Fantastic Four: First Steps Review

Marvel's first family is returning: with "Fantastic Four: First Steps" , Mr. Fantastic and co. are finally making their way into the MCU. They are therefore venturing a new start after three films featuring the superhero group have already been shown on the big screen in the last two decades. However, the last attempt from 2015 in particular was a complete flop with most fans and critics. Has Marvel now found a successful approach for the Fantastic Four 10 years later? Find out what you can expect from the new blockbuster in our KinoCheck film review.

The plot

"Fantastic Four: First Steps" is set in a retro-futuristic world inspired by the 1960s. As the action takes place in an alternative universe of the MCU, none of the characters here have any knowledge of the Marvel heroes we know. At the center, of course, are Reed Richards/Mister Fantastic (Pedro Pascal) , Sue Storm/The Invisible One (Vanessa Kirby) , Johnny Storm/The Human Torch (Joseph Quinn) and Ben Grimm/The Thing (Ebon Moss-Bachrach).

After overcoming the threats to Earth in recent years with seemingly little difficulty, they are confronted with a major challenge: the world destroyer Galactus. He is announced by his harbinger Silver Surfer (Julia Garner). At the same time, Reed Richards and Sue Storm are expecting a baby. Right at the beginning of the movie, the protagonists learn that they are going to become parents.

A new approach?

The movie throws us straight into the action at the beginning. An origin story for the Fantastic Four is largely skipped, which is quite refreshing. Many will be familiar with their story about their space trip, including cosmic radiation and the resulting superpowers. However, the film takes place at a time when their superpowers have long since made the Fantastic Four world-famous. In recent years, the superheroes have been able to defeat a number of opponents, which is why the group is almost idolized by the world's population. They appear on talk shows, are cheered on the streets and treated like superstars.

The retro-futuristic world is also refreshing. The aesthetics are reminiscent of the popular series "WandaVision". This is no coincidence; both "Fantastic Four: First Steps" and all episodes of "WandaVision" were directed by Matt Shakman.

The strengths of the movie

One of the film's strengths is its focus on the family theme. Compared to other superhero films, the focus is somewhat more on the group, their cohesion and their relationships with each other. Although the chosen emotional approach does not always work one hundred percent, it is largely convincing.

The score by Oscar-winner Michael Giacchino, who has already composed the music for the "Spider-Man" films with Tom Holland in the Marvel cosmos, is just as convincing. The music is catchy, emotional and stirring. What's more, "First Steps" is also visually impressive. Shakman and his team deserve a compliment here.

Can the cast convince?

Many fans were also wondering in advance whether the actors would fit in with the Fantastic Four characters. With Pedro Pascal and "" star Joseph Quinn, two internet favorites have been cast. Vanessa Kirby was last seen in the "Mission Impossible" films and Ebon Moss-Bachrach might be familiar from "The Bear".

Of the four main actors, Vanessa Kirby stands out in particular. She gets several opportunities to show off her skills in the course of the movie. But the rest of the cast also grow into their roles. The actors are able to benefit from the emotional family theme.

What is less successful?

Unfortunately, Galactus is one of the movie's weak points. The movie shows in many other places that it can be innovative - but not with its antagonist. Galactus can make an impressive appearance, but is ultimately a below-average superhero villain without any facets. This is a shame, as he already more than fell short of expectations in 2007's "Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer". There, the world destroyer is basically only teased. In "First Steps", too, the antagonist is only given a small amount of screentime and is not necessarily convincing.

You can't help but see more potential in the internally torn character of the Silver Surfer. However, this is by no means due to actress Julia Garner, but rather to the script. After all, unlike Galactus, the Silver Surfer is a character with motivation and facets. Ultimately, the character and his performance are not a disappointment. However, the character's great potential simply offers the opportunity to explore the inner conflicts and emotions as well as the complicated relationship with our heroes in more depth.

One could also criticize the fact that the film is too conventional in some aspects and storylines, despite the predominantly innovative approach. At times, "First Steps" chooses too typical and predictable plot patterns that didn't necessarily have to be.

The Fantastic Four in the MCU

We've known for a while now: The Fantastic Four will return in "Avengers: Doomsday"! So on December 16, there will be a reunion with Mr. Fantastic and co. The characters will also be in the big multiverse finale film "Avengers: Secret Wars".

But how much of the MCU is already in "Fantastic Four: First Steps"? The answer: very little. The movie stands almost completely on its own two feet and can be watched without any prior knowledge of the MCU. In general, you don't need to bring much prior knowledge with you to the movie theater. It might help if you are familiar with the superhero group's backstory. As mentioned, the heroes' origin story is dealt with quite quickly.

It is not yet certain what will happen to the Fantastic Four after the Avengers films. A potential sequel has not yet been confirmed and could well depend on the performance at the box office. A hit would not be unimportant for Marvel. Overall, the studio's most recent productions have not performed as well financially as they once did.

Is there a post-credit scene?

There is one small final note: as is usual for an MCU film, there is also something to see during or after the credits. There are two post-credit scenes in total, but we don't want to reveal anything about their content here for spoiler reasons.

Our verdict

Overall, "Fantastic Four: First Steps" was thoroughly convincing. The emotional family theme, the music by Giacchino, Vanessa Kirby and the rather fresh approach are among the film's strengths. Fans of "WandaVision" and the aforementioned retro aesthetic might also enjoy "First Steps". However, the conventional villain Galactus has to make concessions.

Although the "Fantastic Four" films from 2005 and 2007 also have their charm for many, there is now a case to be made that "First Steps" is the best "Fantastic Four" film to date. For us, it's also clear that the MCU, which has been flagging recently, is slowly getting back on track with "Thunderbolts*" and "First Steps". We are curious to see whether Marvel can now build on this and what the future of the "Fantastic Four" will look like.