[SPOILERS for Fantastic Four: First Steps ahead]
There are a couple of very specific details I appreciated about the newest Fantastic Four movie.
First, the film avoided the usual character tropes of having Ben Grimm mope over being a huge rocky monster, or Johnny Storm being immature and irresponsible. He’s still impulsive, but never seemingly in a way that makes the rest of the family kinda roll their eyes and think “not again.”
That the movie starts with the FF having been around for four years, we can assume a lot of this behavior may have already run its course. Not that Ben is any happier about being the Thing, but he’s clearly dealing with it a little more easily now.
Second, that the idea (pushed hard by John Byrne during his legendary FF run) that the Invisible Woman is the most powerful member of the team. Not just in terms of literal superpowers (though single-handedly pushing back Galactus is certainly an expression of that), but in terms of leadership ability (defending herself against an angry crowd, negotiating peace with the Mole Man).
Third — speaking of Galactus, I think they pretty much nailed the character, after being disappointed the first time they almost had him in a movie. We wanted a giant dude in Kirby gear, we got a giant guy in Kirby gear, stomping his way through New York.
Fourth, the whole portion of the film where the FF were all, “well, better hop into the spaceship and travel through hyperspace to where all these planets are disappearing.” Not something I was expecting, a full-on sci-fi epic with the team wandering through a giant, unknowable landscape to meet a menacing demigod. It’s a weird, strangely modern/futuristic setting in the midst of all this ’60s-esque aesthetic.
Okay, I can’t count any higher than four, so I’ll mention a couple of other things, like how early on in the film we only saw quick snippets/clips of Reed Richards stretching, so I figured the stretching effects tech hadn’t yet advanced so far beyond where it was for the previous movies. But then we get plenty of it later on in the film, and the stretchiness looks fine.
I think what I liked most of all was the overall look ‘n’ feel of the film, which of course I’m sure wasn’t missed by anyone. More than just the previously stated ’60s-style aesthetic, it just seemed like a…gentler film, not so loud or abrasive as other Marvel movies could be. It was simply fun, a comic book movie that didn’t shy away from its origins, name-checked several of the FF’s bad guys, and straight up showed us at least one of the Red Ghost’s Super-Apes.
The one concession to the Marvel Cinematic Universe at large (which you don’t need to watch as homework for this film) is the opening caption telling you this is “Earth-883” or whatever the number was in the Multiverse. (EDIT: I am reminded in the comments that it is Earth-828, AKA 8/28 as in Jack Kirby’s birthday!) (The main Marvel Earth in the films is 616, same as the main Earth in the Marvel comics, though if I recall correctly the Cinematic Earth in the Marvel Comics Multiverse is given a different number, while its inhabitants still call it 616…anyway, I have a nosebleed now.)
It shall come as no surprise that eventually the twain shall meet and the FF will cross over to the main Marvel Movie-verse…we’ve seen something pointing to this already as a post-credits scene in ThunderboltsAsterisk. Trying to merge the FF’s storytelling sensibilities with the somewhat sharper-edged primary MCU would be a shame…it feels like the former would have to fit the latter, costing some of the appeal.
I don’t know, we’ll see what eventually happens, since we’re promised as the end of the film that the FF will return in Avengers: Doomsday (you know, the one where Superman dies) due out in 2026, maybe. I hope that doesn’t preclude the possibility of more standalone FF movies in the future…I think we as a people are owed an Impossible Man adventure.
Man, that Thing face is ROUGH.
The animation for the Thing was really well done. He can emote extremely well; my favorite was when he just smiles reassuringly at Reed when they’re having a moment, broadcasting warmth and friendship when Reed needed it. I really liked that Ben wasn’t mopey and was Reed’s BFF here.
It was Earth 828 and unlike other movies, they actually gave you a reason they chose that number : IT’S JACK KIRBY’S BIRTHDAY. I love that detail, which they revealed at the end of the film.
It was everything I wanted from an FF movie and even some things I didn’t know I wanted!
