The Fantastic Four: First Steps Review – Marvel Finds Its Fun Side Again with Retro, Wacky Family Sitcom

With The Fantastic Four: First Steps, a whimsical, sentimental retelling of its original superhero family, Marvel Studios breathes fresh life into the MCU. The movie, which is set in a different New York in the 1960s, forgoes apocalyptic angst in favour of silly charm, vivid imagery, and a family dynamic reminiscent of a sitcom.

Pedro Pascal plays Reed Richards, often known as Mr. Fantastic, a brilliant scientist with the strangely unimpressive ability to stretch his limbs. The film, which was directed with an eye for ridiculous detail, stars Richards. Vanessa Kirby portrays his wife, Sue Storm, the Invisible Woman, and the two act as frustrated “parents” to Ben Grimm (Ebon Moss-Bachrach), aka The Thing, and Sue’s teenage brother Johnny Storm (Joseph Quinn), aka the Human Torch.

They share a high-tech, mid-century flat that looks like it belongs in Bewitched or I Dream of Jeannie, complete with blue 'pyjama' outfits that match and lots of mayhem around the house. Sue becomes pregnant unexpectedly, raising concerns about the potential powers the unborn kid may possess as the team works through its dysfunctions.

Romantic, vintage, and ridiculously entertaining

Every frame of the movie is filled with nostalgia for the 1960s, from psychedelic production design to fake movie posters in Times Square. In this Marvel film, even the background seems to be a joke.

In one subplot, Ben Grimm falls in love with a local schoolteacher (Natasha Lyonne), but he isn't sure if love can withstand his stern demeanour. The Silver Surfer, who is portrayed by Julia Garner with ethereal charm, appears to be the one with whom Johnny is establishing a cosmic bond. Galactus (Ralph Ineson), whose agreement to spare Earth has dire repercussions, is the impending menace her entrance signifies.

Keeping Warmth and Wackiness in Check

The film's emotional beats, despite its humorous tone, are particularly poignant when Sue and Reed get ready to become parents in a society where nobody can tell if abilities are a blessing or a curse. Cradling his copy of Dr. Spock's Baby and Child Care, Ben Grimm—always the kind soul under the rock—offers one of the most poignant and humorous scenes in the movie.

Marvel also uses meta, as individuals in this universe are aware of comic books that are based on their own experiences, resulting in a humorous blurring of the lines between story and "reality."

A Novel Divergence from the MCU Standard

Sure, there is a big, CGI-heavy conclusion in which a futuristic metropolis is destroyed, but the tone and stakes of the movie make it feel justified. Instead than relying just on a list of explosions, First Steps allows the chaos to come from the characters' emotional arcs, in contrast to the predictable third acts that characterise many superhero movies.

Peter Bradshaw, a critic for The Guardian, likened the experience to previous Fantastic Four adaptations, praising its unrepentant silliness—much like the underrated Ioan Gruffudd version.

Conclusion: Marvel's Funniest Family Sitcom Although it doesn't attempt to, The Fantastic Four: First Steps might not transform the superhero genre. Instead, with love, humour, and a welcome dash of ridiculousness, it honours its origins. The cast, led by Pedro Pascal and Vanessa Kirby, embraces both the absurd and the sentimental to create one of the most welcome MCU releases in years.

The movie opens in the US on July 25, 2025, and in the UK and Australia on July 24. Marvel enthusiasts and aficionados of sitcoms should not miss this endearing example of vintage superhero silliness.