'The Fantastic Four: First Steps' review: Not quite fantastic, but not quite a disaster either

Courtesy of Marvel Studios

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It’s a low bar to clear, but you won’t be shocked to hear this: Matt Shakman’s “The Fantastic Four: First Steps” is the best on-screen iteration Marvel’s first family has ever seen. That’s not exactly saying much, considering the 2005 Fox-era films, campy and uneven as they were, still hold a certain nostalgic charm. We probably shouldn’t even mention Josh Trank’s 2015 reboot, a misfire so baffling it practically buried the franchise.

Given the cultural weight of Stan Lee and Jack Kirby’s original creations, it’s wild that no one has ever truly cracked the code for these characters. After all, we’ve had great Batman, Superman, and Iron Man movies. And yet the Fantastic Four, heroes rooted in science, family, and wonder, have never quite found their cinematic groove. Until now, maybe. Because for the fourth time around, it seems Marvel finally got something right.

“First Steps” isn’t a masterpiece. It sputters, it stalls, but when it hits, it lands strong. A third-act showdown between the FF and a skyscraper-sized Galactus is easily one of Marvel’s better post-“Endgame” action beats. The fact that Shakman keeps this story largely self-contained, focusing on characters instead of cameos, is a small miracle in the current MCU climate.

Set in a futuristic yet retro New York City that gives off big “Jetsons” vibes, “First Steps” actually looks like a real movie. That alone puts it ahead of some recent superhero fare. The production design pops, the visuals are solid, and there’s a throwback charm to the whole aesthetic that gives it a unique flavor. Like James Gunn’s recent “Superman” reboot, this one skips the tired origin story route and drops us into a world where the Fantastic Four are already celebrities. They’re beloved. They’re on lunch boxes. They have catchphrases. (“It’s clobberin’ time!”).

Pedro Pascal plays Reed Richards (aka Mr. Fantastic), stretching himself into every corner of the screen. Vanessa Kirby is Sue Storm, the Invisible Woman, bringing quiet control to the role. Joseph Quinn steps into the fire as Johnny Storm, aka the Human Torch, taking the baton from fellow Marvel alum Chris Evans. And Ebon Moss-Bachrach gives a surprisingly warm and grounded performance as Ben Grimm, or The Thing.

Life is good for the team. Reed and Sue are expecting a baby, and the world is watching with awe. But things go sideways when the Silver Surfer (played with steely calm by Julia Garner) arrives with a warning: Galactus is coming, and he’s got Earth on the menu. With little time to prepare, the team must come together to stop the cosmic threat in a classic race-against-time showdown. It’s a straightforward setup (there’s a villain, and there are heroes) but that simplicity works in the film’s favor.

The final battle is where “First Steps” finally finds some depth. Until then, the characters feel a bit one-note and while the word “family” is tossed around so often you’d think this was a “Fast and Furious” spinoff, Marvel still doesn’t fully explore what that means. We don’t see Reed and Sue deal with the stress of impending parenthood. Ben and Johnny’s iconic banter is largely MIA. It flirts with emotional weight, but never quite commits.

Some creative liberties have been taken with the team’s origins. All four are scientists now, rather than the original dynamic where they were caught in the wrong place at the wrong time. That shift mutes some of the interpersonal tension that defined them in earlier iterations. Still, there are bright spots: the mid-century modern skyline, the retro-futuristic tech, the slick Fantasticar, and a standout scene involving the Silver Surfer zipping around a black hole.

The performances are sturdy if unspectacular. Paul Walter Hauser pops up as the Mole Man, and his weirdly funny turn, channeling some serious “Incredibles” energy, might be the most memorable part of the film. Garner’s Silver Surfer is appropriately ethereal, gliding through the cosmos like polished chrome. It’s just a shame the movie doesn’t give her more to do.

Ultimately, “First Steps” never tries to be bigger than it is, and that’s its strength. It’s breezy, mostly self-contained, and actually entertaining. Of course, there are post-credit scenes teasing more homework (see: “Avengers: Doomsday”). But if you’re looking for an easy re-entry point into the Marvel machine, this might be, yeah, I’m saying it, a decent first step.

Grade: B- 

THE FANTASTIC FOUR: FIRST STEPS is now playing in theaters.