Pop Commentary

The 1960s aesthetic drew me in to see “The Fantastic Four: First Steps,” but for the most part, it just ended up being a paint by numbers superhero movie with a retro-futuristic sheen over it.

It brings me no joy in saying that because I had high hopes for the latest Marvel movie that reintroduces Mr. Fantastic, the Invisible Woman, the Human Torch, and The Thing.

The film follows the Fantastic Four as they fight to stop a space god called Galactus and his minion the Silver Surfer from devouring Earth and everyone on it. The battle then turns very personal and the foursome is forced to balance their roles as heroes with the strength of their family bond.

It’s giving “The Incredibles” meets “The Jetsons” meets any generic movie about an alien coming to destroy the planet.

The highlight of the film for me was definitely the 1960s style. The retro interiors and outfits were fabulous, as were the gadgets that they used throughout the movie.

The cast was also great. Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Joseph Quinn, and Ebon Moss-Bachrach all delivered powerful performances.

However, one of my biggest complaints about the movie was that it wasn’t very funny. Specifically, I wanted the banter between the Human Torch and The Thing to be more comical than it was.

Another problem I had with the movie was the CGI, especially the baby and their hair when they were in space. It just looked so fake and kind of rushed. You would think in the year 2025 that Marvel could do better than that.

Also, since the baby ends up at the center of the drama, I wish his powers were more spectacularly portrayed. They kept telling us how powerful he was, but they never really showed us until the end.

With all that said, it’s a pretty average superhero movie with a nice aesthetic, so you could watch it if you like that genre of film. Otherwise, you could probably skip it.

Have you seen “Fantastic Four?” Let me know what you thought in the comments and subscribe to Pop Commentary for pop culture more reviews and news!