The Fantastic Four: First Steps (2025)

 

Took the family to see The Fantastic Four: First Steps, and for me it was the most anticipated movie of the summer.  I have been a fan since I discovered them when I was in elementary school.  It was comic books that got me interested in reading, and I became a voracious reader.  Always three to four grades ahead of others in school, but it was the Fantastic Four I read voraciously.  Why was this so popular with me?  It was about a family with super powers.  Reed was Mr. Fantastic, Sue was his wife the Invisible girl, and then there was Ben who was the Thing and a friend of Reed's.  To round it out there was Johnny Sue's brother the human torch, and for a kid with an active imagination The Fantastic Four was the ultimate in superhero's.   A family fighting the bad guys who threatened the earth.  Reed the super intelligent scientist, and Sue the powerful invisible girl who could render force fields and withstand attacks from their powerful enemies, then there was the Thing who had strength beyond any mere mortal, and to round out the team there was the human torch who could fly and go supernova if needed.  What's not to like for an 8 year old.

So when Marvel studios announced that they were bringing the Fantastic Four to the screen this guy's interest perked up.  Now there have been other movies from other studios that made films.  In 2005 there was "The Fantastic Four" staring Chris Evans, Jessica Alba, Michael Chiklis, and Ioan Gruffudd, and Julian McMahon as Doctor Doom the Fantastic Fours nemesis.  Great cast and not too shabby, but no way was it the comic book I read in my youth.  In 2007 they made another film called "The Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer".  Same cast, but this battling Galactus in the form of a huge cloud?  It had its moments but again missed the mark completely, so then in 2015 they re-cast the team and tried again again. All three films were made by 20th Century Fox.  In the 2015 film they cast Michael B Jordon as Johnny the human torch, which was an interesting idea.  He was not bad in it, as Sue's adopted brother, but it failed and in no way did it capture the magic of the comic books.  So you would think three strikes and you're out, but when the rights reversed to Marvel again another one was planned, and this time with the power and money of Disney Marvel Studios parent company.   10 years later we have now "The Fantastic Four: First Steps, and what a movie it is.  It a beautiful film and done with love.

I did have reservations of the film when certain plot points were leaked through the years.  This film takes place on Earth 828 in another multi-verse.  Now the Marvel movies did early on introduce the concept of a multi-verse.  They made one movie that deals with it big time in "Spiderman Across the Multi-verse", which is a fantastic movie to begin with & it's animated in a style that is simply a site to see, but I digress.

Marvel Studios made the decision to have the Fantastic Four happen in this Earth because it would then fit into the Marvel cinema universe.  In all the Marvel movies there is no reference to the the Fantastic Four, and they are one of Marvel's oldest superhero's and were created way back in the 60's by Stan Lee, and more importantly Jack Kirby who has not been acknowledged enough in his creations.  It is only recently that the Kirby estate won a suit against Marvel that has now paved a way to recognizing Kirby as one of the distinct creators of certain Marvel creations which include the fantastic four.  That the movie quotes him at the end of the film is a nice nod to Kirby and long overdue.

Did I enjoy the film?  An emphatic YES!  The filmmaker's give Earth 828 a 60's feel but still looking very 21st century.  It's a great little tip of the hat to the comic's origin in the 60's, and a production designer's dream.  Also Galactus is given human form of sorts.  He is a big humanoid type figure with destructive powers, and a formative villain, and it shows how the Fantastic Four fights as a family and it's strength is in their love for one another.  Right there that's the core of the comic, and making it a theme in the movie the creators have honored their creators which is Jack Kirby & Stan Lee.  

The cast is great.  "The Fantastic Four: First Steps" is wonderfully cast too.  Pedro Pascal, is Mr. Fantastic and Vanessa Kirby is the invisible girl who brings determination & strength like no one can.  Ebon Moss-Bachrach plays Ben Grimm better known as the Thing.  He brings a strength & humanity to the part which makes him perfect for the part of our hero.   And then there is Joseph Quinn who plays Johny the Human Torch.  The film is directed by Matt Shakman who directed Marvel's "WandaVision" for Disney +.  He does a great job and makes the movie move along at a good clip.  Ralph Ineson plays the villain Galactus and does a very good job at menacing our heros.

I'm not going to give details about the plot.  I hate spoilers.  To say that "the Fantastic Four: First Steps" is a movie that will introduce us to a whole new universe of heros, and stories, and by doing so they stay true to the comic, and for this old soul it is music to the soul.  Once again I felt like a kid in my bedroom reading my latest issue of The Fantastic Four.  It's a good feeling and for a movie to reach deep down into one's soul and experience the same feelings that I had as a young boy is special. Watching the Fantastic Four: first steps I was captivated by it's originality and it's love of the material.  Long ago for me it was where my imagination grew and my creativity began.  The film may not hit you like it hit me, but it's a great story, and the visuals are stunning.  It's a great summer movie, and a beginning of anew chapter in the Marvel universe.  So grab your popcorn and enjoy.  I think this is a movie I'll see again, and I'll be waiting for the next adventure in the Marvel universe soon, and as Stan would say:  "Excelsior!"