Marvel heralds the Fantastic Four in their newest film, “Fantastic Four: First Steps.” This film is one of the best team introductions to the franchise and shows hope for upcoming Marvel movies.
All the Marvel films have their own respective parallel universes for the setting, and in some cases, characters can go to multiple universes. In this film, we are introduced to Earth 828, a futuristic 1960s Earth. Viewers can think of it like the old TV show “The Jetsons” if it were set on the ground.
The Fantastic Four is introduced years after their trip to space that gave them their superhuman abilities. “Fantastic Four: First Steps” has a similar premise to the 2007 “Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer” with Galactus as an antagonist threatening Earth’s existence.
Each character acts and uses their powers differently than any other iteration we’ve seen of this team in the past by providing a sense of humanity.
Pedro Pascal portrays Reed Richards/Mister Fantastic as an overachiever who works through his problems. His power of stretching and manipulating his body is stiff compared to previous versions of the character.
The film sends Richards through the most emotional turmoil as Galactus puts him to the test, threatening every aspect of his life. Pascal brings Mister Fantastic to life, showing that even one of the smartest people to exist can be unsure about what to do.
Vanessa Kirby plays Sue Storm; this film marks the first time we see the character pregnant. Her powers are similar to previous film versions, using invisibility and force field projection. The look of Sue’s power, though, is different in this one, mimicking the aesthetic of her universe with a hazy rainbow look like you would see across an old TV screen.
Sue being pregnant proves to be a uniting factor within the film’s conflict. Her attitude is remarkably similar to her previous film iterations—being the glue to the team—but she also has a mother’s care behind her actions. Her kind words and attitude even bring the public to the team’s side and to support the fight for humanity in the film.
Joesph Quinn plays the Human Torch, otherwise known as Johnny Storm, Sue’s brother. He is one of my favorite characters as he feels the most relatable through his empathetic nature.
Previous iterations depicted Johnny as a ladies’ man that is not afraid to speak his mind to anyone. In this film, he is bashful and quippy but contributes more behind the scenes for the team.
Ebon Moss-Bachrach plays as Ben Grimm, or The Thing, and gives viewers a sincere look on the character. Previous versions of The Thing show him as a misunderstood brute that wants to be a normal-looking person.
Julia Garner plays as Galactus’s Herald, otherwise known as the Silver Surfer. Galactus needs planets to survive, so he uses his Heralds to scout out and prepare each one for his consumption. In the 2007 “Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer” film, the Silver Surfer is played by Doug Jones and voiced by Laurence Fishburne.
Both Garner and Jones play great interpretations of their character, but Jones is the best. Each film uses similar backstories of the Silver Surfer in helping Galactus devour planets as the Silver Surfer, in turn, saves their homes and families. Jones’s acting style, though, emotionally connects to viewers more profoundly and personally. The connection to viewers is stronger here as Jones’s Surfer saves Sue Storm, played by Jessica Alba, as she vividly reminds him of the wife he saved by leaving her behind.
Galactus is played by Ralph Ineson and is an intriguing interpretation of the all-powerful world eater. In the 2007 film, Galactus looks more like a cloudy dark hole and doesn’t take on the giant human form. This gives viewers a visual antagonist for the Fantastic Four to win against.
The film gives hope to the future of the Marvel Cinematic Universe because it’s not filled with a punch line every other scene. While there is some comedic relief, it isn’t overbearing and instead gives viewers a sense of realism. The characters are presented in serious situations that showcase their humanness and their ability to do whatever they put their minds to.
“Fantastic Four: First Steps” is one of the best team introductions to the Marvel Cinematic Universe since the 2012 film “The Avengers.” The characters show that there is humanity behind those with power. This Fantastic Four group is sure to provide a boost to future Marvel projects.