Movie Man Darian Watching All Night Long

The Fantastic Four : First Steps 

This film is honestly one of the best films marvel has ever put out! Now their have been 3 films that have come out this year from Marvel and I will say two out of the three they have released I would put in the discussion as being some of the best work they have put out period on the big screen. Now their is so much I have to say about this so I will mention right now this film has some of the best production design, costumes, world building and has an overarching great sense of escapism through the time it takes place it you feel totally transported back to where the film is set. The score is also a highlight all 4 main cast members do a tremendous job at showing great onscreen chemistry while this film as I will delve more into deeper on this focuses more on the heart of the characters rather then just the spectacle of their powers which is what makes this film for me such a compelling film. Marvel is on a high right now in terms of good quality storytelling and this is for me one of their strongest character films aside from Thunderbolts we have had in ages. 

Firstly, Now Marvel for decades has been trying to perfect the formula on the first family of the universe they created for many years now with the failed film from the 90’s that was straight up cancelled then you have them attempting to do it with improved CGI and at the time a up and coming cast with 2005’s Fantastic Four which also ushered in Chris Evans into the world of Superhero films and even though for people from my generation that film was a lot of fun their still were things to work on in order to get it just right. Then in 2015 Sony once again tried another attempted with another on the rise cast this time with Michael B. Jordan and Miles Teller and the only difference was that film went in a very different direction stylistically and tone wise that was not at all in the vein of the comics and it was critically panned and a financial flop. So after all that time people have been thinking will we ever get a fateful adaptation of this team on the big screen when Marvel finally acquired the rights to the characters back it did give hope but it has been years since that announcement was made public and we have been sitting holding our breath to see if this version after all this time will do the characters justice and I can say with full confidence that it 100 percent does. This film drenches itself in everything about the characters and its world it inhabits as the film takes you back to the 1960’s and the way they capture the colourful atmosphere of that time was brilliant and down to the way the camera has this grain like quality to the image was perfect. The film much like Superman is not an origin story it is pre established and we are brought into a world where the Fantastic Four are looked up to as big time celebrities that society looks up to which is nice to see as many other versions have been about how they were rejected due to their powers so using an approach where they are looked at in a positive light was refreshing. Now granted it is not changing the text of how these characters struggle their plenty of inner conflcit going on for each of their respected arcs and it is explored in great detail the filmmakers found a way to achieve showing Galactus in a way that is both accurate to the comic and also be truly menacing was amazing as it was a dream to see him done proper and the way the captured it is truly outstanding. The film does not try to over complicate its plot by having too much going on or tons of side character introductions it is more focused in on telling a solid story that has great character development. For me the biggest strength this film has is in the character work. The film excels due to not letting the style and cool theatrics of the film get in the way of a solid story the film’s central focus is on making sure these characters are brought to life in accurate ways that best reflect the way they were written in the comics. You have Johnny Storm who people see as the sarcastic one that refuses to take a moment seriously constantly having to prove to the group he can do more then just give well timed quips but actually supply something worthwhile to team efforts. Then you have Sue Storm gearing up for motherhood and the exciting journey that will entail and she goes on I think the most emotionally gripping arc of the entire team. Then their is Ben who enjoys the fame and being beloved by the public but you can see he wants someone to grow old with two and even if it is not verbally said it is written all over his face and then you have Pedro Pascal who like Sue is prepping for the coming of their child only difference is he is utterly terrified of how this child may turn out and is thinking of each possible outcome in case things go south with their new child. All of them are dealign with emotional arcs the entire time and the film focuses on that and not really the big overarching action of the film which their is still plenty of their is a outer space sequence in this film that I think is one of the best chase set pieces Marvel has put onscreen in a while. The film takes care of its core characters first and making sure we believe they can be a unit and be seen as a family while also delving into their own personal journey’s and they never comprise that for theatrics which I think is so important as by the time the film ended I felt like I had understood each character and had gotten so greatly invested in all of them individually. None of them felt like they fell into the background this is the second time this year where Marvel has done great Job at focusing on the heart instead of the cool factor of the film as Thunderbolts also was character driven this and Fantastic Four proves that they can do great character building and also have gripping action without one outweighing the other in it’s execution while still delivering the thrills people come for. Fantastic Four soars in terms of writing, the technical aspect of how it totally brings you into the setting that it takes place in while also greatly exploring the highs and lows of each character and getting you to fall in love with each single one of them and investing into how they operate as yes a family but also how they go about showing their love for one another. The Style is great but it is the heart and sharp attention to character depth that makes this film as special as it is. 

