer—but what we did get was strong. I do hope we eventually get to see more of her.

Along that same vein, Galactus (played by Ralph Ineson), falls the way most single use Marvel villains do, with a lack of depth of character, but enough menace and general evilness that you are still cheering for the good guys by the end of the movie.

Final Thoughts:

This isn’t a big-team, save-the-universe Marvel movie. This one gets up close and personal. You won’t get that goosebump “on your left” moment—because no one else is coming. It’s just these four. One planet. One shot. And that makes it all the more worthwhile.

We’ll be seeing this crew again in Avengers: Doomsday, and while the wait is going to hurt, I’m genuinely excited to see where they go next.