‘The Fantastic Four: First Steps’ Review: Marvel’s First Family Soars in a Retro, Refreshing Reinvention

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Jul 23

Written By Jonathan P. Moustakas

Marvel’s most confident , unique, and character-driven film in years. Pedro Pascal and Vanessa Kirby lead a terrific cast in a retroly stylish and emotionally resonant reboot that reintroduces Marvel’s First Family like never before.

After more than sixty years of uneven adaptations and unmet expectations, Marvel Studios has finally cracked the code with its flagship foursome. 'The Fantastic Four: First Steps' isn’t just a successful reboot—it’s a triumphant reset that reclaims these characters with intelligence, intimacy, and imagination. Director Matt Shakman’s retro-inspired and emotionally textured vision proves that Marvel can still surprise us by scaling back the noise and doubling down on what matters: human stakes, character dynamics, and story-first filmmaking.

Pedro Pascal is quietly electrifying as Reed Richards, portraying a man caught between his brilliant intellect and his emotional hesitance. Reed is a genius capable of solving interstellar equations yet paralyzed by the prospect of fatherhood and vulnerability. Vanessa Kirby brings steely resolve and deep compassion to Sue Storm, making her not just the heart of the team but also its moral compass. Joseph Quinn imbues Johnny Storm with a complex mix of cocky swagger and buried insecurity, revealing unexpected emotional layers beneath the fire. But it’s Ebon Moss-Bachrach as Ben Grimm who nearly steals the film. His portrayal of The Thing, layered with bruised masculinity and a heartbreaking tenderness, is the most moving performance in a Marvel film since Robert Downey Jr.’s Tony Stark.

Anchored in a gorgeously stylized 1960s New York, the film’s visual language is as integral to its storytelling as any line of dialogue. Kasra Farahani’s production design revels in sleek futurism, while Alexandra Byrne’s wardrobe brings the era to life with thoughtful precision. The Baxter Building is a mid-century modern dreamscape that serves as both HQ and home, grounding the characters in a world that feels tactile, lived-in, and emotionally resonant. Michael Giacchino’s sweeping orchestral score bridges classic superhero motifs with aching character themes, giving the film an audible emotional core.

The plot centers around the arrival of Julia Garner’s Silver Surfer, a harbinger of planetary extinction who warns Earth of the impending arrival of Galactus. Garner delivers a performance of chilly poise, playing the Surfer not as a villain but as a weary instrument of cosmic duty. Her dynamic with Quinn’s Johnny is one of the film’s unexpected joys, adding an emotional undercurrent to their cat-and-mouse tension. Ralph Ineson’s Galactus, a behemoth rendered through a seamless blend of practical and digital effects, is less a villain than a force of nature—a terrifying, unknowable god whose presence lends the third act operatic weight.

Where 'First Steps' excels most is in its prioritization of character over plot mechanics. The emotional crux is Sue and Reed’s pregnancy, a development that adds vulnerability and urgency to their mission. When Galactus demands their unborn child as the price for Earth’s survival, the stakes become personal, existential, and deeply mythic. Shakman doesn’t rush this tension—he lingers on Kirby’s conflicted determination, Pascal’s emotional implosion, and the group’s collective devastation as they navigate the impossible.

The team’s chemistry is infectious. Scenes of the Four simply being—arguing, joking, cohabiting—are among the most delightful in any MCU film. Shakman allows these characters to live, breathe, and fail, lending their bond an authenticity that makes the eventual battles more than just spectacle. They’re not saving the world out of duty—they’re fighting for each other.

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Visually, the film is a love letter to analog filmmaking. Shakman and cinematographer Autumn Durald Arkapaw favor rich color palettes, layered compositions, and graceful camerawork that evoke classic cinema without feeling derivative. The action sequences are thrilling but never overwhelming, always tied to the emotional throughlines of the story. A standout set piece where Johnny and the Silver Surfer duel across a Manhattan skyline feels less like a fight and more like a tragic ballet.

The climax juggles intergalactic stakes with intimate heartbreak. Sue goes into labor during a light-speed jump, Reed confronts the impossibility of letting go, and Ben faces his worst fear—that he’s still just a monster. It’s grandiose, yes, but also profoundly human. Even as the film teases future appearances (a post-credit tag confirms their role in 'Avengers: Doomsday'), this never feels like a placeholder installment. It's a self-contained narrative with a rich emotional arc.

Marvel’s past few years have suffered from bloat and incoherence, but 'First Steps' is a reminder that smaller, sharper storytelling can cut through the noise. This is not just a course correction—it’s a model. Grounded in love, identity, sacrifice, and family, the film reclaims the Fantastic Four as icons worth caring about.