Expectations were low for the fourth attempt at bringing Marvel’s Fantastic Four to the big screen, but somehow director Matt Shakman, who is mostly known for his TV series work, makes us forget about the abysmal 2015, 2007, and 1994 renditions. His “The Fantastic Four: First Steps” (Marvel Studios), in IMAX, benefits from the combination of heroics, humanity, and humor.
“The Fantastic Four: First Step” dispenses early on with the origin story details. Four astronauts – Reed Richards (Pedro Pascal), his wife Sue Storm (a dull Vanessa Kirby), Sue’s brother Johnny (a sizzling Joseph Quinn), and Ben Grimm (an intentionally unrecognizable Ebon Moss Bachrach) – are forever transformed after encountering a cosmic calamity while on a space mission. Reed becomes elastic, Sue has the power of invisibility, Johnny has the gift of fire, and Ben basically turns to stone. Since their return to Earth, following the mutations, they have become superheroes, regularly saving the planet from various menaces.
All this changes when a new threat, heralded by Silver Surfer/Shalla-Bal (Julia Garner), takes them by surprise. Galactus (Ralph Ineson), the devourer of worlds, has plans to add Earth to his meal plan. But there’s a catch. If Reed and Sue, who have recently discovered that there is a potentially “Fantastic” baby on the way, are willing to give up the infant, then Galactus will pass on his course of devastation. Turns out, as Reed and Sue suspected, their newborn, named Franklin, possesses powers beyond their imagination.
And just like that, the fearless foursome becomes pariahs in the eyes of the public. That is, unless they can swiftly come up with a plan to save the planet, as Galactus continues to munch his way through the solar system. What follows is a depiction of how each of the four main characters, in their own individual ways, contributes to finding a solution. The most surprising aspect is the both the humor, most of which is supplied with a natural ease by Quinn’s Johnny, and the humanization of the potentially frightening Ben (i.e. his flirtation with teacher Rachel, played by actor Natasha “But I’m A Cheerleader” Lyonne).
Equally attention-grabbing are the movie’s visuals. Set in an unspecified mid-20th century period in NYC, the sets and the costumes are all eye-catching, and work in the story’s favor. But CGI can only take us so far, and some sequences simply go on for too long, inducing boredom. By the end, we can assume that, with a blessing from the box office gods, we may be seeing more of this quartet.
Rating: B-
