FF: First Steps - A Review

“If you look at my characters, you will find me. No matter what kind of character you create or assume, a little of yourself must remain there.”

-Jack Kirby (1917 – 1994)

Just returned from a Sunday matinee showing, which was packed to 90% capacity, of the latest Fantastic Four release from the MCU. With, conceivably, a lot riding on the success of the new film (#37 for those keeping track, and the beginning of Phase 6), it was very important for Marvel to stick the landing on this one.

By most quantifiable calculations they have.

We have to be honest with ourselves here, though the “first family” is beloved by many, particularly those fans of Silver Age comic books, the Fantastic Four has never been an easy property to adapt for a variety of reasons.

While the 2005 and 2007 version was considered a moderate success, particularly given the time in which they were released, the reception fell flat with fans and critics alike.

The appeal of the latest reboot comes down to one major factor: Galactus! We finally have a respectable representation on the big screen for the “devourer of worlds”, that isn’t just delegated to a floating purple space cloud or mere shadow.

Galactus is done well here, and I imagine it would be even cooler to witness in 3D or Imax. The only negative being that, while Galactus is known to change sizes, his stature seems to fluctuate based on how the camera needs to capture his enigmatic presence, and the plot needs to move things along. There are some inconsistencies, which perhaps can be forgiven. And no, I wasn't about to pay $100 dollars for the exclusive popcorn bucket (though it's kinda cool)!

Aside from that, we have a heart felt family dynamic that carries emotional gravitas, with good chemistry between all the actors, and a retro-futuristic sheen and luster which hearkens back to the beginning of Marvel Comics.

Yes, like everyone else, I would have preferred Norrin Radd to Shalla-Bal in the role of the Silver Surfer, yet the latest FF takes place on Earth 828 (which August 28^th also happens to be the birthday of the legendary Jack Kirby), so changes might be expected.

Furthermore, The Fantastic Four: First Steps is the first MCU film in a long time where a casual moviegoer might actually be able to jump right in without needing to do much homework. A fan of the characters could watch the latest without having to catch up on anything else in the endless stream of MCU content that’s being pumped out these days, which definitely works to its advantage.

There are negatives here, mostly coming from some of the pacing, humor, and suspension of disbelief necessary to maintain throughout the 2 hour run-time. However, despite the flaws, its still easily the best MCU presentation since last year’s Deadpool and Wolverine, all while working with characters that are much less popular in mainstream appeal.

As of right now, The Fantastic Four: First Steps has generated $218 million at the global box office in three days, against a $200 million dollar budget. Between that and the $500 million accumulated so far for the latest Superman movie (my recent review can be found here: https://www.horrortoculture.com/blog/its-a-bird---superman-review/ ), it would seem that both Marvel and DC are working on all cylinders at the moment.

While the public is still receptive for a reason to pay for the theater experience, it remains to be seen how that will carry over with moving things forward for the next few years as hype dies down and it becomes easier and easier to wait a couple months for streaming.

***SPOILER***

During the first after-credits scene, we’re teased with an appearance of Doctor Doom, who for some unknown reason, is holding his mask in front of a 4 year old Franklin Richards. It would have been nice to have a little bit more than that to go on, considering the skepticism around casting Robert Downey Jr. in the role, and the fact that, as of the writing of this review, Avengers: Doomsday is still 17 months away!

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Michael A. Dyer is the host of the HORROR TO CULTURE podcast, vidcast, and website.