Superhero movie fatigue is real…
… because Fantastic Four: First Steps is fine, but feels pointless. The quirky retro-futuristic aesthetic is realised solidly enough; the goofy, earnest plot is true to the spirit of the classic comics; there are even a couple of genuinely interesting dialogue and story moments; and I’m sure there are plenty of easter eggs to delight fans of the comic (and even of the seriously-mixed-bag of previous film versions). But at this point, is Fantastic Four: First Steps essential?
There are fun character choices which take full advantage of this story being set in an alternate dimension…
… and cheeky nods both to the comics and to The Discourse…
… and even a climactic scene involving Sue Storm (Vanessa Kirby) which is almost, but not quite, as wild as the cartoon at its most bonkers:
But none of it is particularly memorable, or has me excited for anything to come, either with these characters, or within the broader MCU. It’s not the fault of anyone involved in this movie – they’ve managed to get some surprising moments into the final product of what was no doubt a juggling of multiple external pressures – but rather, that Marvel squandered the goodwill it had earned, and the energy and attention of former fans like me, with its post-Avengers: Endgame (2019) avalanche of middling slop. Fantastic Four: First Steps needed, admittedly unfairly, to be extraordinary just to rate as good. The fact that it isn’t just means it’s… well, fine.
Further Viewing
“How quaint“:
Speaking of post-Endgame instalments being ok: