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Forget about babyproofing The Baxter Building, H.E.R.B.I.E., we have bigger things to worry about!  Galactus seeks an heir to his own unstoppable appetite.

And, just like that, The Fantastic Four: First Steps has arrived!  It only took . . . uh, over 20 years!!!!

Stan Lee and Jack Kirby’s first family of Marvel arrives in cinemas for - what, its 4th or 5th incarnation (I’ve lost count) - and, finally - whew! - gets the balance right with a story which skips the origin nonsense and understands its mission clearly: put the family first and get cosmic quickly.  While there certainly is nothing earth-shattering about this MCU film - except for the arrival of planet-devouring Galactus (Ralph Ineson) - and not just a cloud, this time!  - WandaVision’s director Matt Shakman and a whole lot of script writers handle our characters with the speed and confidence of Spider-Man: Homecoming and give the audience a movie with characters to root for.

It should be noted that this - much like James Gunn’s Superman - is yet another cinematic interpretation of a comic book-inspired world where Saturday morning cartoons still reign supreme.  It might not be as successful as Gunn was with bringing in new attitudes to its character, but First Steps definitely doesn’t falter when it comes to tone and character. 

Maybe that’s what’s wrong with the modern world, you know?  Bring back the ‘toons and give the kids more sugary cereal to crunch on because the world introduced here is certainly not the one explored in your typical MCU offering; thankfully, this world is void of THE SNAP HEARD ‘ROUND THE UNIVERSE.

The world of The Fantastic Four - Earth-828 - is much sweeter; believing in their heroes and hoping that they can save the day.  In fact, tonally, the movie works so well because of the era (and the earth) the movie is set in and the world which encompasses it.  As we already know, The Fantastic Four are Pedro Pascal as Reed Richards/Mister Fantastic, Vanessa Kirby as Sue Storm/Invisible Woman, Ebon Moss-Bachrach as Ben Grimm/The Thing, and Joseph Quinn as Johnny Storm/Human Torch and, up to the starting point in the movie, our heroes have been the sole protectors of this Earth; fighting Mole Man, The Red Ghost and his Super Apes, and all sorts of other superbeings as the opening montage suggests.

Yet, there is something bigger just looming in the shadows and it wants what is growing inside Sue Storm.  That’s right, Reed and Sue are expecting their first child and, if you are fan of the comic book, you know what that means . . .

. . . as, with his arrival, we are one step closer to Robert Downey Jr. as Dr. Doom, which is teased here BIG TIME.

Even Galactus is in the know here and, with the Silver Surfer/Shalla-Bal (Julia Garner) in tow, he has his eyes set squarely on getting his hands on Franklin Reed and destroying this version of Earth by any means necessary.  That’s right, Fantastic Four, give up your child and the Earth survives.  Refuse and Galactus is coming with his insatiable appetite to a buffet near you as he hungers for the power that resides in Franklin.

With strong chemistry throughout, The Fantastic Four: First Steps makes the first family of Marvel’s arrival in the MCU a massively enjoyable one.  There are no missteps; the cast is keyed-in on great chemistry; the effects - featuring a whole lot of surfing on flames - are impressive and - with two post-credit scenes - definitely paves the way toward Marvel’s next big thing: Avengers: Doomsday.

MPAA Rating: PG-13.
Runtime: 115 mins
Director: Matt Shakman
Writer: Josh Friedman; Eric Pearson
Cast: Pedro Pascal; Vanessa Kirby; Ebon Moss-Bachrach
Genre: Action | Adventure | Superhero
Tagline: Prepare Four Launch
Memorable Movie Quote: "I was once little like you billions of years ago. A man from another world before this relentless, eternal hunger."
Distributor: Disney/Marvel
Official Site: https://www.facebook.com/FantasticFour
Release Date: July 25, 2025
DVD/Blu-ray Release Date:
Synopsis: Forced to balance their roles as heroes with the strength of their family bond, the Fantastic Four must defend Earth from a ravenous space god called Galactus and his enigmatic Herald, Silver Surfer.