Comics
#TAPReviews | “The Fantastic Four: First Steps” Movie Review
Is ‘First Steps’ a bold new direction for Marvel, or one huge misstep deeper into mediocrity?
The first family of Marvel Comics returns to the silver screen, and unlike its many iterations before it, this is the first time we have Richard Reeds, Sue and Johnny Storm and Benjamin Grimm all under the unified banner of Marvel Studios/Disney.
However the same fervour that saw fans cheer on Disney own Galactus event with the consumption of 20th Century Fox is no longer as reverberant. And with the resulting film rights returning to the Marvel franchise, did the massive quilt of Marvel narratives support or smother the potential of the Fantastic Four?
⚠️ SPOILER ALERT ⚠️
SURF AND TURF
Silver Surfer offers up the dullest of entrees in the form of Earth to the planet-eating monstrosity that is Galactus. And while the fate of the balance hangs on a blade’s edge, Johnny Storm has a hard flame on for the intergalactic surfer chick and billions of lives aren’t worth the life of Reed and Sue’s newborn, who, by all known accounts, may actually wield a power ghastly enough to level worlds. Priorities.
And I know what you are thinking. In my little synopsis you think I have not missed anything. And that’s a problem. The film is not called “Silver Surfer, The first chromedome”. Or “Galactus: the first reflux” or “The Torch: first flame”. However, these are the characters that make the most impact in The Fantastic Four: First Steps.
Maybe it’s because I watched Materialist. Or seen too many reels that have soured from the loveable friendly Pascal to a handsy waiting for you to get an anxiety attack in order to sooth you with hands all over your body. In any case Pascal as Stretch was not cutting it for me personally.
More than that, Reed only comes close to shining when placed in context with Sue Storm. The dynamic is not an addition to the exploration of character depths. It’s the only remnant of it. And as such, it would have served The Fantastic Four: First Steps well to go deeper and more emphasis in exploring a neurodivergent Reed. Where calculations that are bereft of emotion put the strain on relationships in the team. An example of this cold calculative nature would however need to manifest before the child became involved in Galactus’ sacrificial exchange. This is how you cement character and the resultant transformation via internal conflict. This would have made the exchange between Sue and Richard about his best and worst characteristic, problem solving like a true scientist, seemingly devoid of the emotive barriers that plague us lowly carbon lifeforms.
As for Sue Storm (cover your ears feminists) she is unremarkable. Her function is no different than Sarah Connor in Terminator. Excuse my blasphemy. Sarah grew as a character. Put grit in her merciless defence of her child. However Sue fighting Galactus (a near god) felt slightly more entertaining than the Thing lifting a car. Sure, Mary Sue is powerful. We are led to believe this is the greatest foe they have ever faced. Insurmountable. However, the last battle felt like a busy Thursday for the Fantastic Four. You would expect the strain of the world to have Sue Storm bloodshot, prime for several aneurysms.
STAR POWER
Pedro Pascal is surely being offered up as Hollywood flavour of the month. As he should be. Even with the likely Israeli-led smear campaign attempt.
This is not an indictment on the man. However, Marvel can get the one/two. We watched a movie squander opportunity after opportunity. Reed’s character—hell, dare I say all of the Fantastic Four—were written with no impetus or intention. So much so the most memorable events and characters are upheld by side characters. This is not a good sign. And it has been happening all too often in comic book films recently. Finding the right balance is not an frictionless achievement. Even so, there is no reason Galactus and Silver Surfer should be the only stand outs in The Fantastic Four: First Steps.
I also felt this throwback to a Jetsons, Futurama aesthetic was an attempt for The Fantastic Four to placate fans with a retro feel. And it works. Truly. Though it is only momentarily.
As for the teams actual super powers, do not expect to be wowed with any creative use of ability to solve problems. We see Reed get stretched by Galactus (pause) by some 10/15 feet. Which barely exemplifies the limits of Reed Richards. Yet this was enough to undo Mr Fantastic and put him out of commission for a lot of the fight. Most of their creative power is displayed in B-roll flashback footage, not in main storyline.
FIRST STEPS RECORDED… AUDIO ONLY.
Much of the origin story of the Fantastic Four I would say is relatively known. At least in our comic book nerd circles. And likely if you had a good memory of 20th Century Fox’s foray into the comic book movie. And in The Fantastic Four: First Steps, they seemed to conscientiously go against the very suggestive premise of the film title and ignored any semblance of an origin story. Well, in essence, we did get a lazy news reel-esque audio of a frantic crew being exposed to cosmic radiation. However we happen on the team where there lives are blemish-less, loved by the public, and he’ll, even brokered peace with the Mole people. Missing the origin story in this way is a mistake. And because we are severed from the angst of their DNA being spagettified, blitzed and reconstructed. Neither do we see that coming to acceptance or control of their powers. As such, Reeds self-deprecation over the tumultuous expedition that changed them forever does not have the same impetus. Conflict builds character. One that even Galactus trailer-truck-sized boots could not fill.
Origin stories has been a point of contention for the few directors helming the comic book movie in recent times. We’ve heard many a director like James Gunn say they don’t want to see pearls scattering in an alleyway in Bruce Wayne’s inciting event I. His transformation into Batman. Or a single vessel leaving Krypton carrying Kal-El. However, here’s the thing guys. Fans are not tired of seeing it. As it seems it is the fans that understand how monumental a shift these events are. It is how you present these timeless stories in unique, creative ways is what will actually test your abilities as storytellers. A challenge the comic book story tellers in cinema have recoiled and pussied out shied away from.
