Why The Fantastic Four: First Steps is a Fantastic Direction For Marvel and Comic Book Movies

Courtesy of Marvel Studios

The Fantastic Four: First Steps is finally out, and after years of disappointment with Fantastic Four movies, we finally get a fantastic movie with Marvel's first family. Directed by Matt Shakman and starring Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Joseph Quinn, and Ebon Moss-Bachrach as the Fantastic Four, the movie takes place on Earth 828 in a futuristic 1960s where the Fantastic Four have been around for four years and are celebrated heroes. Sue Storm and Reed Richards are expecting a baby, and life seems great until the Silver Surfer, played by Julia Garner, arrives and tells everyone their world is doomed. Galactus is coming, played by Ralph Ineson, for Reed and Sue's baby. A lot was riding on this movie. Fans have long been waiting for a good Fantastic Four movie. The MCU needs better movies leading up to Avengers: Doomsday. Comic book movies overall need new, fresh movies to keep the genre going after a few years of struggles. The Fantastic Four: First Steps does what it had to do.

The Fantastic Four: First Steps is a fresh entry in the MCU. Since it's in a different universe, audiences don't have to worry about watching any of the previous MCU projects. It feels like the most comic booky MCU in ages. The movie starts off with a montage showcasing the Fantastic Four's talents and facing adversaries they face in the comics, and saving people. The references and Easter Eggs show the world off so well and have that classic Stan Lee and Jack Kirby era tone. The 1960s futuristic setting looks amazing, with the costumes, Michael Giacchino's score, and the look of New York City. It took me back to how the MCU pulled off the 1940s setting of Captain America: The First Avenger.

The cast is excellent in this movie. Pedro Pascal and Vanessa Kirby are perfect as Reed Richards and Sue Storm, also known as Mister Fantastic and Invisible Woman. They show their range as actors, and their chemistry is some of the best I have seen in the MCU in a long time. Padcal pulls off Richards's personality and brilliance so well. Joseph Quinn as Johnny Storm, also known as Human Torch, was a big surprise, as the trailers didn't sell me on him. Quinn did well as Johnny Storm and, at times, was the heart and soul of the team. Ebon Moss-Bachrach as Ben Grimm, also known as The Thing, is also at times the heart and soul of the team. Ben and Johnny have great banter with each other. Julia Garner plays the Silver Surfer, and Ralph Ineson plays Galactus. Many fans complained about Silver Surfer being female, but Garner does well, and Silver Surfer's design looks great. As for Galactus, it is refreshing to have a comic-accurate design that's not a cloud, and Ineson does well in portraying the gigantic villain.

The Fantastic Four: First Steps focuses mainly on telling a Fantastic Four story. It doesn't worry about connecting to any of the previous MCU movies. For fans who want a comic book movie that could stand on its own, this is the movie for them. Unlike Fant4stic from 2015, this movie has the characters feel like a family. The runtime never feels too short or too long. It's a reminder that comic book movies can still feel fresh and do unique things, which is needed at a time when people feel comic book movie fatigue. After years of failure with making a Fantastic Four movie and the MCU being up and down the last few years, this is the movie the MCU needs to get fans excited again. Also, with Avengers: Doomsday next year and the Fantastic Four playing a big role in it, this movie has to get audiences excited for them, and that's what it does.

Overall, The Fantastic Four: First Steps is the ideal Fantastic Four movie. The world-building and period of time it takes place in are handled well. The main cast truly feels like a Fantastic Four together. The villains are handled well. The special effects look like the best in an MCU movie that we have seen in a while. This is the right movie to get fans hyped for Avengers: Doomsday and the future of the Fantastic Four in the MCU. My final grade for Fantastic Four is an A. If you are a Marvel fan, I highly recommend you check it out.

What are your thoughts on The Fantastic Four: First Steps? Let us know in the comments below.