The Fantastic Four: First Steps

The Fantastic Four: First Steps doesn't just reboot a legacy - it rewires it with care, clarity, and cinematic control. From its very first frames, the film announces a shift in tone: retro aesthetics lend a nostalgic yet distinct visual palette, while the story grounds itself not in multiversal noise, but in human decisions and scientific curiosity. This is a Marvel film that respects both the super and the human.

Unlike most origin stories, the setup here is brisk and assured. The film's first act is structured to give audiences a quick, satisfying look at the team's backstory and past deeds, never lingering too long but still managing to earn every emotional beat. There's no hand-holding, and yet nothing feels rushed.

Where this film truly surprises is in its character work. Johnny Storm isn't just the loud, reckless sibling - here, his intelligence is finally given equal weight, offering context to his presence among astronauts. Ben Grimm, too, is more than the "muscle"; there's a deep sincerity to his character, a balance of science and strength. The team chemistry feels lived-in - full of quiet bickering, mutual admiration, and a rhythm only shared by families who've been through things together. Their bond feels earned.

Villain-wise, First Steps pulls off a rarity: a visually formidable Galactus rendered with restraint, not excess. Though Silver Surfer purists may still hold a soft spot for Doug Jones' performance in Rise of the Silver Surfer, this iteration serves the story's vision well. And in a surprise turn, even HERBIE - the team's robo companion - is no gimmick. The CGI character is narratively vital, not just another quip machine.

Director Matt Shakman strikes an impressive balance between science-fiction and superheroism, giving each frame a purpose. The film doesn't lean heavily on humor (thankfully), instead relying on strong dramatic beats, coherent action, and a screenplay that embraces a comic-book sensibility - particularly during its stylized crescendo.

Visually, the film is a treat. From cosmic scenes to grounded lab environments, everything feels tangible and lived-in. The action is clean, never bloated, with each power sequence well-thought-out and easy to follow. While the score doesn't stand out as a whole, it's used judiciously, heightening the right moments without becoming overwhelming.

Despite being part of a sprawling cinematic universe, First Steps works remarkably well as a standalone. It carves space for the Fantastic Four without relying on MCU cameos or overstuffed references. That said, the post-credit scene is minimal yet seismic - enough to send a wave of gasps through the theatre.

Sum up - The Fantastic Four: First Steps is both a film and a foundation. It's smart without being cold, epic without losing intimacy, and finally gives Marvel's First Family the treatment they deserve. More than a comeback - this is a course correction.

A breezy self-contained flick which requires little to no homework. Music to casual fans ears, this being the 56th project within the main narrative an all.

No time is wasted introducing these characters again - an origin story at this point in the saga would be kind of arduous. This may rattle some sweaties but it was deftly handled. The chemistry between Pedro Pascal and Vanessa Kirby was lacking but Ebon Moss-Bachrach's performance would even the scales somewhat.

An exciting finale and effects that stand out as some of the best in the multiverse saga. A little more interconnectivity leading up to Doomsday and Phase Six might not be so much of a slog.

The movie was bland. Story and action both were meh.. As a fan of the superhero genre I was hugely disappointed both by the movie and by the critics hyping it up.

You hardly see anything "heroic" being done that gets your heart pumping nor are you invested in any of the Fantastic Four. The power scaling makes zero sense at different parts of the movie, Galactus is nerfed to the max (to the point of being silly) and this universe has the stupidest / most gullible NPCs ever. This is exactly how the conversation goes with them, NPCs - "oh no the world is going to end, you can't save us" F4 - "we will save you don't worry" NPCs - (panic over and tears in their eyes) "ok"

Save the money, buy something on the Steam sale. I left before end credits.

This was one of my most anticipated movies but it was disappointing for me.

Now for pros

1. It had some really good CGI at some points. Atleast it did The Thing right. He is being done dirty for a long time.

2. There was chemistry between the cast. The chemistry was better than 2015 version but it wasn't better than the 2005 one.

3. Galactus was done right you could feel his presence in IMAX.

4. I liked Joseph Quinn. He kept the legacy alive of good human torches.

Now for cons

1. Pedro was such a miscast. He played himself. He is not right for Reed.

2. It has more wacky shots than the good ones. The CGI looks unfinished at some points.

3. It was poorly edited. We know they cut 15 to 20 minutes and you could feel it. Something was missing.

4. CGI baby. I think it's about time they stop using the CGI baby. It was giving uncanny vibes.

5. Reed was really underwhelming. He barely used his powers.

6. Although it was only 1 hour 55 minutes long yet it felt longer than other movies which are longer. The pacing was horrible.

7. Most of it was spoiled in the trailers. If you saw all promotional videos and trailer you just saw 50 percent of the movie.

8. The last act was horrible. It felt like that Yelena scene from Black Widow.

9. This movie felt like it was missing a whole act. They should have given creative control to the director.

10. They could have done the post credit better.

This was a misfire by marvel and they should be worried beacuse it is directly related to Doomsday. It is really average. It places at 2nd last in the ranking of 2025 CBM.

I am really disappointed. Fantastic four are one of my favourite characters and they missed another time. When we will get a good F4 film? That's the question.

My god, what is it with superhero films these days? They are just so lacklustre.

After the first trailer, I was unimpressed. I was really not keen on seeing the film, but then my son asked, and we also got to see Galactus in the last trailer, so I thought we would go for it. Even if Galactus is cool and the rest sucks, that would be something.

The film looks great; they nail the comic book look, and I cannot really fault it in that regard. Sadly, that's about it. The CGI ranges from passable to excellent, the script is very dumb in parts....but passable. The "female" Silver Surfer was fine; there was a plot point that made the Surfer's gender a necessary story element. The casting just felt off, not terrible, but something did not click.....And worst of all was the utter waste of Galactus.

Going by trailers, it looked like we would finally get some full-on action, but (no real spoiler apart from what he does) what we get is chatty Galactus, "ouch" Galactus, and walking past buildings Galactus....... Oh, and one other Galactus that made it even worse.

I have to say, right up to the Space trip and meeting (trying to keep details low), I was pleasantly surprised, and I did start to get my hopes up. Lesson learned, I guess.