When ‘The Fantastic Four: First Steps‘ was first announced as the next step in the MCU, fans had huge expectations. The film also arrived at a time when fan enthusiasm had become noticeably weaker.
However, despite its fun energy, star cast, and charming character dynamics, the film leaves viewers with an unmistakable feeling: it’s good, but it’s just not great. That old Marvel magic, despite the film being good, was largely missing.
‘The Fantastic Four: First Steps’ Balances Simplicity With Charm
To its credit, ‘First Steps’ makes one very smart decision early on: it breaks free from the tangled web of existing MCU lore. Set in a completely new universe within the multiverse, the film gives audiences a clean slate. It’s one of the film’s most refreshing aspects. There’s no need to recall anything. It’s just Reed Richards, Sue Storm, Johnny Storm, and Ben Grimm, four individuals navigating their strange new powers and saving their world from an impossible threat.
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Director Matt Shakman plays it safe with the storyline. There are no reality-breaking twists or mind-bending third-act reveals. Instead, we get a well-paced, straightforward superhero tale. The film opens with clever use of time skips and montages to introduce the world and our heroes, avoiding the overly familiar origin story. However, these necessary introductions do chip away at the runtime, which forces the main plot to remain lean and uncomplicated.
That’s not necessarily a bad thing. After years of Marvel entries trying to outdo one another in complexity, ‘The Fantastic Four: First Steps’ embraces the characters first, action second approach. Moreover, what truly elevates ‘First Steps’ from forgettable to enjoyable is its cast. Pedro Pascal leads the film with his portrayal of Reed Richards.
However, the undeniable heart of the movie is Vanessa Kirby’s Sue Storm. Ebon Moss-Bachrach and Joseph Quinn, as Ben Grimm (The Thing) and Johnny Storm (Human Torch), are also very charming. Though their arcs are smaller, they add balance. Still, even with this incredible cast firing on all cylinders, there’s a persistent sense that something is just missing.
‘The Fantastic Four: First Steps’ Misses MCU Momentum
All in all, ‘The Fantastic Four: First Steps’ is not a bad movie. It’s perfectly competent, even surprisingly heartfelt at times. It checks all the boxes. However, there’s a difference between a movie being good and being special. And that difference is what the film couldn’t quite capture. Back in the days of The Avengers, every new MCU release felt like an event. There was momentum. Now, the urgency is gone.
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‘First Steps’ doesn’t tie into a grand narrative. It exists in isolation, and while that makes it more accessible, it also makes it feel less essential. The spark that lit up theaters during ‘Infinity War’ or ‘Civil War’ is dimmed here. That might be less the fault of the film and more a reflection of Marvel’s current dilemma: what can possibly top the emotional and cinematic culmination of ‘Endgame’? Maybe nothing.
But that doesn’t mean there isn’t room for solid superhero stories. And ‘The Fantastic Four: First Steps’ is exactly that. It’s a solid, entertaining, and occasionally touching film. It’s a great stepping stone for the new team, and with the cast set to appear in ‘Avengers: Doomsday’, it could be the beginning of something more exciting.
