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Fantastic Four

Fred Hawson

<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1753230223234Fantastic-Four-First-Steps.webp" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/>A scene from &#x27;Fantastic Four: First Steps&#x27;</div>On the alternate reality world of 828 Earth, the Fantastic Four were celebrating their anniversary as a team of protectors of the planet. They were astronauts who gained their superpowers from an exposure to cosmic rays during an interstellar mission. Upon their return, they used their super-human abilities to fight various nefarious villains, earning them the love and admiration of humans. They even had their own Saturday morning cartoon show on TV.At this time, Sue was pregnant with her first baby after several years of trying. Husband Reed was very concerned about if their baby would inherit any of their superpowers, while their other two teammates / housemates were excited to be the best uncles to this special child. Meanwhile, the Silver Surfer (Julia Garder) appeared on Times Square as a herald to a planet-eating entity named Galactus (Ralph Ineson) who had Earth next in line to destroy.  The Fantastic Four were led by Reed Richards or Mr. Fantastic (Pedro Pascal) who can stretch his body like rubber; his wife Sue Storm or Invisible Woman (Vanessa Kirby) who can generate force shields and turn invisible; Sue&#x27;s younger brother Johnny Storm or the Human Torch (Joseph Quinn) who can turn himself into a flying rocket of flames; and Reed&#x27;s best friend Ben Grimm or The Thing (Ebon Moss-Bachrach) whose skin was made of rock.  The first film about Marvel&#x27;s First Family was &quot;Fantastic Four&quot; (2005) starring Ioan Gruffudd, Jessica Alba, Michael Chiklis, and Chris Evans in his Marvel debut. Despite the mixed reviews, it had a sequel &quot;Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer&quot; (2007), which also had middling to bad reviews. A forgettable reboot &quot;Fantastic Four&quot; (2015) starring Miles Teller, Kate Mara, Jamie Bell and Michael B. Jordan in his Marvel debut, was a critical and commercial disaster.Directed by Matt Shakman, the look was totally different, as the new production design, pastel color palette and retro costumes had a classic vibe, reflecting how the first FF comics by Jack Kirby and Stan Lee came out in the early 1960s, with futuristic elements like a flying car and a delightful robot butler H.E.R.B.I.E. As a reboot of a franchise that struggled to be portrayed on the big screen before, this one had a totally fresh vibe, a clean start and re-introduction.It tackled the same Silver Surfer and Galactus storyline from the 2007 film, but it incorporated the birth of Reed and Sue&#x27;s son Franklin into the mix. This made the stakes more personal for the FF team than ever, as this baby became the bargaining chip upon which the salvation of planet Earth hinged on. As a result, the final showdown between FF and Galactus became a showcase for the emotional dynamics of this team as a family with heartfelt sincerity. The personalities of the four members of FF felt different from how they were portrayed in films before. Pascal&#x27;s Reed Richards was a ball of insecurities beside the cool confidence of Kirby&#x27;s Sue Storm. Quinn&#x27;s Johnny Storm was a funny guy, but his reputation as a ladies&#x27; man was played down here. The pure loyalty of Moss-Bachrach&#x27;s Grimm came across solidly, as his budding crush for teacher Rachel (Natasha Lyonne) was only hinted at, so far.  The throwback may feel slow at the start, especially as the FF&#x27;s origin story was summarized as a flashback narration for a TV special of talk show host Ted Gilbert (Matt Gatiss). However, the film really came alive whenever the bad guys were on the screen. The production&#x27;s decision to gender-switch the Silver Surfer and to represent Galactus as a solid armored colossus proved to be astute, tweaking their portrayal in the 2007 film for the better. This review was originally published in the author&#x27;s blog, “<a href="https://said-fred.blogspot.com/2025/07/review-of-fantastic-four-first-steps.html">Fred Said</a>.”

They finally did it right. ✨ The Fantastic Four reboot gives Marvel’s First Family the love, style, and cosmic drama they deserve — retro vibes, real heart, and a Silver Surfer you won’t forget.

They finally did it right. ✨ The Fantastic Four reboot gives Marvel’s First Family the love, style, and cosmic drama they deserve — retro vibes, real heart, and a Silver Surfer you won’t forget.

'Fantastic Four' review: Marvel's First Family gets an emotional, stylish reboot

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'Fantastic Four' review: Marvel's First Family gets an emotional, stylish reboot

Fred Hawson

Published Jul 23, 2025 08:32 AM PHT

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Updated Jul 28, 2025 02:14 AM PHT

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