The Fantastic Four: First Steps Review: Pedro Pascal leads Marvel’s first fam with heart, Doomsday finally knocks, but…

The Fantastic Four: First Steps Review: Story – On Earth 828, it has been four years since Reed Richards (Pedro Pascal), Sue Storm (Vanessa Kirby), Johnny Storm (Joseph Quinn), and Ben Grimm aka The Thing (Ebon Moss-Bachrach) went to space and were hit by the cosmic storm that changed their lives forever. They are now the saviours of their Earth, and Sue is expecting her first child with Reed. But one fine day, the Silver Surfer comes to Earth 828 to warn the citizens that their planet has been marked for death by Galactus. The celestial planet-eater wants Franklin Richards, and the Fantastic Four cannot let him have theirs. How will the protectors save their Earth and their son?

The Fantastic Four: First Steps Review:

That the Marvel Cinematic Universe desperately needs to hit the jackpot with each release is indeed a fact. That the studio is doing everything it can to make things work is another. Their attempts to take the risk and the absence of any safety net is quite visible, and that makes the last two movies two of the best baits. One where a team of New Avengers is introduced, and another where they bring in the First Family, which forms the legacy of the comics that their entire world is based on. Calculations easily hint at The Fantastic Four: First Steps being the correct step in the right direction. But there is a whole world to be built beyond these calculations, and that requires much more than just precision; it needs the heart in the right place. Helmed by Matt Shakman, it even manages to do that, but it also leaves room for a lot more.

So, on an Earth far from 616, there is a settlement that lives in aesthetically pleasing, advanced times. It is a world built by Reed Richards, who has dedicated his time to making it not just safe but even advanced. Writers Josh Friedman, Eric Pearson, Jeff Kaplan, Ian Springer,and Kay Wood, with director Matt Shakman, built Earth 828 with meticulous detailing. It is a world that resembles 616 but is also very different in its own style. It has managed to retain the look of the old times but also progressed in terms of a lot of other things. This elevates the Fantastic Four even more. Because they are now the sole protectors of this world. They fight the Celestials and the local criminals like the Moleman. They are worshipped by the people of Earth 828. Talk shows are made about them. There are flags being waved in their respect as they stand on their high tower.

It is like a world entirely pointed towards the Fantastic Four and there is nothing beyond them. This also makes sense because this Earth doesn't have other superhumans yet, and that absence makes everyone look only up to these four, who are also still making peace with what happened in space four years ago. Matt, with the team, takes a whole lot of time to not just establish this new world but also shape the four legacy members of this comic universe that were still very much underexplored. For a movie that is just 115 minutes long, Shakman invests almost an hour in only setting up the conflict. While this also hampers the pace and impact of the movie, it also develops the family very well. Thankfully, their origin story doesn't take the centre stage yet again, and we are taken to a time where they are well established.

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But what works in favour of building this world well also works against the rest of the things. For instance, The Fantastic Four: First Steps is more inclined towards telling the emotional story of this family that wants to save a planet and a child (who just casually happened to be Franklin). There is not much action in the first or the second act. One battle in the end, which is indeed interesting and very fun to witness, but that is very little for the fans who will mostly buy that ticket to see a lot more of it. What the world wants to see a lot more of is the big, bad Galactus. The villain is one of the strongest characters in the Marvel lore, and the fans have been anticipating his arrival for years at this point.

While he does have a very strong presence over the movie, he is not that present visually. The need to have the heroes always defeat the villain in the movies is turning out to be monotonous, and this is exactly what dulled down Kang the Conqueror in the first place. The Marvel Cinematic Universe is having a villain problem. While Galactus is not treated as badly as Kang (Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania), Gorr the God Butcher (Thor: Love and Thunder), or Dar-Benn (The Marvels), he still doesn't get the weightage in the screenplay that he should. Galactus is deadly, and to have him defeated so easily and swiftly is a crime.

Also, the pacing of The Fantastic Four: First Steps is off for most of the first act. The glue to bind two scenes and situations is missing. It seems like a lot was taken off on the edit table. Even some emotional scenes from the trailer did not make it to the final cut. The rough edges are very much visible, and that is not a great sight.

Talking about the performances, Vanessa Kirby owns The Fantastic Four: First Steps and there is no way you are taking your eyes off when she is in action. Pedro Pascal and his balanced act is so good, and he gives Reed Richards a very warm vibe. Joseph Quinn plays Johnny with the ignorant energy that is required, but to tone down Johnny is certainly not a great choice. Ebon Moss-Bachrach gives The Thing a very good edge, and this could be the most rooted Ben Grimm iteration ever. The aesthetics of the film are beautiful, and so is Galactus. But we certainly need a lot more of it.

The Fantastic Four: First Steps Review: Final Word

The Fantastic Four: First Steps brings a new era of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and there is no way you are not buying that ticket. Pedro Pascal andthe team have certainly made a movie with a lot of heart, but there are flaws, and one cannot escape that. Having said that, you are in for one of the best post-credit scenes in years, and I don't mean that lightly.

The Fantastic Four: First Steps hits the big screens on July 25, 2025. Stay tuned to OTTplay for more information on this and everything else from the world of streaming and films.