The Fantastic 4: First Steps (2025)

Let's talk about the road here. The movie was great. But a lot of movies are great and that isn't TOO big of a brag these days. The film had a HUGE task ahead of it that even a really good film might have failed. It had to get out from underneath two inferior adaptations of The Fantastic Four before this one.

The first couple of movies were mindless junk. They made some money, but they weren't all that good, and nobody remembers them as such. The previous reboot was so bad (and in this I am in a rare agreement with other fans and the viewing public) that it almost certainly would have killed off this franchise entirely if Marvel Studios itself hadn't stepped in.

Making the public forget two forgettable movies isn't TOO hard, but making them forget a horrid one is a harder lift.

The clever thing about this movie is it went about doing that the exact right way. It took pains to make sure this was NOTHING like either previous iteration. The retro-future motif made it an entirely different experience, and I will guess years from now means this will be one of the Marvel movies that ages best. It also decided to make the elements of the film, well, fantastical, instead of grounded. Which considering the premise is something all three previous films should have known better about.

It also decided to say "Fuck it" and have Galactus be the villain. In the other movies Galactus is always teased, and never properly seen or used. This movie just decided to use the character properly. They'll tease Doctor Doom instead. The reason that second thing (and the empty Latveria U.N. chair) is the right move is because the earlier movies did a dumb thing and essentially robbed Doctor Doom of the character's needed mystery. This movie having the notion of him in the background without actually being there has it right.

This is also the best version of the Thing I have ever seen. I love that his voice is soft and gentle, as is his demeanor. Every other version had a gruff, angry voice and treats the character as the resident grouch. I much prefer this subdued, chill take.

Mole Man is Stingray from Cobra Kai. I love that he and Sue are friends and she actually negotiated a peace with Subterrania.

The movie also did something the previous films dropped the ball on. Like the X-Men and Spider-Man, a LOT of the Fantastic Four's success and failures have to do with PR. The main difference being they usually get good press. But because of that, when they fall, they fall HARD. I thought it was refreshing (and more than a little bit stupid) that Reed is completely honest about WHY the mission failed, polling fall-out be damned. It was an incredibly awkward moment that made sure the drama and conflict felt earned rather than forced.

Usually Galactus is unable to be defeated in most mediums and Reed has to reason his way out of things. It's a popcorn flick though. I'll allow the action-packed climax here.

You think Galactus is tough, try child car seats.

My one regret (and I especially feel this because of the timeless period feel) is that I feel like it hit a bit too late. If this has hit during Phase 2 or Phase 3, the public would have been bowled over. I'm not saying it would have done Avengers numbers. But I bet it would do the numbers of Spider-Man: No Way Home, Captain America: Civil War, Black Panther, and Guardians Of The Galaxy. While the superhero movie trend is cooling it simply will NOT make the same impact with the public.

It doesn't stop it from being a fun ride though. I pretty much loved it. 5 stars.

Gag Reel

Like most gag reels, it's not actually funny. But it's also not without its charms. 3 stars. 

Deleted Scenes

An interesting batch, most of which I'm guessing were cut for time. Overall: 4 stars.

Thanksgiving Soup Kitchen

Five second scene so I have no idea why it was cut. 3 1/2 stars.

Fantastic Four Day

I felt like the first part of the scene with the dressing room and on the Gilbert show should have been in the film. Not only does the gentle squabbling give a good sense of the family dynamics, but it tells us a lot about the characters too. I also realized this deleted scene is really the only place where each of the Four are properly introduced as Mr. Fantastic, the Invisible Woman, the Human Torch, and the Thing. 4 stars.

Subterranea

I love Sue saying she and Harvey were not going to do those awful violent things because neither of them are assholes. That is the exact right thing to say.

I'm torn. The scene is awesome and shows the friendship between Sue and Harvey very well, and how a lot of their alliance relies on empty threats and bluster before getting down to the real affection. It's also really cool to get a good look inside Subterranea.

The problem is, as good as the scene is, Marvel Studios films have been taking great pains to keep their current runtimes under two hours. As great as it is, it's also neither here nor there. 5 stars.

Birthday Sweater

Slow scene that adds nothing. The visual effects on the Thing are MOSTLY completed, but not ENTIRELY completed. The CGI still looks a little rough and not entirely toned. 2 stars.

Taking Turns

Another slow scene that is a clear time cut. The invisible effect is pretty cool though. 2 1/2 stars.