Marvel’s First Family has never had the smoothest ride to the big screen. The 2000s-era Fantastic Four films were never critically beloved, but they still managed to strike a particular solid tone that proved surprisingly hard to replicate - a light, sincere sense of wonder bolstered by a cast whose chemistry could charm its way through even the clunkiest dialogue. Michael Chiklis in a rock suit remains iconic, and Doug Jones and Laurence Fishburne’s dual performance as the Silver Surfer still lingers in the cultural memory with uncanny grace (mostly thanks to constant reruns on FX). Say what you will about those movies - their problems are glaring - but they got some things all too right, particularly its core cast.

With First Steps, the MCU finally folds the Fantastic Four into its ever-expanding universe. Though technically this isn’t the world of the Avengers we’ve come to know - it’s instead a retrofuturistic timeline, one heavily inspired by 1960s sci-fi visions of optimism and cooperation - the thematic overlap is clear. This is a story about collective hope in the face of catastrophe, told through family bonds and cosmic chaos. And while the film doesn’t entirely stick the landing, there’s an earnestness and ambition here that feels deeply refreshing for Marvel’s long-spinning blockbuster machine.

Director Matt Shakman, whose resume includes WandaVision and a sizable chunk of It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, brings a deft sense of scope to the film’s two massive action set pieces, proving his ability to juggle big screen superhero spectacle with genuine emotion and scale. A particularly dazzling hyperspace chase sequence midway through the film, involving childbirth in zero gravity and some truly inspired visual flourishes, might be one of the MCU’s all-time great cosmic moments. The final showdown with planet eater Galactus (Ralph Ineson) in New York City is a triumphant display of coordinated devastation and character-driven action that evokes the glory days of 2012’s original Avengers.

But while First Steps soars when it comes to big swings, it sometimes falters in the smaller moments - especially when it comes to its team dynamic. Pedro Pascal finds his own groove as Reed Richards, leaning into the awkwardly brilliant, emotionally stunted energy that defines the character. Vanessa Kirby, meanwhile, steps into the role of Sue Storm with commanding poise and depth, finally giving the Invisible Woman the spotlight she’s always deserved. The decision to center the narrative around Sue - both as the maternal core of the group, the greater public, and as a literal expectant mother - turns out to be the film’s most powerful asset. She’s the glue, the leader, and the heart through which we experience the story’s most gutting truths.

The rest of the team, unfortunately, gets the short end of the stick. Ben Grimm (Ebon Moss-Bachrach) and Johnny Storm (Joseph Quinn) feel underserved, relegated mostly to limp comic relief or background support than fully explored characters in their own right. There’s a nagging sense that some of their scenes were trimmed down or lost entirely, with both of their arcs established but never quite fully realized. That imbalance hurts the film’s momentum just a bit, especially when its strongest sequences rely on the strength of the team as a unit.

That said, First Steps is still deeply enjoyable moment-to-moment. Its opening stretch - which includes Sue’s pregnancy reveal, a montage of the team’s origin and superhero career, and the introduction of the charming robot H.E.R.B.I.E. (Matthew Wood) - sets a warm and inviting tone. The world design is absolutely gorgeous, from the bold costumes to the vibrant, Jetsons-meets-Jack-Kirby architecture. This alternate timeline feels like a love letter to a more hopeful version of the future, one where science is still magic and international unity is still possible. In that sense, it’s a film not just about saving the world but believing that it can be saved in the first place.

The tone eventually shifts into darker territory following the team’s failed attempt to negotiate with or stop Galactus, a cosmic force of such scope and weight that it plunges the back half of the film into introspective despair. Yet even here, the movie finds ways to uplift: a unifying global response to the threat, nations coming together to aid the Fantastic Four, and humanity choosing to act selflessly rather than collapse into pure chaos. It’s a deeply optimistic view of our species that feels like it’s coming from another era entirely - and that’s precisely the point.

Michael Giacchino’s score adds to the grand, sweeping feel of it all. He’s long been one of Marvel’s most consistent musical voices, and here he delivers something that matches the scale and sincerity of the material. Equally impressive is the way the Silver Surfer (Julia Garner) is handled - her entrance is haunting, her aura magnetic, and her role within the story elegantly restrained. She’s not here to steal the spotlight (though she gets darn close) but to elevate it.

There’s plenty of humor scattered throughout, but with Shakman’s background in comedy, you’d expect a bit more punch. Oddly, the jokes never quite land with the kind of rhythm you’d hope for or expect from a stronger MCU outing, and the consistently lighter tone of the early 2000s films is missed here more than once. Mole Man (Paul Walter Hauser) is the exception - a gloriously goofy and hilarious addition who absolutely belongs in the greater superhero universe. His scenes are an obvious highlight.

Despite all its strengths, the film feels like it could’ve gone just a bit further. It’s relatively short as far as these kinds of movies go, and there are supporting characters and plot threads that could’ve used significantly more breathing room. The cosmic scale is there, but the human scale sometimes slips through the cracks. Still, for all its imperfections, The Fantastic Four: First Steps offers something that feels rare in modern superhero cinema: genuine warmth. It’s a story about accepting the unknown, about facing extinction and choosing love and connection anyway.

More than just a soft reboot or another brick in the MCU wall, this is a movie about the end of the world that doesn’t surrender to despair. It’s a celebration of family - chosen and biological - and of the weird, wonderful things that happen when people try to save each other instead of just themselves.

The Fantastic Four finally feel like they’re back where they belong. Not everything works, but the foundation is solid. And with any luck, the next step will be even better.

‘The Fantastic Four: First Steps’ is now playing in theaters.