I think there’s only one word that can describe the latest MCU-film and that is, fantastic!
Honestly, I didn’t have high hopes for this movie, because I wasn’t 100% sold on the cast and I’ll be the first to say I was wrong. The cast is what makes this movie such a delight. And honestly, I’m glad I had low expectations, because everything felt bigger and better than I expected.
The Fantastic Four: First Steps understands who Marvel’s First Family is, and that’s the glue that holds this movie together. The first two movies failed to give us these comic book characters, and I’m not even going to talk about the 2015 film. The basis for a good Fantastic Four movie is in showing that these superhumans are a family.
Pedro Pascal was fantastic as Mister Fantastic; he not only showed us Reed Richards’ brilliance but also his flaws as a father and leader. Ebon Moss-Bachrach is The Thing. He embodies Ben Grimm’s gentleness and strength. Joseph Quinn is exactly who the Human Torch needs to be. He stole every scene as Johnny Storm. And Vanessa Kirby is brilliant as the Invisible Woman. Sue Storm has always been the centre of the group and she is who the team needs her to be.
I’ve been a Fantastic Four fan since I can remember, my first superhero t-shirt featured the Silver Surfer. Now I know this isn’t the same Surfer as Norrin Radd, but Julia Garner’s Shalla-Bal is a great take on the character. Ralph Ineson’s Galactus is also force to be reckoned with and his voice alone sent chills down my spine.
The look of both the Silver Surfer and Galactus are stunning. The fact that they build a practical suit for Galactus is evident and not only adds to the production design but the feel of the film. This movie is probably the most beautiful looking MCU-film since Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 3. I’m blown away by the visual effects, although there are one or two scenes where the greenscreen didn’t look too great. And The Thing, well he looks awesome.
This movie also has one of the best scores in the franchise. Michael Giacchino created something iconic that perfectly fits the aesthetic of the movie. And can I just add that the retro futuristic setting is perfect for this film. It’s straight out of the comic books.
Now the story, the most important of any film for me. Did I love the story? Yes. Do I think it could have been better? Also, yes, but I think it could’ve been better. Now I’m not saying the story isn’t great, but I do feel like it lacked something in the final act. I don’t know, maybe I just needed a little more action or maybe I just wanted there to be a few more scenes.
That said, I think Marvel has been on a roll recently and for the first time in years I can say they had three awesome movie back-to-back. Fantastic Four is a lot of fun to watch and it adds something new to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and I can’t wait to see the team return in Avengers: Doomsday. So I highly recommend you go watch it.
