Fantastic Four: First Steps (2025): A Retro Superhero Adventure
My Take on Fantastic Four: First Steps (2025): A Fun, Heartfelt Marvel Throwback
Fantastic Four: First Steps* in theaters, and wow, Marvel’s finally giving the Fantastic Four the love they deserve! Directed by Matt Shakman, this 2025 reboot takes Marvel’s First Family to a groovy 1960s-inspired world, and it’s a total blast. With Pedro Pascal as Reed Richards, Vanessa Kirby as Sue Storm, Joseph Quinn as Johnny, and Ebon Moss-Bachrach as Ben, this movie’s got heart, laughs, and some seriously cool vibes. It skips the usual origin story—thank God—and dives into the team already being heroes, four years post-cosmic rays. Reed and Sue are expecting a kid, which gives it this warm, family vibe. The cast is *chef’s kiss*. Pedro’s Reed is a nerdy, lovable genius, and Vanessa’s Sue is the fierce glue holding everyone together. Joseph’s Johnny is a hilarious hothead, and Ebon’s Ben tugs at your heartstrings as The Thing. Their chemistry is so good, you actually believe they’re a family.
The 1960s retro-futuristic setting is straight-up awesome—think flying cars, slick suits, and a robot sidekick named H.E.R.B.I.E. that’s like a Roomba with attitude. The Baxter Building feels like a cozy sci-fi home, and Michael Giacchino’s score makes every scene pop. It’s a standalone story, so no need to binge 20 MCU movies, though comic nerds will spot fun Easter eggs. That said, it’s not perfect. The under-two-hour runtime feels rushed, and Johnny and Ben get shortchanged with less depth, stuck as comic relief. The action’s cool but sparse—I wanted more comic-book craziness. Galactus and the Silver Surfer look epic (Julia Garner’s Surfer is like a shiny Oscar statue), but Galactus is one-note, and the Surfer’s arc doesn’t dig deep. The finale wraps up too neatly, missing some juicy moral stuff. Still, with an 88% on Rotten Tomatoes and fans calling it “the MCU’s comeback,” it’s a feel-good flick that sets up *Avengers: Doomsday* in 2026. My rating: 3.5/5 stars—grab popcorn and enjoy!