The Fantastic Four: First Steps – Movie Reviews by Ry!

The Fantastic Four: First Steps  – From Heroes to Icons: Marvel’s First Family

Film is a medium that provides a lot of passion and fun.  From genre to story, there is a sensual grip that transports you, if only for a few hours, to a place of true delight … a place of an endearing escape.  For me, film is the infinite cause of creativity, a place where the imagination can pull at your heartstrings for something more.  If the film hits on all cylinders, then this pull will be truly … memorable.  In this review, I look at the latest film from Marvel Studios.  From cosmic to grounded themes, The Fantastic Four: First Steps is more than just another comic book film, it is simply … a great cinematic experience.

Known as the first family of Marvel, The Fantastic Four will have to go the distance and put everything on the line to save the world … one more time.  With film, no matter its foundation, use of multiple genres or the endless clichés, there is always an awareness of predictability and commonplace.  No matter how the filmmakers define the path, what will make the story stand out is the awe of its unique appeal; how they can make you feel … something.  With this latest entry from Marvel, they not only give you a journey built on a comic book foundation … it becomes a wherewithal of personal choices, harden consequences and the fragility of family.  In the beginning, you are thrust into a different universe (Earth 828) that is separate from the main MCU timeline (Earth 616), where you get a quick introduction to how The Fantastic Four came to be.  As the montage highlights the group, you get a sense of their heroism as icons, but also a true sense of the person.  With each member, Mr. Fantastic/Reed Richards (Pedro Pascal), The Invisible Woman/Sue Storm (Vanessa Kirby), The Human Torch/Johnny Storm (Joseph Quinn) and The Thing/Ben Grimm (Ebon Moss-Bachrach), you see a blend of unique individuals that provide compliments to each other.  As they go through the motions of being ‘Earth’s Protectors’ from a slew of different antagonists, they also have to deal with their own family issues.  This provides a strength to their bond, building up that comic book foundation within a wholesome blend of familial and characterized themes.  As the group deals with ongoing political and Earth-bound conflicts, their lives are turned upside down when a message from the stars is received by the unwelcome appearance of the Silver Surfer (Julia Garner).  With a cataclysmic threat heading towards Earth, the film shifts from its character/world-building into a race against time tale: The Fantastic Four have to figure out a plan to stop Galactus (Ralph Ineson) from destroying the Earth.   

Once the film shifts, the thematic aura of the first half helps elevate the cosmic allure of the second half.  It is that grip on the characters that helps ground the imaginary aspects (of the film).  With the intro to the Silver Surfer, Galactus and other worldly elements, it is the interactions and dialogue that create a sense of relativity, seeing the grandeur become human through a sense of awe and wonder.  As Earth’s destruction approaches, we get scenes of troubling protests, familial strife and human fragility.  These conflicts add a wholesome contrast to the bombastic nature (of the lore), grounding the characters to the most desperate elements of what it means to be heroes … but most importantly a family.  As The Fantastic Four are faced with the ultimate choice, we head into a third act that brings action, character perspective and adrenaline filled drama into full view.  With the group having to face Galactus head on, we head into truly gratifying climax and epilogue.  The Fantastic Four: First Steps is not just a great comic book film; it is a great cinematic experience.  If you are a fan of Marvel, the MCU, Comic books or overall great cinema, this is worth seeing.  Foo all film fans, this will be a truly amazing time at the theater.

Full Score – 4.5 out of 5 (Award Worthy)