The Fantastic Four: First Steps Review – Marvel’s Bold, Retro-Futuristic Reboot Soars with Heart

For a long time, The Fantastic Four: First Steps felt like the franchise Marvel couldn’t quite crack. From the campy early 2000s entries to the ill-fated 2015 reboot, this iconic team seemed destined to remain in the shadow of the Avengers. But now, with The Fantastic Four: First Steps, director Matt Shakman has done something surprising: he’s made a superhero movie that’s as emotionally grounded as it is visually imaginative—and in doing so, he’s finally brought the Fantastic Four to life in a way that feels fresh, fun, and unexpectedly moving.

Rather than following the well-worn origin path, The Fantastic Four: First Steps drops us into a fully realized alternate reality (Earth-828) where the team is already established and admired. But instead of leaning on multiverse gimmicks or Easter eggs, the film tells a standalone story with real heart. The stakes are big (Galactus is coming to devour the Earth), but the film’s true strength lies in its smaller moments: a couple preparing for a child, a makeshift family learning how to hold each other up, and heroes trying to do the right thing when the world is falling apart.

The Fantastic Four: First Steps is in theaters now.

Story – Personal and Refreshing

What makes The Fantastic Four: First Steps work is how personal it feels. Sure, there are cosmic threats, a shiny Silver Surfer (Julia Garner), and the usual super-science explanations, but underneath all that is a story about becoming parents, growing up, and learning to protect what matters most. Reed (Pedro Pascal) and Sue (Vanessa Kirby) are expecting their first child, which turns out to be just as terrifying—and just as important—as saving the planet. The film doesn’t treat that as a subplot—it’s the emotional core.

The script walks a tricky line, balancing sci-fi stakes with character-driven storytelling, and for the most part, it nails it. It’s refreshing to watch a superhero movie where characters are allowed to be unsure, vulnerable, and a little weird, without ever losing their heroic edge.

Casting and Characters – A Real Family

The cast is pitch-perfect. Pedro Pascal plays Reed Richards with the quiet anxiety of someone who’s constantly the smartest person in the room—but often overwhelmed by what that means. You can see the gears turning behind his eyes, and when he’s forced to stretch beyond what science can explain—like fatherhood or love—he falters in deeply relatable ways.

Vanessa Kirby, meanwhile, steals every scene she’s in. Her Sue Storm is strong, graceful, and driven, but she’s also the emotional heart of the team. Watching her save the day while literally in labor isn’t just a gimmick—it’s one of the film’s best moments. It’s rare to see female superheroes portrayed as powerful in a way that feels real and earned, but Kirby pulls it off effortlessly.

Joseph Quinn brings swagger and charm to Johnny Storm without ever tipping into caricature. His chemistry with Garner’s Silver Surfer is fun and surprising. And Ebon Moss-Bachrach brings quiet vulnerability to Ben Grimm (The Thing)—you feel the weight of his transformation, not just physically, but emotionally.

Together, they feel like a real family. They argue. They lean on each other. They laugh. It’s that sense of shared history that makes them work—not just as a superhero team, but as people.

Cinematography and Music – Stunning and Emotional

Visually, the film is a stunner. Earth-828 is built with a loving nod to 1960s sci-fi—the chrome surfaces, flying cars, and boxy screens give the world a vibrant, Jetsons-meets-Interstellar feel. It’s retro without being kitschy, and the production design helps the film stand apart from the more uniform look of recent MCU entries.

While it doesn’t always deliver huge, jaw-dropping action set pieces, the film knows how to stage a moment. And when it does go big—especially during the space-bound climax—it does so with flair. What elevates everything is Michael Giacchino’s score. Sweeping, emotional, and at times playful, the music gives scenes a sense of wonder and weight. A moment that might look modest on-screen becomes heroic when the right melody kicks in.

Editing and Rhythm – Perfectly Balance

At just under two hours, The Fantastic Four: First Steps moves with confidence. It opens with a smartly constructed TV segment that quickly catches us up on the team’s backstory without dragging us through a full origin. From there, it balances quiet, reflective scenes with bursts of action and humor, never lingering too long in one place.

The editing is clean and efficient, letting characters have room to breathe without slowing the story down. It’s a rare Marvel movie that knows when not to rush—letting the emotional moments land, while still keeping the plot moving. Nothing feels bloated or overstuffed. Instead, there’s a clear focus: tell one good story, and tell it well.