Secondly, The cast are all so greatly in tune with who they are playing! Now as I previously have stated each core member of the film is marvellous at how they put their spin on their character now I will though mention for me the two real standouts of the film. First off we have Pedro Pascal who plays Reed Richards the man who is never not thinking of work and here he is still that workaholic that he is known for being in the comics but this time he cannot shake the uneasy feeling that something could go wrong for him and Sue and when they bring a child into this world and he becomes obsessed with always finding the right idea in order to keep them one step ahead of the bad guys. Pedro is able to channel this stress riddled man that is also incredibly family focused and you see the stress slowly eat at him until he becomes all consumed in what he needs to do to protect what he loves. I think Pedro did a terrific job and I am so excited to see what more of the character we will see him explore going forward. Then you have Vanessa Kirby who gives what I think is one of her strongest performances I have ever seen with her take on Sue Storm she plays the Mother and backbone of the team with such emotional sincerity that it moved me and almost brought me to tears. She knows that she is going to be brining a child into this world but she won’t ever let anything comprise that child’s well being but she also knows she has responsibilities to the city she swore to protect but she can do both without having to comprise anyone’s life. Vanessa Kirby soars in one of her all time best performances with her role as the mother who will stop at nothing to protract her child. Joseph Quinn and Ebon Bacharach both give tremendous performances in their respected roles but it is the work from Pedro Pascal and Vanessa Kirby that walks away with this film in terms of emotional electricity that is brought to the screen. 

Lastly, Fantastic Four : The First Steps is one of the best Marvel Films that they have put out in a while this and Thunderbolts is among one of the best back to back films the studio has put out in a very long time. The film operates as a film that does not to retread water of its origin’s but hits the ground running in an already established world with the characters and it explores the highs and lows of their family dynamic and what makes them strong both within powers but emotional strength as well. This film focuses more on the emotional beats of the storyline and not the big cool factor of it all which is where this film is different than most recent Marvel entries. Fantastic Four is able to be pulse pounding, thrilling but also emotionally impactful all at the same Time while giving the most comic accrete depictions of the characters we have seen so far. Overall Fantastic Four : The First Steps is a truly outstanding film and one that will be among so many’s favourite when discussing this phase of Marvel movies. I recommend fans of the Marvel fanbase and just casual movie goers to check this out it is immersive and just fun and if you can see it with a huge screen and  a fantastic audio system you will get the full experience of this film the way it is meant to be seen. 

This film takes place in a world where the Fantastic Four are already established as superhero’s and are looked at as basically celebrities but when a force by the name of Galactus comes to threaten their way of living they have to find a way to save the world and the future of their child is on the line 

Rated PG - 13 : Some Language|Action/Violence

Vanessa Kirby : Kirby is the heart of this film in so many ways and her performance was my favourite out of the entire cast for a multitude of reasons.  Now Vanessa Kirby has always been an actress I have been fond of due to her great choices in the roles she picks that best suits her acting range and constantly finds new ways to present new sides of herself to the audience. Here she plays Sue Storm the heartbeat in so many ways of the team and this time she is tackled with the responsibility of brining a child into this world while also making sure she never compromises the lives of the public but at the same time her material instincts will never her let her jeopardize her loved ones under any circumstances. Their are multiple scenes she shines the core beliefs and values of the character in great detail that will move you for instance when the public is terrified of what is going to happen to them and they have become quite divided over their thoughts on how the Fantastic Four will act she does something she knows in her heart is right which is to go outside and face them head on and speak from the heart. She knows that in order for them to not feel so afraid and angry at them she needs to connect to them on a level where they can relate to as they have powers so the public can support them and cheer them on but then cannot relate to them on a basic level so when she speaks about why having a child to her is so emotionally important to her and stripping away the parts that make her a superhero for a few minutes and to just view her as a mother and a human being shushes any negative words from the crowd and she speaks from her experience that they can understand and after that moment their is a newfound respect for her they have and the group as she is just as scared as the public but they need to know that she and the team are humans that feel the full spectrum of feelings just like them. It is one of the best scenes if not the best acted scene from her she brings this warm and emotionally raw feeling to the frame that makes you feel each line she is constantly at fear what will happen to her child she knows how hard it was to bring it into the world and their is a battle sequence later in the film where her child’s life is on the line and she very much knows if she pushes herself to the full extent to use everything she has she could die due to using to much of her energy but in that moment she is not thinking in terms of herself she just sees her child is in peril and will act to do anything to protect it. She pushes it way past the limit she is supposed too and she is able to contain the threat from putting her child at great risk and the whole team tells her not to do it but uses every ounce of blood sweat and tears to make sure her son is okay even if it means she won’t be. We see her as a wife yes and as the older sister to Johnny but a lot of the film is about her going through the motions of being a mother and the mental, emotional and psychical toll it affects her after her kid is born. Vanessa Kirby does as spectacular job at bringing the character to the screen as she as I mentioned is able to show so many sides to the role that never felt one sided we see her romantic relationship with Reed Richards and how the birth of their child makes a huge impact on their relationship along with how they go about making decisions as a team going forward. Kirby is able to show the importance of motherhood through the lens of Sue Storm while also remaining to the glue that keeps this family intact and remind each other that they are still just people that make mistakes like the next person and as long as they all have each other they can get through anything together. Kirby shows in her eyes how scared she is for her child but also is excited their is a storm of emotions swirling around her brain and her heart at all times and she is able to present that emotional frustration by having it seep out of her eyes and her fragile emotionally well timed delivery. Vanessa Kirby shows why she is the heart of the team while also exploring parts of the character that goes to vulnerable  places we have never seen the role at least on the big screen and she does an effortless job at it by wearing her heart on her sleeve the entire team and giving what I think is the strongest performance of the entire film. I am so excited to see where her arc goes from here but she gives a tremendous first impression Vanessa Kirby is truly terrific as Sue Storm. 

