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This is a breezy, entertaining concoction that reworks the remake of the original film. Jamie Lee Curtis obviously has contagious fun and easily dominates her scenes. Lindsay Lohan holds her own but is not quite the peer of her Oscar-winning costar. Newcomers Julia Butters and Sophia Hammons are adequate in their roles, but they are not at the level of Curtis and Lohan. With a plot that hangs on the relationship between its characters, this briskly-paced lark might have benefitted from a little more time spent developing those characters.

While the acting skills of the leads make this film, the other elements of the production are pretty solid, too. Taron Egerton's always believable performance is so strong that one can wonder why he has yet to have a bigger career. Child actor Ana Sophia Heger more than holds her own with an emotionally devastating portrayal. The action scenes work, the suspense is sustained, and the villain is seriously evil. A few lines of dialogue are clunky, but this is otherwise a first-rate thriller anchored by two astounding performances.

This is the best Marvel film since the pandemic. The filmmakers take the source material seriously and have crafted a fun motion picture. While the storytelling is strong, the delightful art direction steals this show. Unfortunately, the brisk pacing of the film feels like it shortchanges the characters a little, and a character arc completed near the end of the film likely could have provided a stronger emotional reward had more been invested in the characters. With a family of superheroes, Googie architecture, mole men, and a Michael Giacchino score; THE FANTASTIC FOUR: FIRST STEPS evokes THE INCREDIBLES but does not quite equal the Pixar classic.