Oh, and it’s Earth 828, because Kirby’s birthday was August 28, which I thought was lovely.
I was pleasantly surprised that we got something so close to the Lee/Kirby aesthetic, especially after Eternals took the one reason why anyone would want to read that comic (Kirby’s crazy visuals) and replaced it with bland, natural locations.
I still felt like they were watching the budget when it came to effects – The Thing is clothed enough that the only rocky parts to animate are the head and hands, and in my mind Reed should be stretching as if it’s second nature, arms and limbs all over the place as he works around his lab. They clearly picked their moments to show it in full.
But for the most part, the money is on the screen for once, after several Marvel films that looked pretty cheap for what should be major releases.
I was glad that they threw out MCU-style ‘realism’. The Red Ghost and his super-apes! Mole Man stealing the Pan Am building! Kirby space giants! This is the kind of superhero madness I require.
I was disappointed the outfit Ted Gilbert tried to give Franklin didn’t have 4 1/2 on it.
“And I mean ROUGH! Looks like he had an accident at a sandpaper factory!”
I think that overall “Fantastic Four: First Steps” was reasonably fantastic. As mentioned by others, the quasi-’60s retro-future aesthetic and the importance of the family unit dynamic were depicted quite well.
However, there were a few things that I wish had been different to bring the film closer to the old Stan Lee and Jack Kirby source material. For one thing, using the original black and blue uniforms that Jack Kirby designed, as well as having The Thing primarily in his blue trunks would have harked back to the source material. In fairness, during the early montage of the FF battling Giganto, The Red Ghost’s apes, and Mole Man, a version of the classic uniforms does briefly appear. But even with the new white and blue uniforms (inspired, I suppose by John Byrne’s redesigns during his ’80s run on the comic) it was never explained why Reed’s uniform didn’t have a white collar, and why Johnny and Ben’s white collared uniforms also had some white on the sleeves while Sue’s white collared uniform didn’t have any white on the sleeves (nor did Reed’s). So, clearly there was a lack of uniformity in their uniforms.
Also, although the Fantasticar looked reasonably cool, I would have preferred that they used Jack Kirby’s fantastic Fantasticar design from the comics–which actually looks cooler.
Next, why have The Thing grow a beard? I haven’t read many issues of FF post-John Byrne’s run, so maybe the whole The Thing can grow a beard-thing has happened in comics over the last twenty years–but I think it wasn’t a great look for him. And, if memory serves, there was a Marvel Fanfare story back in the ’80s by Barry Windsor-Smith where Johnny pranked Ben by gluing macaroni on his chin while he was asleep and Ben woke up freaked out that he had stubble.
Also, I have seen some recent interviews with Pedro Pascal where he talked about wanting to use a Mid-Atlantic accent for Reed, and I think they should have let him do this. They also should have had him shave the mustache for a classic ’60s Reed–he shaved it to play Maxwell Lord in “Wonder Woman 1984,” so there’s no reason why he couldn’t have shaved it again. With classic Reed, a few days stubble is depicted if he’s been too busy working in the lab to shave, but Dr. Strange and Tony Stark–and later The Swordsman–are the mustachioed Marvel superheroes in the Silver and Bronze Ages. I’m pretty sure that Joseph Quinn dyed his hair blond for his Johnny Storm portrayal,and Vanessa Kirby definitely dyed her hair blonde for her portrayal of Sue Storm-Richards, so Pascal could have sacrificed the stache as well.
Also, although Julia Garner did a good job in her role, I would have preferred Jack Kirby’s iconic Silver Surfer, Norrin Radd in the film (a character who Stan Lee was also very fond of).
