In order to bring the moviegoing public a standalone film without baggage, Marvel had to go to an entirely different dimension. The Fantastic Four: First Steps takes place on Earth-828, unconnected from the MCU’s Earth-616… for now. As in Superman (the one that came out two weeks ago), we meet the Fantastic Four as worldwide celebrities, their superheroics already in progress. What happens when this group of geniuses in a retro-futuristic ‘60s world face a cosmic threat almost beyond comprehension? Marvel’s First Family makes it out of this adventure mostly okay, but things don’t look good for them (or the Marvel Cinematic Universe) as we head towards Avengers: Doomsday.
As I assume most people know, the Fantastic Four consist of stretchy super-scientist Reed Richards/Mr. Fantastic (Pedro Pascal), his wife and diplomat Sue Storm/The Invisible Woman (Vanessa Kirby), her hotheaded brother Johnny Storm/The Human Torch (Joseph Quinn), and family friend/polycule member Ben Grimm/The Thing (Ebon Moss-Bachrach). The foursome were mutated by cosmic rays on a space mission four years before the film begins, giving them strange abilities and catapulting them towards benevolent godhood on their humble planet. There are no wars, no racial divides, no challenges that the Fantastic Four cannot solve– at least, until a strange silvery figure from beyond the stars informs them that their planet is marked for destruction by the world eater Galactus (Ralph Ineson).
The Silver Surfer, here portrayed by Julia Garner and some fabulous CGI, is an unfeeling herald of destruction, guiding Galactus to his next meal across the stars. She does some actual surfing too, splashing through a black hole and a planetary explosion with ease. Galactus is mostly unmoving, an all-powerful being trapped by his endless need to feed. That is, unless he can get his hands on Sue and Reed’s baby, who may be the key to freeing him from his damnation.
Obviously, they’re not giving up their baby to a giant man in a purple helmet. It feels like this utopia might start the crumble as the human race heads towards annihilation, but things never quite get that far. Humankind still bands together with Reed in an attempt to stave off Galactus; nations do not crumble. The Fantastic Four really do feel like the gods of their Earth, with Sue as their correspondent to foolish mortals below. No one seems to have a problem with this. Maybe it will become an issue once the FF end up on the main MCU Earth, where half the “superheroes” don’t even have abilities, but we can’t depend on any real continuity anymore.
There are plenty of parallels to be drawn between this film and Superman, a more successful start to a new cinematic universe rather than the 37th entry in a struggling franchise. But while Superman’s in media res approach excited me and felt lived-in, Fantastic Four’s world left me mostly apathetic. The film is harmless enough, and certainly not a hideous disaster like Captain America: Brave New World, but it should be more exciting. Ebon does great work as Ben, and the Thing himself is a lovely blend of practical and digital effects, but there’s not much for him to do. Johnny looks stupid and red when he’s on fire. Reed’s stretching looks bad, too weird and slow, except when Galactus is pulling him apart like silly putty. I’m certainly not mad that this film is mostly about Sue, near omega-level mutant powers and all (she barely even turns invisible, which is so funny). There’s just not much to grab onto, and there will be even less when the family is smooshed into the next Avengers movie. There is no way that thing is coming next December. I can’t wait to watch that trainwreck.
What matters is the lovely Jack Kirby dedication at the end, as the MCU is finally realizing they owe the man’s family reparations. They didn’t give the Eternals their stupid hats!
The Fantastic Four: First Steps
2025
dir. Matt Shakman
115 min
In theaters now!
