The Fantastic Four: First Steps (2025) Dir: Matt Shakman

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If I think about the Marvel projects that I've been genuinely excited for since 'Avengers: Endgame', the list is extremely short, especially in the last couple of years in particular. However, this 'Fantastic Four' reboot, directed by Matt Shakman, did draw my attention. I decided against seeing it at the cinema, but it's arrival on Disney Plus was certainly appealing, particularly because of the film's mostly positive reception.

I'm still not a fan of Marvel's CGI - it's mainly the enhancements to aspects like action sequences that I seem unable to see past with these films. I noticed it a lot with 'Thunderbolts*' as well, though that one seemed to have more practical effects than not, in fairness. With that said, the film looked pretty good aside from those fairly minor issues. I really enjoyed the mix between futuristic and Sixties retro style aesthetics and costume designs - it made the film feel very unique.

The story was okay - I wasn't taken by it too much, but I thought it ticked off all of the important checkmarks I was hoping for before I watched it. I really liked the dynamic between the four titular superheros; it felt wholesome, it felt fun, and it felt fairly genuine. The main arc wasn't quite as compelling as I thought it could be - it was fairly basic, in fact - but I won't deny that I enjoyed it. I think these characters are by far the most likable that Marvel have produced since 'Endgame', which is a very good sign.

Pedro Pascal and Vanessa Kirby had wonderful chemistry as the film's two leads, providing some believable and highly endearing moments, and managing to match that with their fun superhero super action sequences. I was unsure whether or not Pascal would suit this role, but I was left very pleased with his acting, for the most part. The same could certainly be said for Kirby too, who I think will be a great asset to the Marvel Cinematic Universe in the future.

Joseph Quinn continued to build up a very commendable filmography in his role as 'The Human Torch' - I actually preferred him to Chris Evan's version of the character, despite my sentimentality towards that previous iteration. I also thought Ebon Moss-Bachrach was pretty good as 'The Thing', although I would like his character to have a more significant arc in the next 'F4' film, if there is one.

Julia Garner really didn't feel like Julia Garner in this film, which I suppose is not a bad thing when you're playing an alien being of immense power, as she was. My only issues with her character were with the slightly rushed nature of her arc, rather than Garner's acting, which was typically very solid.

Ralph Ineson only had a small, almost entirely voice-acted role in the film, albeit as its main antagonist, but I thought he did a good job of making his character feel as threatening as he could. I would also like to mention both Paul Walter Hauser and Natasha Lyonne for their very brief but fairly memorable stints in the film.

Overall, I think I can comfortably call this my favourite Marvel film since 'Avengers: Endgame'. I enjoyed it a lot, and my issues were all fairly minor, which was such an encouraging and refreshing experience with this current Marvel cycle. I was even left with a somewhat unusual feeling for me once this MCU film ended; I wanted to see more. I hope this momentum can continue for both 'The Fantastic Four' and the wider Marvel Cinematic Universe.