SILVER LINING
Silver Surfer introduction to our story comes on the tails of comets, impregnating the Fantastic Four with much needed interest. And I say this respectfully. The best lines however are in the trailer as she appears as the harbinger of Earth’s cataclysmic demise. The worst news: it was robbed of its gravitas and cadence. Not because of the trailer, but it sounds like an entirely new recording buried in her spiel. Julia Garner’s appearance as the Silver Surfer is about the best in Fantastic Four. Though treating her hair like a rigid gorilla-glued toupee—platinum version—felt bereft of creative choice.
Having her as the one that piques Johnny Storm’s interest is also an easy layup. However, Johnny impulsive, fiery nature doesn’t feel like the scientist who would have extensive knowledge of root linguistics. Used to decipher and communicate with the alien tongue of the Silver Surfer. Johnny has always felt more practical than theory. This seems more Sue or the Herbie robot’s area of expertise—more software than hardware. Again, this all goes to character development. And that feeling that corners were cut to inorganically propel the story forward.
GALACTUS
Marvel Studios treatment of villains post Thanos is a heartbreaking thing to see. And when we talk about extinction-level event bad guys, Galactus is an undeniable embodiment of dread and might. However, The Fantastic Four: First Steps has reduced the Titan to a rigid, forever-scowling 3D render that neither thrilled nor impressed. I was, in viewing The Fantastic Four: First Steps, taken back to how impressive The Eternals were in showing scale and insurmountable might of the Celestials. You felt it. They took the entire air out of the space they inhabited. Especially when a human-sized being was made to stand in their presence.
This is however not (just) about size. It’s about context. Comics always had issues with this too. We can’t get the sense of scale without comparison. The Eternals managed to craft moments like this very well, as much of the shots were dedicated low angles and there was always a comparison in view. However in The Fantastic Four: First Steps, we often forget the scale because they chose to focus on some arbitrary Galactus movement like a high angle of him standing up. When the real power of this shot would be in a low angle looking up.
And while low angles do exist, Galactus’ stroll through the city feels like that… a stroll. This may be just a combination of a rather unimpressive size for a planet eater to having to use buildings as support against the F4. So at the risk of sounding like a random th*t online, it’s giving an ick. And here is where I can remember Ben doing something vaguely extraordinary: knocking over an already crumbling building by running through its remaining supports. “Fantasic,” he said ironically.
FANTASTIC FOUR IS MARVEL. FRANKLIN IS VFX.
Can someone explain to me how an entire VFX team can animate other world creatures and aliens without a hitch. We see Silver Surfer catch a gnarly wave on the astral debris in the wake of a convincing black hole. But Marvel can’t achieve a busy-body crying baby squirming in Johnny Storm’s hands without it looking like a little 3D gremlin. The scene I’m talking about is when Sue succumbs to her battle with Galactus. It was a quick scene, but jarring. Haven’t seen that horrible a 3D baby scene since Metropolis. Just pay the VFX artists right please and stop sacrificing the artform with crunch-time adjacent renders. You can’t two-ply us with a super fake baby and a plastic Galactus in one sitting.
EARTH 616 TECHNOLOGY’S GREATEST ACHIEVEMENT: CELESTIAL FLY TIPPING
We also need to get a lowdown on the technology of Earth 616. Advanced with that Futurama futuristic retro tech (it makes sense when you say it slowly). And this is certainly the selling point that captured the producers imagination throughout the pitch period. One now would ask how this translated beyond aesthetics, if at all? Well, one way it did crafted a very unfortunate biproduct: tech unrooted in science.
What do I mean? Let me explain. We see a mini-sized working model of Reeds technology that makes teleportation possible. Transporting an egg a few metres from one sending terminal node to another receiving terminal node drains so much tech that it shuts down the entire grid momentarily for the city. This is the initial premise that will spur all those uncomfortable questions to follow.
Suspension of disbelief engaged, if a node is needed to send and receive a teleported object, how was Reed planning to teleport an entire planet. Fuck the gravitational pull and push that this new planet would cause in a new space out there in the universe. Where is the receiving terminal? Worse if this was spacial and time rip. Any instability would not be just duration of how long this portal would remain open, but the structural integrity of the world around. Am I off.
And the fact they needed several teleportation nodes and the entire planet to work in unison in an attempt to move the Earth in what looked like (a month(s)?) is about the one thing that disengaged my suspension of disbelief. Soulless bureaucracy is no where to be found. Aside for Latveria not being present at the UN. Yet, we do know Israel exists on Earth 616. They made a point of it. Make it make sense.
So, okay no receiving terminal/node for the teleportation of an object. This then would suggest that any rift created would be random and bereft of purposeful, measured choice. Imagine fly-tipping an entire planet-eating alien into an unsuspecting universe. A tad-bit irresponsible. Especially using your newborn as bait for Galactus.
Marvel has thoroughly lost the plot. Mainly because they lost trajectory. And the tease of DOOM in the post credits, to be played by a Robert Downey Jr., does nothing to entice hope in what is to come. All it shows is Marvel Studios has no new tricks up their sleeve. Just a lazy rehashing of things that worked once upon a time. The cameo porn of characters without development is not a win for any narrative, and sadly this is the rut that most comic book movies have recently found themselves in. As far as character development goes: when the mains become the side dish and vice versa, it’s time to take a long look at the menu and start rejigging recipes… fast.
- Silver Surfer
- Brilliant execution of "World of Tomorrow/Futurama" sci-fi exhibition Aesthetics
- Fantastic Four feels like secondary characters in their own film
- Marvel's ineffective use of villains is a full-blown problem now
- Family dynamics are pretty vanilla
