‘The Fantastic Four: First Steps’ Review: Finally, a Version That Gets the Job Done

I’ve seen every Fantastic Four film ever made. Yes, even the unreleased 1994 one that looked like it was filmed on a dare with a $5 bill and a pack of chewing gum. So when I say “The Fantastic Four: First Steps” is the best one yet, understand that I mean it—but also that the bar was so low, it was practically in the Negative Zone. I watched the Tim Story entries in theaters. I endured the bleakness of Josh Trank’s take. None of them worked, and even for someone many moons away from dabbling in criticism back then, that said plenty.

So imagine my relief—tinged with a bit of disbelief—when Matt Shakman’s take not only didn’t fall apart, but actually found a groove. Fourth time’s the charm, I guess.

Earth’s Fantastic Heroes, Minus the Origin Story

The film opens with a vintage-styled television program giving the in-universe audience a catch-up: four brilliant scientists went into space, met a cosmic accident, and came back as something more. Now, they’re the world’s protectors—less neighborhood and more planetary-scale heroes. 

Reed Richards (Pedro Pascal), touted as the smartest man alive, has taken to “baby-proofing” Earth by building tech to preempt threats before they begin—an act equal parts noble and a little unnerving. But cosmic threats don’t RSVP, and one soon crashes through the clouds: the Silver Surfer (Julia Garner), a solemn, gliding emissary who appears in Times Square to announce that Earth is marked for destruction. Her master? Galactus, a celestial force with a planet-sized appetite.

From here, the plot moves outward, literally and thematically. The team rockets off into space to plead Earth’s case, and in their negotiations, discover that Galactus doesn’t want the planet so much as Sue Storm’s unborn child, Franklin. He believes the boy holds a power that could tip the cosmic balance. What unfolds is a dilemma that touches the intimate and the infinite: What are parents willing to sacrifice for the world? And can a world still trust its heroes when things go sideways?

Cosmic Vision, Earthbound Results 

Given this franchise’s rocky cinematic history—four films over three decades, all varying degrees of forgettable—it’s almost shocking how functional ‘First Steps’ is. That might sound like faint praise, but it’s a real achievement considering how tone-deaf and charmless the previous entries were. At this point, I just wanted something that worked. I got more than that.

Visually, the film embraces its weirdness with confidence. Cinematographer Jess Hall leans into a Jetsons-adjacent retro-futurist aesthetic—chrome textures, punchy colors, a city skyline that looks like it was designed by the daydreams of master Jack Kirby himself. Michael Giacchino’s jazzy, percussive score is a blast, toeing the line between bombast and restraint. It elevates scenes rather than drowns them in noise, especially during the quieter beats between characters.

Matt Shakman’s direction, while largely assured, occasionally slips into something more reminiscent of a Disney+ pilot—certain wide shots feel blocked for the small screen, and a few sequences rush their emotional payoffs. But when he nails the pacing, edits, and camera movement (as he often does), the film flows smoothly and never overstays its welcome.

And then there’s H.E.R.B.I.E.—Reed’s robotic lab assistant, who turns out to be one of the film’s most unexpected delights. A clever blend of “WALL-E’s” warmth and “Short Circuit’s” spunk, HERBIE isn’t just comic relief; he’s got personality and charm to spare. As someone who grew up loving both those robots, seeing HERBIE find that balance between function and feeling hit a nostalgic sweet spot that I just couldn’t resist.

Of Performances Underscoring Balance and Restraint 

Performance-wise, this is easily the most balanced and lived-in Fantastic Four yet. Pascal and Vanessa Kirby don’t overplay Reed and Sue’s dynamic. If anything, there’s a studied restraint—as though both characters know that letting their emotions flare might have world-shaking consequences. 

Garner makes the most of her limited role, though I can’t help but wish her Silver Surfer wasn’t reduced to being Galactus’ glorified errand-runner. Ralph Ineson, meanwhile, gives Galactus a terrifying presence through voice and scale, even if the character’s philosophy is more gestured at than truly explored.

If anyone steals the show, it’s Joseph Quinn as Johnny Storm. This Human Torch is cocky but not cruel, reckless but grounded. Unlike past incarnations that mistook swagger for substance, Quinn’s Johnny exudes a wide-eyed exuberance that’s impossible to resist. His chemistry with Ben Grimm (Ebon Moss-Bachrach) gives the film a pulse; these two aren’t just sidekicks or comic relief, they’re fully realized characters with grit and heart.

‘The Fantastic Four: First Steps’ Earns Its Title (and Then Some)

I’ve watched three superhero films this year: ‘First Steps’, “Superman,” and “Thunderbolts*“. What they have in common—and it’s a relief—is their shared disinterest in recycling origin stories. These films trust that we know who these people are. The F4’s backstory here is wrapped in a televised recap, cleverly doubling as exposition for us. It’s meta, but it works. No need to sit through another accident-in-space montage when the emotional stakes can take center stage.

And since we’re talking patterns: it’s amusing how James Gunn’s “Superman” toyed with the number three—decades, years, months, minutes—while ‘First Steps’ goes all in on the number four. Four years since their accident. Four-person team. Four-part plan to save the Earth. At least someone at both DC and Marvel is keeping the math tidy.

Of course, not everything lands. The second act sags under the weight of exposition. The resolution, while emotionally satisfying, feels just a bit too clean. And there’s always the lingering sense that, while this is finally the best Fantastic Four film, it got there more by avoiding past mistakes than blazing a bold new path.

Still, that’s enough—for now. After decades of disappointment, it’s a genuine pleasure to watch a Fantastic Four movie that doesn’t make you wince. One that gets the family and team parts right. One that lets its weirdness breathe without collapsing into tonal chaos. And one that remembers, even amid the cosmic stakes, that what matters most is how these four hold together.

Maybe that’s not everything. But it’s a start. And in this case—dare I say it—a pretty fantastic one.

 “The Fantastic Four: First Steps” will be released in the United States on July 25. Follow us for more coverage.