The Fantastic Four First Steps Review: Works, but Lacks the Marvel Magic

The Fantastic Four: First Steps is finally out in theaters, and as someone who’s been rooting for Marvel’s First Family to get the spotlight they deserve, this felt like a big moment. Given how crucial this reboot is for the future of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, expectations weren’t just high, they were practically orbiting in space. But here’s the thing: if expectations alone made a movie great, we’d all be living in cinematic paradise.

Unfortunately, that’s not how it works, and First Steps might leave you feeling a hint of that very emotion. Don’t get me wrong, the movie isn’t bad, but it does stumble into some of the same pitfalls that have been dragging Marvel’s recent projects down. So in this Fantastic Four First Steps review, let’s break it all down, what worked, what didn’t, and why Fantastic Four 2025 might leave you feeling a little torn.

First Off, the Cast of Fantastic Four: First Steps Works Phenomenally

I get it, Pedro Pascal seems to be everywhere these days, and it’s easy to feel a little fatigued when one actor starts popping up in every other show or movie. But Fantastic Four: First Steps is a reminder of why that happens. It’s because Pedro Pascal is that good. His take on Reed Richards might just be one of the best casting choices Marvel has made in a while. There’s a quiet authority in the way he carries himself, a natural warmth in how he interacts with the rest of the team, and honestly, it feels like Reed Richards just stepped straight out of a comic book panel.

Vanessa Kirby as Sue Storm is another standout, and without spoiling anything, there’s one moment involving her powers that hits so hard, it might give you goosebumps. Ebon Moss-Bachrach brings just the right emotional weight to Ben Grimm, grounding the movie with the kind of depth and heart it desperately needs. And Joseph Quinn as Johnny Storm? Absolute blast. He’s quirky, effortlessly fun, and nails the comic relief without ever slipping into annoying territory. This cast clicks in a way Marvel has been trying to recapture for a while, and it actually works.

The cast of First Steps is the spell that holds this entire movie together, because let’s be honest, when you’ve got someone like Ralph Ineson stepping in as Galactus with that deep, thunderous gravitas, you better surround him with actors who can match that energy. Thankfully, this ensemble does just that. While the movie stumbles in a few key areas, which we’ll get into shortly, it’s the cast that keeps it all from collapsing under the weight of its own expectations. Their performances add heart, weight, and personality to a script that didn’t give them enough to work with. Simply put, Fantastic Four: First Steps works as well as it does because this cast showed up, locked in, and gave it everything, and for that alone, they deserve some serious credit.

The Pacing of Fantastic Four First Steps Is All over the Place

When Fantastic Four: First Steps was first announced, I was pretty convinced it would come with a decent runtime, after all, this is Marvel reintroducing one of its most important teams. But nope, it clocks in at just 1 hour and 55 minutes, making it one of the shortest entries in the MCU. Still, I held out hope that maybe, just maybe, Marvel had a tight, well-paced story in mind and knew exactly what they were doing.

Then the reports started rolling, scenes being cut, talented actors like John Malkovich left on the cutting room floor, and that’s when the red flags started waving. And as I wrote this review for Fantastic Four: First Steps, sadly, my gut feeling wasn’t wrong. The final product feels like something that could’ve used more breathing room, more character moments, and frankly, a little more confidence in its own story.

In essence, the movie feels rushed; it never really gets the time to breathe or pull you deep into the world it’s trying to build. Now, don’t get me wrong, the story itself makes sense, and on paper, it works. But the way it’s presented feels more like a recap than a narrative. Sure, the essentials are there, but there’s no depth, no texture, nothing to really elevate it. Fantastic Four: First Steps had the bones of something truly special, and if Marvel had just let it breathe, given it more room to explore character arcs and emotional beats, it could’ve easily been a phenomenal experience instead of just a promising one.

The Element of Family Overpowers the OG Marvel Experience Expected by Fans

Now, when you walk into a Marvel movie, especially one that’s trying to redeem a franchise that’s been mishandled for years, you expect at least a whiff of that old-school MCU magic, the kind that made Avengers (2012) or the early Iron Man movies so special. Add to that the weight of Fantastic Four: First Steps being the launchpad for the road to Avengers: Secret Wars, and naturally, expectations were sky-high. This should’ve been Marvel’s chance to remind us of what they used to be before things started spiraling. But instead, the film struggles to find its footing.

There’s an awkward imbalance between the emotional beats and the intense stakes the story demands. The first half leans a bit too hard into melodrama; it almost feels like a high-budget daily soap, and just when the second half starts to find that sweet spot between emotion and action, it’s over before it can fully take off. That balance barely lasts 20 minutes, and by the time the credits roll, you’re left with something that feels incomplete. And for a film carrying this much narrative weight, that’s a massive missed opportunity.

Is Fantastic Four: First Steps Better Than Previous Fantastic Four Movies?

Now, if you’re worried that this brand-new take on Fantastic Four might end up in the same messy territory as the previous live-action attempts, let me stop you right there: You’ve got absolutely nothing to worry about. Through this review, I confirm that Fantastic Four: First Steps is a major step up in just about every way. Yes, it has its issues, and we’ve talked about those, but let’s be real, compared to what’s been done to this team on the big screen before, this movie feels like a full-on upgrade. From the cast to the character dynamics to the overall tone, First Steps finally gives Marvel’s First Family the respect and treatment they’ve long deserved.

Should You Watch Fantastic Four: First Steps?

Now, after reading this review of The Fantastic Four: First Steps, you might assume I’m about to tell you to skip it, but that’s not the case. If you’re a Marvel fan, I’d still recommend checking this one out in theaters, because despite its flaws, the cast absolutely delivers, and their performances alone are worth the price of admission.

More importantly, the story isn’t bad; it just feels like it wasn’t given enough space to grow into what it could’ve been. With a bit more breathing room, this could’ve been a game-changer, but even as it stands, it’s a solid step in the right direction for Marvel’s First Family. So, grab your tickets to Fantastic Four: First Steps while they’re still up for grabs, and I assure you that you’ll find moments worth cheering for.