Despite being the first superheroes created by Marvel Comics (yes, predating Spider-Man, Iron Man and the Hulk!), the Fantastic Four have not had much like being adatped to movies or TV. The Roger Corman version from 1994 (unreleased) is objectively terrible, the 2005 Tim Story films didn't blow anyone's skirts up, and the 2015 Josh Trank version was an utter bomb, regarded by many as being the worst superhero movie ever released, and Marvel disliked the movie so much they not only killed analogues of the actors in another comic, they cancelled the Fantastic Four comic itself.
Fantastic Four: First Steps finally gives Marvel's First Family the platform they deserve.
Director Matt Shakman (WandaVision) and a host of writers have crafted a tight little adventure film (first Marvel film to clock in under two hours in who knows how long) that has great heart and expresses the core characters pretty much perfectly.
By settting the movie in a completely independent timeline (Earth 828, for artist/creator Jack Kirby's birthday), the filmmakers not only gave themselves a chance to play with a retro-future vision of New York, but removing it from an increasingly convoluted MCU continuity means absolutely no 'homework' is required by exhausted, lapsed or maybe even new viewers.
The casting is pitch perfect, from Pedro Pascal's portrayal of Reed Richards/ Mr. Fantastic as a brilliant, preoccupied but loving husband, to Vanessa Kirby/ Invisible Woman showcasing Susan Storm as being protective, diplomatic but also ruthless when her family is threatened. Joseph Quinn brings the needed sass and swagger to Johnny Storm/ the Human Torch but doesn't look out of place when displaying his own insights and intelligence.
My favourite is Ebon Moss-Bachrach as Ben Grimm/ The Thing, for carrying so much humanity and empathy through a CGI-created set of rock-like features - my compliments to the FX team! He also underplays the mopishness and woe-is-me nature so prevalent in the early FF stories. His deep appreciation of his found family does not grate against his desire to punch a threat if the opportunity presents itself.
I wish I could spend more time in retro-pastiche Earth 828, and the next time I watch this film I will pay even more attention to the billboards, ads and magazine covers (although wow it felt like a lot of product placement early on). I love that one of the montage bits early on show the Mole Man abducting the Pan-Am (Airlines) tower, and all the analog touches like tape drives for the H.E.R.B.I.E. robots.
For the first time in a long time, a Marvel picture has balanced action, character, humour and pathos proportionately while still bringing all the vibrancy and wonder of the source material. It is a wonderful thing to experience in the theaters, and a real tour de force in superhero films.
Most critically for me though, is how quickly they establish what differentiates the Fantastic Four from every other team in comics - the fact that they are a family.
Family, loyalty and sacrifice are themes that run throughout the film, and I would love to delve into them except for fear of spoiling even the tiny revelations that enthralled me. Suffice to say, this is one of the better Galactus stories I have ever come across because of the hard choices given the heroes in this story.
The love and optimism displayed in Fantastic Four: First Steps make it a great double-feature pairing with Superman, at time when the real world could use a lot of both. Highly recommended, not just to comic fans, but to anyone who appreciates wonder on the big screen.
As a fan of the Fantastic Four since childhood, I was elated to see them finally done justice on the silver screen, starting with the opening montage establishing the team's storied background to that beautiful mini-arc with the Mole Man to the exciting finale. I love the way the creators gave each member about equal moments to shine, essential for a family story like this, and I was also tickled by the refreshing science-fictional elements. Ebon was my favourite too, followed closely by Vanessa Kirby--badass from start to finish.
ReplyDeleteI also thought it was a great idea to make all four of the main characters geniuses in their own way, which really works to the benefit of Johnny Storm; it kind of makes me wish they'd gone this way in the comics.
Whoops, that was me up there.
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