The Fantastic Four: First Steps takes those first steps almost immediately. After a dramatic opening that sets the stage for the entire narrative, the movie hits the ground running into a dizzying new Earth in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, where the titular first family is the only group of heroes around. This whirlwind beginning is an attempt to sidestep the issue of re-hashing their origin on screen yet again. By creating a non-stop montage of the team pre-transformation, their heroism, and major accomplishments, they still did rehash it, though, just with more pizazz — perhaps too much. It’s like a roller coaster that shoots you out at the start but then screeches to a halt. The good news is that even though the pacing takes time to get going again, there’s a point where, once it starts, it never stops, for better and worse.
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The bright side of this narrative strategy is that the audience can immediately accept why this movie isn’t set within the main Earth from the MCU; it would have been nearly impossible to juggle all this with the history that comes with the live-action Earth-616. Director Matt Shakman’s retro-futuristic, almost Disney-inspired look for the world is one that gives a certain level of character to the entire film, and one that makes it immediately distinct from any other Marvel Studios production. That said, the bombast that this world is given visually can’t hold a candle to its quieter moments, which largely don’t hinge on the window dressing of Earth-828 in the slightest.
One thing that Marvel always gets right, and which they once again totally nailed here, is the casting. Pedro Pascal’s Reed Richards fully embodies the “brain never turns off” persona that comic readers have known for decades, making that a major source of contention with his peers (and plenty of dramatic fodder). Flanking him is Vanessa Kirby as Sue Storm, who is quite literally the heart and soul of the movie, tasked with delivering its most harrowing dramatic beats and intense moments. Ebon Moss-Bachrach’s Ben Grimm has the major task of portraying a Marvel hero that’s never been done quite right, despite multiple attempts. Moss-Bachrach, however, imbues his performance with soul, making The Thing the very character that fans will immediately recognize from the pages of Marvel comics, at least when they get the chance to see him. Joseph Quinn as Johnny Storm perhaps gets the least to do in the movie, but even then, he’s a capable performer who gets his time to shine in at least one key sequence.
One great thing that can be said about First Steps is that it fully embraces the fact that every member of the Fantastic Four is smart and capable, not just Reed Richards. We see this both in how Ben and Johnny tackle specific problems, and it’s not just through physical combat (though they both have a clear love for that, too). Sue also has a major moment that has nothing to do with her power, but shines a light on Kirby as a performer. Even the plot itself is one that feels very comic book, not just inspired by the tales we’ve read for years and fixed into a cinematic mold. These should be enough to satisfy longtime Fantastic Four fans, but something is missing.
The larger problem from the jump in The Fantastic Four: First Steps is that so much additional “context” is thrown at you that, despite offering a complete picture of this world and this team, it ends up feeling hollow. The first act is largely a void. Though it delivers fun character interactions among the main group, it’s hardly compelling. It’s really not until the arrival of Julia Garner’s Silver Surfer, who offers a compelling performance and a great moment of intrigue, that the movie has any juice at all. Upon her arrival, though, the film kicks into high gear, with an extended sequence in space that is a visual treat with a unique set piece that rivals anything else in the MCU, especially anything released this year. After the team meets Galactus (Ralph Ineson) and returns to Earth, nothing else that follows is quite as compelling as Shakman’s psychedelic scene of the team problem-solving in the cosmos.
Perhaps the biggest fault within The Fantastic Four: First Steps is that the potential is clearly visible at every moment, but the film itself never quite reaches what it could be. The film languishes in its first act, waiting for the arrival of the Silver Surfer, and then so quickly shifts into a breakneck pace that there’s almost no downtime to follow. A few dramatic moments find their way to the forefront, but for the most part, this train is moving too quickly to stop, and that means sacrificing something.
One example of this is in Pascal’s Reed Richards. Though he offers a memorable performance, the character seldom uses his powers in ways that feel in line with his personality. In fact, it feels like Marvel is almost afraid of how his powers will be perceived, so they only deploy them when absolutely necessary. Even the character interactions end up feeling like a checklist, making sure there’s a scene where the individual pairs of the group get the chance to interact. It’s fun to watch, of course, but since the pacing itself has now reached hyper speed, these moments don’t last long enough.
What makes this squandered potential within the writing of the main four even more obvious is when smaller characters enter the movie and completely take it over for just a scene at a time. Ralph Ineson’s Galactus has a magnetic aura not only because of his size and amazing costume design, but also his iconic voice. To boot, Paul Walter Hauser as Harvey Elder, aka Mole Man, only appears sparsely, but has one sequence that is immediately in the running for the funniest of the MCU. Despite limited real estate, these two make a more memorable impact after the film is over than the main cast. Another presence, who happens to be present throughout the film, is the robot HERBIE, who will join the likes of WALL-E in iconic cinematic robots.
The Fantastic Four: First Steps has an appropriate subtitle, because it really does feel like this is a starting point that has stumbling blocks. The good news is that the characters work, the actors are good, but overall, there’s a spark missing. Maybe it’s the disconnect between this movie and the larger MCU, maybe it’s that Marvel is checking off specifics about this team to make sure they’re fully set up, or maybe it’s that more often than not, there’s not much new being added. On the whole, The Fantastic Four: First Steps is the best Marvel movie of the year, with a tremendous score and some hilarious moments. But considering what preceded it, that’s damning with faint praise.
Rating: 3.5 out of 5
The Fantastic Four: First Steps hits theaters on July 25th.
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Image courtesy of Lionsgate
