October is going to be a busy month in regard to physical media releases. Early on, Warner Brothers is going to release a brand-new Blu-ray box set featuring 40 classic Peanuts television specials. Also early in the month, Arrow Video will re-issue New Line Cinema’s classic comic book adaptation of Image Comics’ flagship series, Spawn in a new 4K restoration. Roughly two years after its then most recent 4K release, Clue will get another 4K release, the previous re-issue being delivered via Shout! Factory in 2023. This latest re-issue will come via Alliance Entertainment in a new 40th anniversary presentation that boasts absolutely nothing new this time out in comparison to Shout! Factory’s 2023 release. Later this month, one of the most exciting new releases will come (Oct. 28) in the form of the long-awaited home release of The Best Christmas Pageant Ever, which saw a very limited theatrical release in late 2024. This critic was lucky enough to see this surprisingly enjoyable movie, too, and has been waiting ever since for its official home release.
As if all of that is not enough, one more movie, Marvel Studios’ latest reboot of The Fantastic Four is set for release Oct. 7, in the form of The Fantastic Four; First Steps. This latest iteration of “Marvel’s First Family” on the big screen is an interesting but imperfect presentation. To the good (and bad) is its story. This will be discussed shortly. On a related note, the bonus content that accompanies the movie’s home release (including its current streaming presentation) is something of a negative as the lack of one key item as an extra definitely detracts from the viewing experience and the appreciation of the story. This will be examined a little later. Knowing that this issue is not enough to make Fantastic Four: First Steps unwatchable, there is one more positive to note, that being the collective work of the movie’s main cast. Each item noted plays its own important part to the whole of the movie. All things considered they make The Fantastic Four: First Steps a work that while enjoyable, is still far from the best of Marvel Studios’ MCU offerings to date.
The Fantastic Four: First Steps, the latest entry in Marvel Studios’ Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), is an interesting new presentation that even with its interest, is imperfect. It is a presentation that proves worth watching at least once. That is due in large part to its story. The story clocks in at just under two hours (roughly one hour, 54 minutes to be exact – not counting end credits). That is rare for a Marvel movie to say the very least. It is a welcome change, considering the last time audiences saw a Marvel Studios offering that short a movie was in 2013 in Thor: The Dark World. Actually, that movie is the shortest MCU movie to date at one hour, 52 minutes. That is something to keep in mind especially considering the ability of that movie to keep audiences engaged versus this movie’s ability to do the same. In just under two hours, The Fantastic Four: First Steps’ story accomplishes everything that it set out to do. Kudos to the writing team of Josh Friedman, Eric Pearson and Jeff Kaplan as they succeed in doing what James Gunn honestly failed to do with his new Superman project for his DCU project. The trio establishes the F4’s history solidly while managing just as easily to jump right into the group’s story, with Reed and Sue Richards celebrating the pending birth of their baby, who would later gain the name Franklin in the opening scene. What is interesting in this moment is something that so many families will appreciate, the struggle of the couple to have children. The subdued conversation puts that topic on the table without being preachy about the matter. There are so many parents out there in this world, the real world, who face the same struggle. They will appreciate how Friedman, Pearson, and Kaplan tackled the matter. The trio also wastes little time getting to the heart of the story, that being the coming face off between the Fantastic Four and Galactus, the world eater. The transition from all the happiness to this sudden sense of gloom and fear is handled so smoothly. The fluidity of that transition is more proof of why the writing team is to be commended.
On another note, the way in which the trio ties Franklin’s pending introduction into the story at the center of the whole makes for its own share of interest. It is also where some of the problems come into play. For those less familiar with the Fantastic Four’s various story arcs, Franklin was in fact part of the family’s story early in the franchise’s history. In doing research on Franklin, it turns out Franklin was indeed introduced into the Fantastic Four comics series way back in the 1960s, so that and the look of this film are a great pairing. However, it was not until 2012 in Jonathan Hickman’s time on Fantastic Four, that Franklin and Galactus (this movie’s big bad, and a longtime foe of the F4), become entwined. Franklin actually resurrected Galactus in Hickman’s time on the comic in order to get help battling a group of Celestials bent on world domination. The pair ironically uses the exact same bridge tech used here that also stopped Galactus, in order to stop those Celestials.
This is where the story’s most glaring problem comes into play. For those not so familiar with Franklin’s story, having this “chosen one” story at the center of the whole can be very problematic. That especially considering Franklin’s rich history in the Fantastic Four comics history. Franklin’s incredible power does not even come into play until the end of the story’s third act. How this happens will be left for audiences to discover for themselves, but in reality, having that power not displayed until the story’s finale leaves audiences wondering the whole time what Galactus knows about Franklin and why he is so important. The reasoning for withholding that information does make some sense in hindsight, but the writing team could have given audiences (especially those more casual audiences) at least a little something.
