Marvel’s First Family is back! But is their latest reboot more sizzle than substance?
After years of waiting and three failed reboots, Marvel has finally reintroduced The Fantastic Four with a fresh twist—and some serious retro flavor.
The Fantastic Four: First Steps, directed by Matt Shakman, hit theaters on July 25, 2025, kicking off Marvel’s Phase Six with a 1960s-inspired vibe, new faces, and intergalactic stakes.
This time, Pedro Pascal (Reed Richards), Vanessa Kirby (Sue Storm), Joseph Quinn (Johnny Storm), and Ebon Moss-Bachrach (Ben Grimm) take center stage.
The team faces off against the cosmic titan Galactus (voiced by Ralph Ineson) and his powerful Herald, the Silver Surfer (Julia Garner).
But while the film looks amazing and the cast delivers charm in spades, it doesn’t quite stick the landing.
Read my Fantastic Four: First Steps review for a spoiler-free look at Marvel’s bold reboot, cast performances, and early fan reactions.
Fantastic Four: First Steps Review –
Forget the origin story—you won’t see cosmic rays or rocket malfunctions here.
First Steps drops us into Earth-828, where the team has already been superheroes for four years.
We get right into the action, skipping the usual setup and instead focusing on their family dynamics and a looming cosmic threat.
The setting is slick: the 1960s retro-futuristic style brings Mad Men meets Jetsons energy to the MCU.
From the Baxter Building’s pastel interiors to space-age gadgets, the aesthetic is one of the film’s biggest wins.
The plot kicks off when the Silver Surfer arrives to warn of Galactus’s approach, leading the team on a mission to save Earth.
It sounds epic—but the emotional core is missing.
The film assumes we already know and care about these characters, leaving key relationships feeling a little… undercooked.
You get hints of Reed and Sue’s complex marriage (they’re expecting a baby), and Johnny’s brotherly antics add humor, but the bonds that should make us care aren’t given enough time to grow.
CASTING THAT WORKS MAGIC (EVEN IF THE SCRIPT DOESN’T)
Let’s be real—Marvel nailed the casting.
Pedro Pascal brings quiet charisma and fatherly energy to Reed Richards, even if his powers take a back seat.
Vanessa Kirby’s Sue Storm is the emotional glue of the team, and her portrayal of a superhero facing motherhood and interstellar doom is surprisingly grounded. She’s arguably the MVP.
Joseph Quinn is clearly having a blast as Johnny Storm.
He brings fun, chaos, and heart to the role, even if he leans a bit too heavily on sarcasm.
Meanwhile, Ebon Moss-Bachrach (who’s fresh off critical acclaim in The Bear) brings grit and warmth to Ben Grimm.
His scenes with Natasha Lyonne’s Rachel Rozman are unexpectedly sweet and show us The Thing has a soft side.
As for the villains? That’s where things fall apart.
Julia Garner’s Silver Surfer looks amazing, but doesn’t get enough screen time to truly shine. She’s mysterious, powerful—and a little wasted.
Ralph Ineson’s Galactus, meanwhile, is barely there. He’s more of a cosmic cloud voice than a real villain. It’s hard to feel tension when the “big bad” is mostly just… big and distant.
VISUALS STUN, BUT THE STORY STUMBLES
Director Matt Shakman (who brought WandaVision to life) clearly has vision.
The movie is gorgeous to look at—think sleek spacecraft, interdimensional portals, and cosmic beauty shots.
The retro-futurism pops, especially with Michael Giacchino’s jazzy, eerie score.
The CGI is polished, and the Silver Surfer’s sequences are a true visual highlight. She glides through space like a visual poem.
But while the eye candy is top-notch, the pacing is rushed.
At just under two hours, the film crams in galactic stakes, family drama, humor, and action—with little breathing room.
Moments meant to be emotional feel rushed.
Tense scenes are often followed by awkward comic relief.
It’s as if the film is constantly switching channels between family sitcom and cosmic thriller without fully committing to either.
💬 THEMES THAT HINT AT GREATNESS BUT DON’T GO DEEP ENOUGH
The movie clearly wants to be about family—not just saving the world, but holding it together while doing it.
Reed and Sue’s relationship, Johnny and Ben’s camaraderie, and their shared sense of purpose offer glimpses of depth. But these themes are more hinted at than fully explored.
Sue’s line, “Family is about connecting to something bigger than yourself,” is powerful—but the film doesn’t earn that emotion. It flirts with The Incredibles-style storytelling but doesn’t quite deliver the same heart.
The alternate-Earth setting gives Marvel some creative freedom, but it also makes the stakes feel disconnected from the larger MCU. This is both a strength (no multiverse mess) and a weakness (less emotional investment).
Fantastic Four: First Steps Review –
FINAL VERDICT: IT’S A FUN RIDE, BUT NOT A CLASSIC… YET
The Fantastic Four: First Steps does what it sets out to do: reintroduce Marvel’s First Family with style, heart, and a dash of weird.
It’s visually stunning, packed with charm, and avoids the origin trap—but its thin plot and shallow villain keep it from being truly fantastic.
The cast is ready. The look is fresh. The next chapter? Hopefully, that’s where the real magic happens.
RATING: 3.5/5
âś… Watch it for the visuals and the new FF crew.
❌ Don’t expect a game-changer—yet.
Lead Image: Marvel
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