Fantastic Four First Steps Review

[SRW1000]

We finally watched this movie last weekend, and it just didn't work for me.  It may be the best adaptation of the Fantastic Four but still got more wrong than it got right. 
 
The whole moral conundrum didn't work as a plot device and should have been avoided.  That would have eliminated much of the general complaints about the movie, as referenced by Paul.  There was no need to introduce it as one of the major themes of the movie.

One of the biggest strengths of the comic series was in the characters and their interactions, and I thought that was the biggest miss here.  All of these characters are flat, except perhaps for Sue.  One can argue that these characters are from a different multiverse version, so they don't have to resemble their "real" counterparts.  OK, but then bringing the Fantastic Four to the big screen is essentially meaningless. 

Reed Richards comes across as weak, frail, and not particularly bright or practical, with his original solution to the Galactus problem as just plain silly.  The modified solution is also fraught with easily avoidable errors.  Galactus has been monitoring Earth, but he's oblivious to a trap?  The movie doesn't do a great job of presenting him as the intellectual leader of the group.  When the Silver Surfer asks if the group is the protector of this world, Reed stand silent, dumbfounded, with mouth slightly agape; it's Sue that answers.

Johnny isn't the cocky, brash character we should have seen.  An early indication of this is when Sue makes a comment on TV about him being available.  The camera cuts to him and we see a blank, expressionless look.  The real Johnny should have eaten that moment up, either grinning widely, winking, or giving a confident nod.  It would have added to his character with no additional run time.  Joseph Quinn can’t hold a candle to Chris Evens’ portrayal.

Ben is left in the background here, not given much to do.  Visually, he looks pretty good, although I question the choice to give him a beard, which seems really weird.  His voice would have sounded better with a layer of gravelliness rather than the light-weight tone of Moss-Bachrach’s natural delivery, which is lacking gravitas and any morose feel.  He's just not much of a factor in the story and they missed an important aspect of his personality by substituting Rachel Rozman for Alicia Masters.  (This is a somewhat surprising move for Marvel, since it could have scored them some easy DEI points.)

I did like the quick nod to Timely Comics and the look for Galactus; Ineson has the perfect voice and presence for the part. 

With five different writers, there were bound to be problems with the script.  The story would have been served better if they had completely excised Sue’s pregnancy and the Franklin element; it took too much time away from the primary characters and their mission.  That time would have been better spent adding in The Watcher (who could help with the whole idea of the Multiverse), Alica Masters, and either dumping or developing a comic-accurate Mole Man rather than Paul Walter Hauser’s unfunny buffoon. 

The 60s-set aesthetics were all fine and visually interesting, but they’re just window dressing for the plot.  The score felt off, with the chorus coming across as grating rather than inspiring.

While this isn’t the worst post-Endgame Marvel movie, it doesn’t live up to the moniker of The World’s Greatest Comic Magazine.  I’ve come to the realization that a worthy adaptation will not come to the screen in my lifetime.

[Barry]

You pretty much nailed it! I wrote a review for us at https://discuss.avscience.com/index.php?topic=4603.0

[David Vaughn]

I was given the Digital Copy of this movie and I haven't bothered to watch it. Maybe if I get sick and have to stay indoors for a few days I'll get caught up on these lower tier films, but it won't be a high priority. I've skipped most of the latest Marvel movies...to think that less than 10 years ago I would actually look forward to when they would come out. 

[Barry]

I was given the Digital Copy of this movie and I haven't bothered to watch it. Maybe if I get sick and have to stay indoors for a few days I'll get caught up on these lower tier films, but it won't be a high priority. I've skipped most of the latest Marvel movies...to think that less than 10 years ago I would actually look forward to when they would come out.

As good as they first were, they have been mostly bad since the Black Widow. The Eternals. Marvels, Thor Love and Thunder, Wakanda Forever, The FF, Thundetbolts, Captain America Brave New Words, Dr, Strange 2, Ant-Man 3 were very forgettable, movies. I did like the last Spider-Man with the 3 Spider-Men and Deadpool versus wolverine

[David Vaughn]

As good as they first were, they have been mostly bad since the Black Widow. The Eternals. Marvels, Thor Love and Thunder, Wakanda Forever, The FF, Thundetbolts, Captain America Brave New Words, Dr, Strange 2, Ant-Man 3 were very forgettable, movies. I did like the last Spider-Man with the 3 Spider-Men and Deadpool versus wolverine

I did like the last Spider-Man film. The last Deadpool was just OK (first one is by far the best IMO). I've watched all the others except for Marvels, The FF, and Thunderbolts and I don't feel like I'm missing anything considering the other movies listed rated from Meh (BNW) to BAD (Ant-man 3). 

[SRW1000]

You pretty much nailed it! I wrote a review for us at https://discuss.avscience.com/index.php?topic=4603.0

Man, that's an awesome picture, Barry!  They look like they're in really good shape, as well.