The Fantastic Four First Steps is one of the most anticipated releases of the year. The first reviews of the film have arrived, and if these reactions are anything to go by, The Fantastic Four: First Steps can very well become one of the best of Marvel. The film marks the official introduction of the four-member superhero team in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU).
What are the critics saying
First Steps debuted with a strong 86% score on the review aggregate site Rotten Tomatoes with a total of 130 reviews. The official critics consensus on the site reads, “Benefitting from rock-solid cast chemistry and clad in appealingly retro 1960s design, this crack at The Fantastic Four does Marvel's First Family justice.”
‘Demands to be watched on the biggest screen possible’
Josh Wilding of Comic Book Movie raved about the film, saying, “B-Listers no more. This team has found redemption in a nonstop fantastic adventure that gives the movie a high-stakes feel we know many of you feel has been lacking from several Multiverse Saga titles. Superman soared earlier this month, but The Fantastic Four: First Steps is the superhero event of the summer that demands to be watched on the biggest screen possible.”
{{/usCountry}}Josh Wilding of Comic Book Movie raved about the film, saying, “B-Listers no more. This team has found redemption in a nonstop fantastic adventure that gives the movie a high-stakes feel we know many of you feel has been lacking from several Multiverse Saga titles. Superman soared earlier this month, but The Fantastic Four: First Steps is the superhero event of the summer that demands to be watched on the biggest screen possible.”
{{/usCountry}}“The comic-book studio finally does right by the popular quartet, scaling back from the overcrowded feel of recent offerings while delivering its most gargantuan threat yet in the all-consuming villain Galactus,” read Peter Debruge's review in Variety.
Robbie Collin of The Telegraph also praised the film, saying “Starring an excellent Vanessa Kirby and Pedro Pascal, this reboot feels like the start of an exciting new chapter for Marvel.” His review calls the film ‘Marvel’s best film in a decade,’ implying he found it better than even the critically acclaimed Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame.
Praise for the cast
Several reviews noted the cast's performances and praised the chemistry between Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Joseph Quinn, and Ebon Moss-Bachrach. “The actors are so terrific and their chemistry so palpable that the hangout scenes in their fabulous Baxter Building penthouse — with a domestic droid that’s like Rosie the Robot from The Jetsons meets Number 5 from John Badham’s Short Circuit — are some of the movie’s most appealing interludes,” wrote David Rooney for The Hollywood Reporter.
Meanwhile, Giovanni Lago mentioned the camaraderie between Vanessa and Pedro's characters in his review in Next Best Picture, and noted, “At its core, this is Reed and Sue’s film. They are the characters most deeply tied to Galactus’s threat and receive the most whole development. Academy Award-nominee Vanessa Kirby gives the strongest performance among the leads, anchoring Sue’s emotional journey through motherhood with conviction. Her chemistry with Pedro Pascal sells their dynamic as both partners and parents.”
About The Fantastic Four: First Steps
Apart from Vanessa and Pedro, Joseph Quinn stars as Johnny Storm and Ebon Moss-Bachrach plays Ben Grimm. Ralph Ineson and Julia Garner also appear as Galactus and Silver Surfer, respectively.
The official synopsis of the film reads, “Set against the vibrant backdrop of a 1960s-inspired, retro-futuristic world, Marvel Studios’ 'The Fantastic Four: First Steps' introduces Marvel’s First Family—Reed Richards/Mister Fantastic, Sue Storm/Invisible Woman, Johnny Storm/Human Torch and Ben Grimm/The Thing as they face their most daunting challenge yet.” It is directed by Matt Shakman and produced by Kevin Feige. The film is set for a July 25 release.