The Fantastic Four: First Steps
release year: 2025
genre: action
viewing setting: home Bluray 12/9/25
synopsis: Popular superhero team must try to save their world from being eaten by a massive space being.
impressions: I've been a Fantastic Four fan since I could first read, but somehow all of the movies ever made about them fell short in some way...either low budget, bad acting, lack of faithfulness to the source material, or some combination of those things. I'm happy to report that finally, it's been done right. I really liked how the first part of the movie recapped their origin and some of the early foes they faced, and then this got right to the real danger: Galactus. This time, not a vague entity, not a space-cloud, not a concept...but rather a massive cosmic being hundreds of feet tall, who pushes over skyscrapers as he walks and intends to devour the Earth. This is what it's all about, folks. When he first appears at 38:18, it's clear that this is a true giant menace. Some other aspects about this movie that I liked: the 1960s retro look, the casual normalcy of space travel. Some things I wasn't sure about: the way Sue's invisibility power worked, the way the masses turned on them at one point. Still, the battle with Galactus was what it should have been: several much-less-powerful people planning and working together so that they have a realistic chance to come out ahead.
acting: Pedro Pascal does a pretty good job as a guy who's as much a scientist as he is a husband/father, and needs to find better balance. Vanessa Kirby is his wife, who brings both brains and power to the table. Ebon Moss-Bachrach is the Thing, who provides the muscle but also a surprising amount of humanity and humor. Joseph Quinn is the Human Torch, who contributes scientifically as well as with his flame powers. Julia Garner is the silver-skinned space herald of Galactus. Ralph Ineson is the voice and face of Galactus.
final word: Good definitive introduction of the Fantastic Four to the Marvel Universe.
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