This is one of the best new installments I have seen with The Fantastic Four franchise. It feels nostalgic and historic with that comic book side swerving inside and outside of the premise. It also has some classiness with 60’s and 70’s aspects thrown into it. Especially around settings that include Panam airlines and box TVs. The biggest accomplishment though, is that it iswritten for the film to be set up with its heroes already in place. Directed by Matt Shakman, he puts his best efforts into creating The Fantastic Four: First Steps to have invigorating components and joyfulness to be adapted to what is to come in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

If there is anything that is essential, it is the importance for its audience to remember is that the whole film matters. This is a new direction to help the moviegoer dismiss the previous franchises of The Fantastic Four. This one has grasped the idea of writing to fit into what is bound to come ahead and even bounce back. “Bounce back” if audiences need a refresher. Many of the Marvel Cinematic Universe movies are always looped in together—some work to correlate and some do not. The Fantastic Four: First Steps does.

The heroes all have their place. They are Reed Richards/Mister Fantastic (Pedro Pascal), Sue Storm/Invisible Woman (Vanessa Kirby), Johnny Storm/Human Torch (Joseph Quinn), and Ben Grimm/The Thing (Ebon Moss-Bachrach). They are “The Fantastic Four.” A group of individuals with a strong media following who do good and protect their world. A solid foundation of humor and friendship exists among them being heroes, but also one where their media presence presents a bigger risk. The film is valid with making public performances and superheroes not finding political common ground. That is where the genius side is in the directing of Shakman—he creates more moving parts besides good guys and bad guys to make invigorating suspense that has mental components.

The enemy, Shalla-Ball/Silver Surfer (Julia Garner), is the aspect of the film that brings in the haunting and fueling angles of the film. She is a threat to society and many of the scientific backgrounds that the team has created. Reed and Sue are the couple and captains of the team and they have a child on the way. They ultimate question is…can all be safe? But also, can all be heroes? The uncharted territory of The Fantastic Four: The First Steps blew me out of the water. The writing foundation had me in awe, especially in the matter of its timing. The pitches of when to get political or action-packed are all thrown in at the right times. 

A success that has been bound to happen for ages. A wonderful superhero flick bound to create more new heights to fly to more exciting places. The Fantastic Four: The First Steps is one of the best films I have seen this summer. It is one that has found its way to create meaning on its way to future endeavors. The Marvel Cinematic Universe lives on positively for all of its fans. Three-and-a-half out of four stars.