This Fantastic Four: First Steps review contains major spoilers…
For most of my time watching The Fantastic Four: First Steps, my brain entered what I can only describe as a self-imposed protective coma. I wasn’t bored—this was something worse. A sort of subconscious defense mechanism kicked in, shielding me from the slow-motion trainwreck unraveling on screen.
The cast of Fantastic Four: First Steps – YouTube, Marvel Entertainment
Then, in the final 15 minutes, something so mind-numbingly stupid, so offensively tone-deaf jolted me back into consciousness like a hard reboot. And no, it wasn’t a dream. It was Marvel’s latest disaster.
But we’ll get to that.
The Setting Works… While It Lasts
Let’s start with a positive: the 1960s sci-fi Tomorrowland aesthetic works. The retro-futuristic tech, the color palette, the sleek costuming—it’s visually fresh and creatively different from the drab, oversaturated sameness that has plagued recent Marvel entries. For a moment, I thought the MCU might have found some new stylistic footing.
The Baxter Building in Fantastic Four: First Steps – YouTube, Marvel Entertainment
Unfortunately, once I applied the bare minimum amount of thought to this I realized that this unique setting is a one-and-done gimmick. It’s clear from what we know about Marvel’s upcoming plans that the Fantastic Four will soon be thrust into the wider MCU.
Which means goodbye Tomorrowland, hello Multiverse sludge.
Finally, a Movie That Doesn’t Require Homework
Another rare win: this is the first Marvel movie outside phase one since Guardians of the Galaxy (the first one) that doesn’t demand encyclopedic knowledge of 30 other projects. No cameos, no teases, no tangled lore web. Just a (somewhat) standalone story.
(L-R): Pom Klementieff as Mantis, Groot (voiced by Vin Diesel), Chris Pratt as Peter Quill/Star-Lord, Dave Bautista as Drax, Karen Gillan as Nebula in Marvel Studios‘ Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. Photo courtesy of Marvel Studios. © 2022 MARVEL.
And, miraculously, it doesn’t undercut every emotional beat with some smirking Whedon/Gunn-style quip. There’s a shocking amount of sincerity in play here.
But sincerity means nothing if the foundation is cracked. And oh boy is it cracked.
Ben Grimm Is the Heart of the Film… Who Gets Almost No Screen Time
Ebon Moss-Bachrach absolutely nails Ben Grimm. He brings gravitas, charm, and quiet sorrow to the role. He’s the standout of the film. Which is exactly why it’s so frustrating that he’s barely in it. Despite being one of Marvel’s most emotionally compelling characters, Ben is treated like a side dish—barely relevant to the central plot.
The Thing and Herbie the Robot in Fantastic Four: First Steps – YouTube, Marvel Entertainment
And therein lies the core issue: this movie skips the origin story entirely. We’re dropped four years into the team’s journey. There’s no tension. No arcs. No growth. No heart. They’re already a perfect little family—The Brady Bunch with lab coats.
A Skipped Origin Story Means Skipped Development
We don’t get to watch Johnny and Ben clash and bond. We don’t see Reed and Sue fall in love. Johnny goes from narcissist to noble off-screen. Ben’s internal struggle? Healed already. Reed’s guilt over mutating his best friend? One throwaway line, and we move on.
Sue Storm and Reed Richards in The Fantastic Four: First Steps – YouTube, Marvel Entertainment
Marvel’s apparent aversion to origin stories continues to rob its characters of depth. At least First Steps tosses in a rushed backstory montage—more than James Gunn’s Superman managed—but it’s not enough. All the meaningful character work already happened off camera.
The Silver Surfer Problem
Johnny’s powers look fantastic (pun intended), and his action scenes are among the film’s best. But his weird romantic subplot with the Silver Surfette? Embarrassing.
Julia Garner as the Silver Surfer in The Fantastic Four: First Steps – YouTube, Marvel Entertainment
Yes, you read that right: the Silver Surfette. Marvel gender-swaps Norrin Radd into Shalla Bal, a single mom who remembers her life before Galactus and has willfully led him to destroy thousands of worlds. She only starts to feel bad about it after Johnny—somehow—deciphers her entire alien language from a single spoken phrase. It’s one of the dumbest moments in MCU history.
And then, because it’s the M-SHE-U, she robs Johnny of a climactic heroic moment and helps finish off Galactus herself ala Rose Tico in Star Wars: The Last Jedi.
The Human Torch and Silver Surfer in The Fantastic Four: First Steps – Youtube, IGN
Some defenders claim we’ll still get Norrin Radd in another universe. Don’t count on it. In a flashback, we see Shalla Bal raising her daughter alone—strong woman raising another strong woman, no man in sight. It’s not an alternate Silver Surfer. It’s the Silver Surfer, now rewritten as a maternal eco-avenger.
It’s more Marvel feminist slop. And unfortunately, it doesn’t stop there.
