In what seems to be an almost fateful coincidence, Marvel’s first family has finally found itself a faithful adaption in its fourth attempt on the big screen.
Directed by Matt Shakman and featuring an ensemble cast including Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Ebon Moss-Bachrach and Joseph Quinn, the film centres around the titular superhero team as they protect their earth from being consumed by the cosmic entity known as Galactus.
The Fantastic Four: First Steps felt like a breath of fresh air. In what has seemed to be a rather disappointing and mediocre run of recent releases in the MCU (not including the masterpiece that is Thunderbolts, of course), the film stood out with its charming and unique retro-futuristic design, an entertaining plotline that stood (mostly) on its own from other MCU projects and, most importantly, an almost-perfect familial dynamic built on the chemistry of its cast.
A comic book come to life.
From the very first scene, the film looked different. The retro-futuristic aesthetic we mentioned was made clear throughout, from the set design to the costumes. The 1960s era buildings that decorated the New York City setting and the era-accurate costume design for its main and background characters blended seamlessly with futuristic technology.
This was shown through the Fantasticar, the team’s flying vehicle, The Excelsior, their rocket ship capable of lightspeed travel and most prominently in the Baxter Building, the team’s base of operations. And yet, we can’t talk about the film’s aesthetic and comic book visuals without talking about the team’s costume designs.
They were perfect.
It makes sense, after all, as they were the brainchild of Academy Award winning costume designer Alexandra Byrne. Having designed costumes for previous MCU films including Thor (2011), The Avengers (2012) and Guardians of the Galaxy (2014), Byrne is no stranger to comic-accurate designs.
In First Steps, the suits fit in perfectly with the film’s overall retro-futurism while still being faithful to its source material. Sporting the iconic four logo over a blue and white colour scheme, the suits were designed with a fabric material that looks both classic and modern. Plus, who doesn’t look a stylish turtleneck?
A superhero film that stands on its own legs.
The film opens with an expository monologue from talk show host Ted Gilbert, played by Mark Gatiss, alongside backstory montage footage of the team of astronauts-turned-superheroes Reed Richards (Pascal), Sue Storm (Kirby), Ben Grimm (Moss-Bachrach) and Johnny Storm (Quinn). We see the team’s past, how they gained their powers through cosmic radiation and their subsequent heroics in the years that followed.
Unlike its predecessors, First Steps does not make its entire premise an origin story. Instead, the audience is dropped into an established world that feels lived in. Important events within the story have already happened, the team have taken on threats and saved the world countless times before we even get to meet them. It is, quite honestly, refreshing.
Most importantly, the story stands on its own.
While still being set in the larger expanse of Marvel’s Cinematic Universe, the audience is not required to know anything of past MCU projects in order to enjoy the story.
No whispers of ‘wait, who’s that again?’ or movie marathons watched just to understand numerous plot points.
It feels unique and different, which just adds to its charm. The audience doesn’t feel fatigued at watching ‘yet another superhero movie’.
Someone call Vin Diesel cause we’re talking about family.
At their core, the Fantastic Four aren’t just a team of superheroes. They’re messy, loveable, flawed and human. Above all else, they’re a family.
Pascal and Kirby portrayal of Reed Richards and Sue Storm felt like a grounded, realistic example of a husband and wife who complimented each other perfectly. Reed’s genius intellect often comes at the cost of emotional distance, which is bridged by Sue’s empathetic and emotional nature. She in turn acts as the mother figure of the group while supported by their individual strengths.
While Sue may be Johnny’s older sister, the sibling dynamic felt much stronger between Johnny and Ben. While their constant banter acted as comedic relief throughout the film, it also showed a brotherly bond between the two that stemmed from mutual trust and understanding.
The cast did a fantastic (ha, it never gets old) job at making the characters feel like a family that love each other without hesitation. Their chemistry is undeniable, leading to what is the most comic accurate representation of the team’s familial bond that audiences have seen.
Fantastic Four: First Steps isn’t perfect. The pacing at times felt too quick and the ending was a little underwhelming.
Yet, thanks to brilliant costume and set design, a standalone plot that avoided the traditional origin story and undeniable chemistry that showed just how much of a family the characters were, the film shone to the delight of comic book fans watching on the big screen.
Caitlin 
Clara 
Kath Smart