As far as the characterizations of the FF went, I think Vanessa Kirby as Sue Storm-Richards was the standout, and the script brought a lot of depth and humanity to her character and really gave her a lot to work with. The scenes of her leading the Future Foundation and rallying the public outside the Baxter Building were a very nice touch. I think that Joseph Quinn also did a very nice job as Johnny, giving him a bit of a young Steve McQueen-type vibe. If the film had been longer, it would have been cool to see him driving around in a ’60s hot rod, out on a date, or maybe even included his pal Wyatt Wingfoot in a cameo. Ebon Moss-Bachrach was likewise very good as Ben Grimm, but again, it would have been great to see him out on the town some more, getting into it with the Yancy Street Gang or visiting Aunt Petunia or whatever. Even his scenes with Natasha Lyonne should have been expanded upon. I have read that her character, Rachel Rozman, is intended as a tribute to Jack’s wife, Roz Kirby; and that’s poignant if we look at The Thing as an extension of Jack Kirby’s persona, but, I would have rather had Lyonne cast as Alicia Masters. I will say, though, that the homage to Superman and the cover of Action Comics no. 1 when The Thing picks up the green car was fun. Also, seeing him in the river pulling the ship seemed straight out of the old comics. And, as with Vanessa Kirby, I think that Moss-Bachrach conveyed the Thing’s warmth and humanity quite nicely. I think that Pascal’s Reed Richards was probably the most difficult character to see as similar to the Stan Lee and Jack Kirby Reed, and part of that might have been due to the script. Of course, Pascal is a great actor and had great chemistry with Vanessa Kirby and the others, and if his character was just part of an original screenplay for an original film that wasn’t based on a Marvel character with over sixty years of published stories, I wouldn’t be critiquing it, but it felt like his depiction of Reed was very reluctant and withdrawn. I feel that traditionally, Reed is shown as much more of a take charge and find a solution kind of genius leader who can sometimes come across as terse when he doesn’t have time to explain things in detail but needs them done quickly. On the one hand, I suppose this could be seen as an antiquated 1960s depiction –a la Captain Kirk–of machismo leadership. But on the other hand, part of me thinks that if Michael Fassbender or Cillian Murphy (especially after seeing him as Robert Oppenheimer) had been cast as Reed we might have had something a lot closer to a classic, intense Reed. Also, as Chris Wuchte pointed out, Reed should have shown stretching much more, wrapping his torso around villains, flattening and widening out, etc. His superpower seemed very underutilized. In “Avengers: Doomsday” of FF sequel films I would love to see an edgier depiction of Reed maybe cracking under the pressure and an increased confidence in what he can do with his stretching abilities. Also, although the outer space scene of going to confront Galactus in Excelsior was great in many ways, having Sue go into labor while escaping from Galactus, and having Ben deliver the baby, felt off. I don’t see why Reed wouldn’t deliver the baby while Ben and Johnny piloted the ship. One would think Sue and Reed would have wanted some privacy.
Anyway, I think the film could have benefited from an extra twenty minutes to half an hour, personally, and I have read that a lot of cuts were made, including one where The Thing goes on a TV dating show. We could have seen John Malkovich as The Red Ghost, maybe even a brief, initial “body horror” flashback scene of them coming to grips with their strange new abilities after being bombarded with cosmic rays, maybe even cameos of a Peter Parker or Professor Xavier on their world.
Also, based on this film, I would love to see Marvel continue with alternate Earths in their cinematic multiverse. Like an Earth that features The Invaders and Liberty Legion during WW II. I would love to see Alan Ritchson cast as WW II Captain America, and The Rock cast as comic book accurate Namor McKenzie (not the Namor from “Wakanda Forever”) on that Earth–along with someone to play the android Human Torch. And maybe Henry Cavill could play Union Jack.
Galactus was great on the whole, but something about the actor’s face reminded me more of Moebius’s drawings of Galactus than of Jack Kirby’s drawings of Galactus.
I also have to hand it to director Matt Shakman for showing us a kinder, gentler, more enlightened depiction of humanity in that film — basically the antithesis of seems to be happening in actual reality now. Props to Mole Man as well– the hero we never knew we needed!
Also, there was the sweet blink-and-you-miss-it meta moment in the movie when The Silver Surfer first appears in New York and “Timely employee no. 1” (a cigar chomping homage to Jack Kirby) looks out the window and comments to “Timely employee no. 2” (a balding homage to Stan Lee), before they both get back to work on their Fantastic Four comic book. Now that was fantastic!
