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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.

The setting and characters are unique, but ultimately this is a rather straightforward, fun, quirky, thriller. When a rabbi believes law enforcement has arrested the wrong man for a murder, the rabbi begins his own investigation, which leads to a plot vaguely reminiscent of CHINATOWN. That the rabbi seeks to exonerate a neo-Nazi accused of murdering a prominent Jewish businessman is one of the fresh spins on the thriller genre that this film takes. With many possible suspects and victims, the plot is at times unwieldy, and though comprehensible, it struggles to hang together. Cast with many actors who frequently play light or comedic roles, especially Christopher Lloyd, the film provides these actors with opportunities to show their dramatic chops effectively.