Matt Shakman : Matt gives an outstanding fully realized vision of this world With his debut in the MCU! Now this director has made only 3 feature films before this and both not critically well received so in terms of comic book storytelling he is a fresh face and to give him the keys to The Fantastic Four was a bold move that is something Marvel did back in the early days when they would get an unknown director to take on a huge character. It is. Risk that paid off as his fresh mind really brought new things to this film that made this film one of the best films in recent memory for the studio. Having the film be in large part a film of it’s time that takes place in the 1960’s I think was such a great move as that is when the first issue came out and it never felt corny or like a clique due to the incredible world building it does and the amazing attention to detail within the costume designs, sets and thrilling score that runs through each scene. The film feels like a true life representation of the Fantastic Four in every sense of the word as the film is not an origin story and I am so fine with that because we already know the story so their is no need to go back over what we already know. The film Is set up in an established world where the Fantastic Four are already bonafide celebrities with big marketing brands and are looked up by the public and what is the biggest thing going on in their life right now is Sue Storm expecting a child and the whole way they go about dealing with that. The film explores the areas of each character without one feeling shoved to the background or lacking depth each character onscreen gets their time to shine which is what I love so much about this film. As mentioned you have Ben Grim dealing with wanting to pursue a romantic relationship but also never voicing that to the team but instead keeping it to himself but how long can he go on doing that until it starts eating at him to share that with the others. Then theirs Johnny and his way of always feeling he needs to prove himself to the team and not be looked at as the Team’s jester but can actually be taken seriously and be able to contribute things of value. Reed Richards becomes all consumed in prepping for his child’s arrival when he knows Sue is pregnant as he is worried their could be complications with it’s birth and wants the kid to live a life that is more normal then what he was dealt. Then Sue Storm is excited about bringing a child into the world but at the same time she knows the huge responsibility that lies ahead for her in order to protect that child. So again Matt Shakeman is showing all of their individual obstacles they face and also spend a great deal of the film showing them as a unit and how they lean on each other to lift each other up when they need each other which has always been a core value the characters have represented since the comics. Now the action is great thrilling even their are amazing sequences of action that will have you on edge at times but the driving force of the film that I think makes the film is the sense of emotion and heart that is woven into the writing that really makes the film pop. It is full of easter eggs for the die hard fans of the comics that are all over this film that is so fun to look out for but this finally feels like the Fantastic Four we have been longing for and it never feels over the top with too many characters thrown into the mix it is able to focus in on the characters and sure set up the next set of adventures but it wasn’t messy or distracted it felt very keyed in on what it wanted to tell in terms of story and themes which it executed greatly. Matt Shakman’s energetic and colourful landscape was a perfect match for this material and he proved he was the right person to usher the first family of the marvel universe to the big screen in this MCU and he proved he understands the love people have for these characters and Stan Lee and Jack Kirby would be so proud Matt Shakman did a terrific job.