Mary Sue Storm Saves the Day…
Sue Storm isn’t a character in this movie—she’s a plot device with perfect hair. She has no flaws, no arc, and no struggle. She brings world peace with a speech. Literally. When the people turn against the Fantastic Four, she calms the angry mob with a three-minute pep talk like she’s speaking to kindergartners.
But it gets worse.
Galactus in Fantastic Four: First Steps – YouTube, Marvel Entertainment
Throughout the film, Galactus is portrayed as a terrifying cosmic threat—a literal force of nature. He looks incredible. He’s built up as unstoppable.
And then Sue Storm, armed with the power of… motherhood, I guess?—physically shoves Galactus back several city blocks in what looks like a sumo wrestling match. She pushes him through a portal before the Surfette gives him the final boot.
That’s when my brain reactivated.
You can’t fight Galactus. You don’t overpower him. He’s not a boss fight. He’s a cosmic being. The only way to defeat him is through reason or trickery.
That’s Reed Richards’ job.
Sue Storm in The Fantastic Four: First Steps – YouTube, Marvel Entertainment
But here? Reed’s too busy moping, babbling fake science, and looking lost behind Pedro Pascal’s ever-present facial hair.
He’s so dumbed down that his master plan is basically Patrick Star’s idea from SpongeBob, when he declares: “We should take Bikini Bottom and push it somewhere else!”
I wish I was joking.
Pedro Pascal Fatigue is Real
Let’s talk about Pedro Pascal. Or rather, let’s talk about how sick and tired I am of seeing Pedro Pascal in every major franchise under the sun.
He’s in Star Wars. He’s in The Last of Us. He’s voicing animated characters. He’s popping up in prestige TV dramas, major Hollywood films, and now—because apparently there’s no escape—he’s Mr. Fantastic.
There was a time when casting Pedro Pascal felt like a bold move. That time has long passed. We are now in full saturation mode.
Pedro Pascal as Reed Richards in Fantastic Four: First Steps – YouTube, Marvel Entertainment
Pascal’s performance as Reed Richards isn’t terrible, but it is deeply uninspired. It’s a checked-out portrayal of a character who’s supposed to be the smartest man in the Marvel Universe. Instead, he mopes around, stares blankly at space, and spouts nonsense that sounds like ChatGPT generated it after failing a high school chemistry quiz.
His dialogue is less “cutting-edge genius” and more “stoned guy at a college party trying to sound profound.”
Part of the problem is he clearly didn’t want to fully commit to the role. He reportedly refused to shave his signature facial hair because he doesn’t like how he looks without it. That might sound trivial, but it matters.
Pedro Pascal at Star Wars Celebration – YouTube, Star Wars
Reed Richards has an iconic, clean-cut look—grey temples and all. Sometimes he has facial hair, but that’s usually a full beard. Pedro’s signature facial hair is so unique to him that instead of Pedro becoming Reed, Reed became Pedro. This actor isn’t transforming for the role—he expects the role to bend around him.
And the worst part? Marvel let him.
That’s what makes this fatigue different. It’s not just that Pedro’s everywhere—it’s that no one’s holding him to a standard anymore. He’s become Hollywood’s comfort blanket.
“Just throw Pedro in it, people like him.” But that charm only works when he’s cast correctly.
A screenshot of Pedro Pascal dancing suggestively with a rainbow colored rod suggestively at an event – X, @pascalarchive
Reed Richards is not a brooding, disheveled dad-type. He’s not cool. He’s not rugged. He’s a nerd. A brilliant, hyper-focused, slightly arrogant scientist who’s always ten mental steps ahead. Pedro plays him like a worn-down single father who accidentally walked into the Baxter Building and started giving TED Talks.
This isn’t casting against type—it’s casting with complete disregard for character.
And look, some people still love Pedro Pascal. That’s fine. But when audiences start visibly groaning the moment his face shows up on screen—when his every appearance feels more like a PR move than a creative decision—studios should pay attention. Instead, Disney and Marvel are doubling down, stuffing him into as many properties as possible like he’s some kind of cinematic Flex Seal.
Pedro Pascal on SNL – YouTube, Saturday Night Live
Pedro fatigue is real. The question is: will Hollywood acknowledge it before audiences stop showing up?
Marvel clearly thinks the answer is no.
I think they’re wrong.
Final Verdict
The Fantastic Four: First Steps had potential and I was hoping I could write a positive review. The aesthetic is cool. A few performances land. For the first 90 minutes, I thought, “Okay, this might be a step in the right direction.” But by the end, it swerves into full M-SHE-U territory, gutting one of Marvel’s greatest villains and rewriting classic characters into empowerment ciphers.
Pedro Pascal and Vanessa Kirby – YouTube, omeleteve
This isn’t the Fantastic Four. It’s the Femtastic Bore.
Final Score: 4.5/10
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CHECK OUT WDWPRO’s REVIEW OF THE FANTASTIC FOUR: Fantastic Four Review: No, It Isn’t the Best Marvel Movie of the Year