I liked the movie, but wish the Thing had been given more screen time. He’s always been the best character in the FF, and he was portrayed well onscreen. I get the feeling that his sub-plots were trimmed. Still he spent more time piloting than clobbering, which is not what I prefer.
I’m fine with Sue being the most powerful member of the team, but I would have shortened the distance she was able to push Galactus. I buy that she would be able to move him a few feet, not (what appeared to be) several blocks.
The dialogue was a bit rote, I thought. The actors sold the characters’ relationships, but they had to sift through a ton of exposition to get there. I’d have liked to see more of Ben and Johnny squabbling, the Silver Surfer coming towards her ultimate decision, etc.
All in all, I enjoyed FF:First Steps. The acting and aesthetics were good throughout. Most of the action was engaging. I also hope we get more FF movies with this cast.
“So, clearly there was a lack of uniformity in their uniforms”
So, they weren’t UNIFORM?
“so there’s no reason why he couldn’t have shaved it again.”
I assume he didn’t want to. He didn’t like how he looks w/out facial hair. (WW84)
“And, if memory serves, there was a Marvel Fanfare story back in the ’80s by Barry Windsor-Smith”
Yup! That’s the closest he got to a beard, as far as I know.
“He’s always been the best character in the FF,”
The thing IS their most interesting character! There’s plenty you can do with him: A Frankenstein’s Monster riff, a Jeckyl/Hyde riff, or a number of other things, I’m sure.
@ Snark Shark
Yeah, Cesar Romero also wasn’t willing to commit to the bit–so we got a mustachioed Joker in Batman ’66–and the joke was on us. Heaven forbid a man be separated from his sacred mustache–but at least Romero tried to cover it up with clown greasepaint.
For HIS performance, I think letting him keep the `stache was well worth it!
@Snark Shark
I would rather that they had kept in the complete scene with John Malkovitch as The Red Ghost, and that we also got to see the Mad Thinker, Puppet Master, and Diablo–and his ‘stache in brief scenes with the FF in their original Kirby costumes in the first twenty minutes or so of the film.
Of course, it would have been cool to get The Watcher and the Ultimate Nullifier in the film as well–oh, well.
I do wonder, based on the end of the film when the FF cartoon is shown, one of the baddies they are fighting is a Sentinel —so does that imply that mutants exist on the FF’s Earth, and shades of X-Men yet to come? I would be just as happy if we got a new iteration of Peter Parker Spider-Man on that Earth, and OG X-Men, and they built it out from there.
It is too bad that Jack Kirby, Stan Lee, and Joe Sinnott are not still around to see the “Fantastic Four: First Steps” film , as I wonder what they would think of it?
For that matter, if anyone knows of any links, I would be curious to know what Roy Thomas, Larry Lieber, John Byrne, Doug Moench, Steranko, and other Marvel luminaries from back in the day think of the film. It also might have been fun to give Byrne a cameo in the film as well–or perhaps he can cameo if Alpha Flight ever gets a film.
I forgot to mention that I thought the use of H.E.R.B.I.E. was great –but if they had had a gag of The Thing wearing a ring and saying: “Thing-Ring, do your thing!” that would have been a deep cut!
Also, considering how Sue–while giving birth to Franklin–was out for bloodlust against the Silver Surfer, is this a foreshadowing of Sue becoming Malice in a future FF film?
“Jack Kirby, Stan Lee, and Joe Sinnott are not still around to see the “Fantastic Four: First Steps” film , as I wonder what they would think of it?”
“Hey, these fuckers owe me some MONEY!”
“John Byrne,”
He doesn’t like ANYTHING.
@ Snark Shark
Well, if John Byrne doesn’t like anything perhaps he should appear in a Life Cereal commercial as the new Mikey…
Speaking of John Byrne, is he still working on his X-Men alternate timeline pet project and will Marvel ever punlish it?