Star Cast: Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Ebon Moss-Bachrach, Joseph Quinn
Director: Matt Shakman
The Fantastic Four: First Steps Movie Review Synopsis:
THE FANTASTIC FOUR: FIRST STEPS is the story of superheroes saving the world. The film is set in a retro-futuristic world of the 1960s. On Earth 828, Reed Richards (Pedro Pascal), Sue Storm (Vanessa Kirby), Johnny Storm (Joseph Quinn) and Ben Grimm (Ebon Moss-Bachrach) reside in New York. They are astronomers who go to space for a mission but gain superhero powers after being exposed to cosmic rays. They now use their powers to save the Earth from trouble. Reed and Sue are married and the latter is pregnant. The superheroes are happy, but their celebration is short-lived when a mysterious woman, Silver Surfer (Julia Garner), appears to announce to the people of Earth that their planet has been marked for destruction by the planet-devouring cosmic being, Galactus (Ralph Ineson). The Fantastic Four realize that she is not bluffing and that Galactus is indeed destroying and disappearing planets. With no other option in hand, they once again don their spacesuits and head to space, this time to find Galactus and stop him from attacking the Earth. What happens next forms the rest of the film.
The Fantastic Four: First Steps Movie Story Review:
Eric Pearson, Jeff Kaplan, Ian Springer and Kat Wood’s story serves as a nice introduction of the superheroes in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Josh Friedman, Eric Pearson, Jeff Kaplan and Ian Springer’s screenplay keeps viewers captivated but is also a bit stagnant in some places. The dialogues are entertaining.
Matt Shakman’s direction is supreme. Like SUPERMAN, the origin backstory is also not given much prominence, though in this film, the beginnings of the superheroes are shown through montages and not just in text form. The 60s vibe is also well captured. What works big time is the bond between the superheroes and how they always stay united. The scene where they refuse to accept Galactus’ condition and the effect of it on the humans is quite dramatic. The subtle comment made here on trolling and sensational news debates is very relatable. Matt, however, reserves the best for the finale. It is exhilarating and also touching. The mid-credit scene, meanwhile, would lead to a frenzy in cinemas.
On the flipside, the pace of the film drops in a few places. The entire track of Johnny learning the alien language is difficult to comprehend. One also doesn’t fully connect to the idea of Harvey aka Mole Man (Paul Walter Hauser). In the quest to give a quick introduction, the makers didn’t give certain plot points their due. Meanwhile, the timing of the release can prove detrimental in India.
The Fantastic Four: First Steps Movie Review Performances:
Pedro Pascal, as always, looks dashing and delivers a subtle yet effective performance. Vanessa Kirby gets to play a cool character, and she does total justice. She shines in the climax. Joseph Quinn is adorable and puts up a first-rate act. Ebon Moss-Bachrach and Ralph Ineson make their presence felt. Julia Garner leaves a huge mark. Paul Walter Hauser, Sarah Niles (Lynne Nichols), Mark Gatiss (Ted Gilbert) and Natasha Lyonne (Rachel Rozman) get limited scope.
The Fantastic Four: First Steps movie music and other technical aspects:
Michael Giacchino’s music has a vintage feel. Jess Hall’s cinematography is supreme. Kasra Farahani’s production design gets the retro-futuristic aesthetic right. Alexandra Byrne’s costumes are appropriate. Nona Khodai and Tim Roche’s editing could have been slicker.
The Fantastic Four: First Steps Movie Review Conclusion:
On the whole, THE FANTASTIC FOUR: FIRST STEPS is yet another fabulous entertainer from the Marvel Cinematic Universe after THUNDERBOLTS. Though it has managed good advance sales, it might not be able to reach its full box office potential due to the gigantic SAIYAARA wave.