4 Reasons to Watch ‘Fantastic Four: First Steps’ (and 4 Not To)
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Hello, hello, hello. If, like many Marvel fans, you’re suffering from MCU fatigue and cannot decide whether to watch Fantastic Four: First Steps, starring Pedro Pascal (Reed Richards/Mister Fantastic), Vanessa Kirby (Sue Storm/Invisible Woman), Ebon Moss-Bachrach (Ben Grimm/The Thing), and Joseph Quinn (Johnny Storm/Human Torch), here’s a quick, casual list of pros and cons to help you make a decision.
Sue Storm is pregnant, and the Fantastic Four are gearing up to welcome a new member to their superhero squad. But Reed Richards is anxious over the baby’s DNA, worried their powers might affect it. Things go from stressful to apocalyptic when the Silver Surfer crashes into Earth with a dire warning: her cosmic overlord, Galactus, is coming to devour the planet. Evacuate or die, those are the only two options. So a pregnant Sue Storm, and the others, go on a mission to stop Galactus.
Now, let’s talk about four reasons (we’re not including the fact that some of the cast is great in their parts!) that some fans might really enjoy watching this 2025 superhero flick, and if that sounds like you, maybe you should give it a shot.
The Retro Sci-fi Cinematography is cool: Yes, it sounds like a superficial reason, but Fantastic Four: First Steps has a very retro-futuristic look, making it feel like a science-fiction action hero film made in the 1970s or 80s. It might remind you of The Jetsons or the retro-futuristic Fallout (mostly because the vault people wear blue uniforms, much like the blue costumes of the Four). Those who enjoy retro visual styles will have a good time.Galactus is the fantastic villain: Forget villains who want to take over your home, or town, or city, or country. Galactus, the primary antagonist of Fantastic Four, is a planet devourer that wants to eat up Earth. How do you even fight that kind of enemy? Galactus elevates the film, even if the finale doesn’t do him justice.The Special Effects Are Great: Except for some fleeting small scenes with clunky effects, the CGI in this superhero world is epic. When the antagonist Galactus appears for the first time, it’s a sight to behold; he is awe-inspiringly larger than life. The introductory sequence makes you think, “Damn, the Fantastic Four are screwed.” From the Silver Surfer menacingly gliding through the air to Johnny going up in flames as the Human Torch, all of it looks smooth.The pop-culture references & jokes are limited: Most Marvel movies tend to go overboard with easter eggs and pop-culture references, and it can get annoying for viewers who haven’t seen every movie in the MCU. But Fantastic Four keeps it cool. There are very few references to other Marvel stuff, and what a welcome change it is. The writers also don’t overdo the jokes or silly banter between characters.And now, four reasons why’Fantastic Four might feel like a bummer:
Feels like it needed a prequel: The film opens with clever exposition, a TV broadcast celebrating four years since the Fantastic Four gained their superpowers after a space mission and became guardians of Earth. This special broadcast quickly helps new viewers understand their backstory, but at the same time, you can’t help but feel that the cast needed a movie two years ago, establishing their origin story. Since First Steps focuses on Mr. Fantastic and the Invisible Woman having a baby, whose existence is threatened by Galactus’ act of adding Earth to his menu, you’re expected to root for them as a family without having established enough connection with their characters. Some viewers find it hard to do that.Mr. Fantastic Doesn’t Stretch Enough: It might sound funny, but Reed Richards rarely uses his superpower in the film. Sure, he does brainstorm battle strategies, and it is his intellect that ultimately helps save the planet. But excuse me, some of us came to see the Fantastic Four exercise their fantastic powers. For that matter, even the Invisible Woman rarely goes invisible unless the whole team needs to go incognito.The action is limited: Since Galactus is a Titan-sized antagonist, watching the superheroes fight him in the climax looks like they are just trying to break down a building. That’s not exciting. For those who love combat scenes and violent faceoffs, Fantastic Four can feel quite underwhelming.A general lack of energy/suspense: The first half of Fantastic Four: First Steps has a slow, steady pace that lacks the kind of excitement viewers would expect from a superhero flick. Not just that, the writers do not throw any fun twists or surprises the viewer’s way. You’ll keep hoping something cool or epic is about to happen… but it doesn’t.Although everything said, given how most ‘Fantastic Four’ movie adaptations have been mediocre or plain forgettable so far, this reboot might just be the best one out there. Might be.
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