Staying on that same note, at no point in the bonus content is Franklin’s back story examined. It is not even discussed in the bonus feature length audio commentary. As a matter of fact, the majority of the discussion on that bonus audio track is about the movie’s production values (E.g. special effects, acting, etc.) Sure, the deleted scenes’ standard inclusion helps make for some appreciation. That is because each scene clearly was better left on the cutting room floor, but the other features, which focus on the cast and the special effects, is secondary to the importance of that one key bonus that was lacking here. Having that extra retrospective would have done so much to make the viewing experience all the more enjoyable for audiences in general.
Staying somewhat on that same note, there is also no bonus content addressing the post credits scene involving the Fantastic Four’s appearance at the end of another recent Marvel movie, Thunderbolts*. The scene in question finds the Thunderbolts relaxing in what used to be Avengers Tower when an alert comes up and the F4 shows up in its rocket on screen coming into their universe. Nowhere in this movie does that come into play, though one Doctor Doom does come into play in this movie’s post credits scene. That scene will not be spoiled here, but one can only hope that the two post credits scenes will meld together in the coming Avengers: Doomsday movie since it was revealed the Fantastic Four will be part of the forthcoming expansive multiverse movie.
Knowing that the lack of the Franklin’s history and how it was tied into this story is problematic but not enough to doom the movie (and the lack of anything explaining the family showing up at the very end of Thunderbolts*), there is at least one more positive to note, that being the work of the movie’s cast. All four members of the superhero family – Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Ebon Moss-Bachrach, and Joseph Quinn – is deserving of praise. Pascal, as Reed Richards, is impressive as he presents on one side, a figure who on the surface is so calm and collected. As a scientist, there is almost an obsessive quality that Pascal brings to Reed’s persona. As things progress, Pascal does just as well to bring out Reed’s vulnerability, his less confident side. Audiences see a man who is in essence, like so many men out there, someone who tries to be strong for everyone but deep down is likely fighting to keep it all together. This is something that so many people need to appreciate and take into note. The duality that he brings to Reed is to be commended because it would have been so easy for him to just ham it up but instead, he gave an outstanding performance throughout.
Kirby meanwhile is just as impressive as she displays a woman who is both vulnerable and confident in her own right. At the same time, her motherly actions are to be lauded by every female viewer. She shows the lengths to which a mother will go to protect her family. This especially, as she battles Galactus in the story’s final act. The look of anger, determination, etc. in her eyes as she uses her powers to push Galactus toward the bridge says more than any words could ever speak.
Ebon Moss-Bachrach deserves his own kudos as he brings Ben to life. What audiences get from him is a guy who just wants to live his life but also knows that when it’s time to go to work, it is time. Whether it is interacting with a group of young children to entertain them, working to help the family escape from the gravitational forces of a black hole, or being that “fun uncle” to Franklin at points, Moss-Bachrach brings the best of Ben to the screen. He shows such great versatility in his own right and is just as deserving of praise.
In regard to everyone’s favorite “hot head” (yes that horrible pun was intended), Johnny Storm, Joseph Quinn so wonderfully channels Chris Evans’ time in the role while also bringing his own touch to the whole. That sense of bravado is there, but when he gets serious, such as when he finally confronts the Silver Surfer (Julia Garner) with the voices of those whose worlds were destroyed, his serious nature is just as impressive. Again, his ability to so expertly show both sides of his character is impressive in its own right.
While the noted performances are memorable in their own right, they are not the only stars of this movie. Herbie, the family’s robot friend, is the real star of this movie. Voiced by Matthew Wood and controlled by a team behind the scenes, kids will absolutely love Herbie. There is something about his presence that is so innocent. It conjures thoughts of another famous little robot, none other than R2D2 (of Star Wars fame). All involved in bringing him to life on screen deserve their own praise, too.
Whether it be the performance of all noted on screen, the work of those who crafted this movie’s story or even those who gave the movie its impressive look, there is a lot to applaud here. At the same time, there are some concerns herein, too. In hindsight they do detract considerably from the viewing experience, and in turn appreciation for the movie. Even with those concerns noted, the movie still proves itself a mostly positive addition to Marvel’s MCU that is worth watching at least once.
The Fantastic Four: First Steps is scheduled for home release Oct. 7. More information on this and other titles from Marvel Studios is available at:
Website: https://www.marvel.com
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PHOTO CREDIT: Marvel Studios- For Promotional Use Only- All Rights Reserved