Of all the Marvel creations, the Fantastic Four have had the rockiest time with film versions. There were the two from the early 2000s, and the disastrous 2015 version (and let’s not forget Roger Corman’s unreleased and very cheap version. Now, Marvel Studios has the rights back and has given us their first adventure in the MCU (and part of Phase 6). Has the first family been given the movie they deserve? Or will The Fantastic Four always be the one part of the comic book world that will crash and burn?

The Fantastic Four are regarded by the people as heroes and are often praised for their work. Sue Storm is pregnant, and this has tremendous hope for the team, until the Earth is threatened by a mysterious Silver Surfer who warns that their planet will be destroyed by Galactus unless a hefty price is delivered to him, something that the Fantastic Four refuse to do.

The first thing that has to be said about this film is the production design is spectacular. Setting the film in a cross of futuristic and 60s kitsch is a treat for the eyes. Mixing those props and furniture designs that wouldn’t look out of place in small town America during the early 1960s, yet adding the technology of a sci-fi film from that period (flying cars, rockets that look like they’ve some out of a 50s B-movie), it’s an excellent example of getting those parts of a film that are often ignored absolutely right.

Director Matt Shakman, making his feature debut after years of working on TV series, including WandaVision, has delved into the comic books and grasped the colour and mystical palette that these characters inhabit. There are very few moments in the film where there isn’t a splash of colour or incredible eye-popping effects that look like they’ve come straight from the pages of Stan Lee and Jack Kirby’s original creations.

The issue with the film is its plot, and like most superhero stories, it’s a mess. At under two hours, far too much is crammed into the running time, and so there are moments where you are bemused by what is actually going on. It is also science-heavy, as Reed Richards, the leader of the Fantastic Four, is a brilliant scientist, and thus we get plenty of techno-babble. There is also H.E.R.B.I.E., a robot that is like R2-D2 on speed. The design is excellent, but it relies too heavily on incorporating a touch of comedy that detracts from the story.

What the filmmakers do get right is that this is a family, and you immediately believe that. They bicker, they support one another, and they look out for each other. The previous films have forgotten that this is Marvel’s first family, but here they are exactly that. Like Superman, the film comes in the middle of the story, but at least here we get some backstory in case anyone is unfamiliar with these characters.

The cast is ideally suited to their roles. Pedro Pascal has the most challenging job as Reed Richards, Mr Fantastic, who can stretch his body, although this isn’t used as much as we would like. The trouble with Reed is that he is a science geek and quite dull, so Pascal, as hard as he tries, struggles to bring life to the role, unlike Vanessa Kirby, who plays Sue Storm, the Invisible Girl. She steals the film with a performance that is unexpected in a superhero movie. As The Thing, The Bear’s Ebon Moss-Bachrach brings plenty of heart as the rock creature, and it would have been nice to have seen more scenes with him and school teacher Natasha Lyonne. Finally, we get Joseph Quinn as Johnny Storm, the Human Torch, who seems to be having a blast.

The Fantastic Four: First Steps isn’t perfect, but it’s miles better than past incarnations. It also seems that after a very rocky time, Marvel has managed to get back on track after Thunderbolts and now this. The future is looking brighter for the studio.

4 out of 5

Director: Matt Shakman

Starring: Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Ebon Moss-Bachrach, Joseph Quinn, Ralph Ineson, Julia Garner, Natasta Lyonne, Paul Walter Hauser, Sarah Niles, Mark Gattis

Written by: Josh Friedman, (also story) Eric Pearson, Jeff Kaplan, Ian Springer (story) Kat Wood, (based on the Marvel comics and Fantatsic Four created) Stan Lee and Jack Kirby

Running Time: 115 mins

Cert: 12A

Release date: 24th July 2025