It seems now is the best time to be in cinemas to watch two of the most refreshed iconic superheroes to date. First came James Gunn’s Superman, which breathed life back into DC with a blast of color and heart, and now Marvel delivers Fantastic Four: First Steps. You can check our review of James Gunn’s Superman here.

What makes First Steps such a treat is that it doesn’t just aim to suspend disbelief—it smothers it into a deep cryosleep. The film uses retina-sizzling retro-futurist visuals, a snappy, unrelenting pace, and performances that are fully committed to the material. In a time when the world feels more escape-worthy than ever, this movie soars unapologetically into cosmic-level escapism.

RETRO-FUTURE, PERFECTLY CAPTURED

Welcome to July 2025, which might just be the “Summer of the Sunny Superhero.” Earlier this summer, Gunn’s Superman power-washed years of grit and gloom off the DC Universe. Fantastic Four: First Steps pulls off something similar.

This film isn’t set in the usual Marvel Cinematic Universe corner, where heroes trade snarky pop culture quips while wrestling with inner trauma. Instead, it plants both feet into the whimsical, wide-eyed wonder of comic book roots. Earlier this year, Thunderbolts wrapped up Marvel’s “darker” phase with a villain so brooding he felt like a sentient Hot Topic. But now, the clouds have parted, and First Steps lets sunlight back in.

NO APOLOGIES THIS TIME

What feels so refreshing here is the lack of apology. For years, superhero films felt pressured to hold back the sillier, childlike elements of their source material, thinking audiences needed something “grounded” to take them seriously.

First Steps doesn’t bother with that. It embraces the goofy, the bright, and the bold, and trusts that the audience will, too. The perfect example? Galactus. In the comics, the Devourer of Worlds is a colossal being with a tuning-fork-shaped helmet and, yes, a purple skirt. In 2007’s Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer, the studio chickened out, turning him into a moody space cloud.

But in First Steps? Oh, he’s here, in full, glorious, slightly absurd form. Ralph Ineson’s voice rumbles as Galactus snarls lines like “Clever insects!” while stomping through Manhattan. He’s terrifying, ridiculous, and magnificent all at once—like Godzilla in tailored armor who insists on speaking the Queen’s English.

And yes, Julia Garner’s Silver Surfer glides in beside him, all chrome and attitude, looking like she surfed straight out of a panel and onto the screen.

THE FOUR THEMSELVES

Of course, the heart of the story is the Fantastic Four themselves, who are introduced with a breezy, efficient opening montage that skips the drawn-out origin story.

One quirky choice stands out: their “costumes” are cerulean-blue rollneck sweaters. Practical? Not really. You can almost feel the itchiness and wonder who thought knitwear was the outfit of choice for saving the planet.

Each member gets an emotional arc. Johnny proves he’s more than a blond daredevil, Ben awkwardly flirts with a Hebrew-school teacher (a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it Natasha Lyonne cameo), and Sue becomes a mother mid-film, before delivering a heartfelt speech about “What Family Means.” It’s cheesy, sure, but within this candy-colored reality, it works.

But make no mistake—this is Pedro Pascal’s movie. His Reed Richards is a fascinating mix of determined hero and anxious problem-solver, an “optimistic catastrophist.” He’s the emotional anchor of the film, giving it weight even when Galactus is towering over skyscrapers.

VISUALS TO FREEZE-FRAME

The real star, though, might be the visuals. Every frame feels like it could be paused, studied, and hung up as wall art. The retro-futuristic production design creates a world that exists outside of time, so it won’t age the way most superhero films do.

Unlike Gunn’s Superman, which still feels rooted in today’s world, First Steps lives in its own bubble, already distant, already a place we can escape to. Decades from now, it will still look the same, still invite you to lose yourself in its neon skies, its intergalactic fights, and its playful sense of wonder.

Because here’s the thing, this movie knows exactly what it is. It’s silly at times, sentimental at others, but it never flinches. It commits. And in doing so, Fantastic Four: First Steps doesn’t just bring Marvel’s first family back—it makes them feel brand new. That’s 4.5 out of 5 stars.