- Date of Release: 25 July 2025
- Genre: Action, Superhero, Adventure, SciFi
- Language: English
- Watch On: Theatres Only
The Fantastic Four: First Steps
Introduction
The latest Marvel outing ‘The Fantastic Four – First Steps’ which is also the second reboot of the Fantastic Four franchise, tells you a story or two on how this franchise has fared in the past. It almost remains like a missing piece of the puzzle that the MCU hasn’t been able to crack thus far. But the hope is alive with this edition that doesn’t wish to forray into the origin story of these understated superheroes. In fact, the cold open deep dives you directly into a catalyst that would at a later point in the screenplay, double up as a conflict. When you are introduced to Reed (Pedro Pascal) and Sue (Vanessa Kirby), the latter reveals that she is pregnant, an important catalyst in the screenplay given that you are unsure at this point if the incoming baby would be blessed with superpowers like its parents. The setting remains that of 1960s New York but with a twist – it is a typical retro-futuristic world that celebrates the idea and the vibrancy of a superhero. It isn’t the dark scheme of colours that you would lately associate with an MCU film. Instead, the vibrancy is extracted from the popping blue superhero costumes of The Fantastic Four – Reed, Sue, Ben (Ebon Moss-Bachra) and Johnny (Joseph Quinn).
Story & Screenplay
Unlike the latest DC outing in the form of Superman (2025), wherein the grain of the conflict kept deviating into this overstuffed superhero outing, The Fantastic Four: First Steps keeps things simple. In fact, its title is symbolic of two things – one being the reboot wherein a quick homage gives us a sneak peek into their past on how they attained superhero-ship after a mission in space that exposed them to strands of radiation. And the other is a meta-commentary of a reboot – the first steps for the franchise coupled with the conflict of Reed and Sue’s child that would also be taking ‘first steps’ after being born. But in all of it, the key factor that ties up the narrative is the society that the characters are brought up in – there is a sense of morality to begin with, wherein heroics are celebrated and not questioned.
If you look closely, the drama here is a classic good versus evil template that has nothing new to offer. Even the lines of morality are drawn early on, when you are briefly introduced to one of the two antagonists Silver Surfer (Julia Garner) who poses a threat to the planet Earth, by handpicking the planet to satiate the hunger of her boss Galactus (Ralph Ineson). But what was thus missing in the phase 4 and 5 of the MCU was its unhinged banter that you often pose as a circuit-breaker, ofcourse in a good way. So when Johnny shares a moment with the Silver Surfer, it automatically triggers that circuit-breaker while resulting in moments of laughter, against the run of play.
One of the central conflicts of the drama arises when the ‘Fantastic Four’ venture into outer space to nullify the force of Galactus, and in the process save the planet earth. As an intercutting impact on the narrative, you do realise that Galactus is perhaps the most powerful antagonist of the MCU since Thanos, and you get a fair indication of the same through his towering presence. And how I wished that his character was presented in a slightly more powerful manner in terms of its impact, that would have made the drama even more interesting. But what is interesting is the conflict – Galactus wanting the baby of Sue in exchange for the safety of Planet Earth, that creates an inreresting dilemma for Sue and her team. It is a sharp conflict in wanting to choose between two options, with both having their own set of repercussions.
The drama partly falters when it refuses to stay in the moment with THIS conflict, and instead triggers a series of sequences – a thrilling inter-galactic escape, an alternate preparation to counter the might of the antagonist, and the collective theme of unity and teamwork (across nations). Additionally, each of these instances are used as relatively fleeting moments, that are played out in isolation, wherein you as a viewer don’t get enough time to pause and think about the larger conflict. Even the resolution proposed by Sue is relatively swifter while the writing doesn’t wish to simmer in the moment of her personal conflict. And that is a lesser deterrant in the narrative that also extends to the final act which is a wonderful sight but too simplistic and a tad underwhelming. Yes, the conflict doesn’t veer into unnecessary subplots while staying focused, but staying in the moment and fleshing it out even further to get into the psyche of the characters (remember Thunderbolts* (2025)?) may not have been a bad option either. But overall, the screenplay is a shift in the mindset of the MCU that is momentum shifting in many ways (in a good way). Also, the mid-credit scene has got to be the best in recent times from the MCU.
Dialogues, Music & Direction
The dialogues are quirky and laced with subtle bouts of humour that doesn’t allow the drama to be weighed down at any instance. And the lines also indicate a paradigm shift in the mindset of MCU that looks to revive its good ol’ days through frequent bouts of humour that standout as opposed to investing on heavy-duty concepts that don’t circle back together. The music has a tinge of nostalgia associated with it, even as the BGM elevates the impact of multiple action set-pieces, and in some style. The cinematography comprises of visuals that are breathtaking and best enjoyed on the big screen. The colour grading is vibrant, and it automatically translates into the vibrancy of the drama that is backed by some solid VFX. The editing is pretty crisp here but at times too crisp. A minor pause with the focus being on fleshing out the conflict, may not have been a bad idea afterall. Director Matt Shakman definitely manages to impress with his directorial skills in his second MCU outing after Wandavision (2022). There is a freshness to his style while keeping things on the move through and through, which is the crux of a superhero film template. Alternately, he could have briefly paused the show while allowing enough time for the emotions to engulf the narrative, but largely, the high-octane action set-pieces were nicely executed while maintaining a vibrancy with the proceedings.
Performances
The performances are pretty solid here by the members of the cast. Ralph Ineson as Galactus was the perfect nemesis to the Fantastic Four, and how I wish that his character was fleshed out a little better to allow him to be layered as opposed to one-dimensional. But he definitely manages to impress here. The scenario is a little different for Julia Garner who essays the role of the Silver Surfer. There is a little backstory that allows you room to empathize with her character, and that adds layers to her portrayal as well wherein she does a swell job.
That aside, I loved the synergy between the members of the principal cast. Joseph Quinn as Johnny is a delight to watch while contributing to much of the lighter moments in the drama. The man is literally on fire here. Ebon Moss-Bachra as Ben is equally good and uses his VFX-driven physicality to extract bouts of humour even ss he ‘clobbers’ his way through his character. Vanessa Kirby as Sue is superb here, often having softer moments that would add to the emotional core of her character. And that is something that makes her character humane, while allowing room for the viewers to invest in her journey (something that is true for her finale action sequence too). Pedro Pascal is literally everywhere, and after playing a millionaire in The Materialists (2025) and a Gladiator in Gladiator 2 (2024), he plays a superhero in the form of Reed. He is understated here, often using physics as a driving force to his character, while maintaining the poise and the grace of a superhero. He is wonderful to witness here and he definitely leaves a mark with his performance.
Conclusion
The Fantastic Four: First Steps isn’t quite ‘fantastic’, but a momentum gaining MCU outing that is decent to witness. It is simplistic with a set of flaws but also a lot of fun at various instances, thereby making the superhero film an enjoyable affair. Available in a theatre near you.