Well, the rains finally let up over the weekend in the Philippines and I finally got to see Marvel‘s Fantastic Four: First Steps. As I mentioned in my review for the 2005 Fantastic Four I did last week, I usually go watch movies in the middle of the week as they come out here in the Philippines. So, this was a nice change of pace to go see one of the most anticipated films of the year on a weekend. I’ve gotten so used to seeing the latest (and sometimes greatest) movies in virtually empty cinemas. As I did see it over the weekend, I saw Fantastic Four: First Steps in a packed movie theater.

So, was it worth it? Was it worth squeezing in a full cinema to see Marvel’s final entry before they release Avengers: Doomsday? Well, read on to find out!

By the way, although I am a week late and most other geeky sites have already put out their own reviews, I will still be making this review a SPOILER FREE review. You know, just in case and to be fair to those who were perhaps like me and weren’t able to go to the theater for one reason or another. Once again, this is a SPOILER FREE review.

Fantastic Four: First Steps refreshingly doesn’t take place in the Marvel Cinematic Universe we’ve gotten so familiar with over the decades. In this part of the Multiverse, the Fantastic Four are the only superheroes this universe has ever known, essentially, have guided the world to virtually world peace. While there are still some major supervilliany that occur, it’s nothing the Fantastic Four cannot handle. However, the peace is now in danger due to the arrival of this universe’s Silver Surfer who announces this Earth is the next in line to be devoured by the cosmic being known as Galactus. Even the combined might of the Fantastic Four might not be able to fight him off.

Let me set your mind at ease: Fantastic Four: First Steps is a great movie… but I can’t call it a “fantastic” film. There is a lot to love here but that’s mostly because it’s one of the most, shall we say, refreshing Marvel films in recent memory. As it takes place in an alternate universe, Fantastic Four: First Steps isn’t weighed down by any baggage from the previous decades of Marvel movies. I kind of had the impression this was very intentional. From its retro-futuristic aesthetic and brighter colors to the more subtle use of humor that never interrupts the drama, Fantastic Four: First Steps feels like a breath of fresh air for longtime Marvel fans as well as those who have checked out of the Marvel Cinematic Universe hype. This just feels like everything is new without rebooting everything.

I do have to touch on the retro-futuristic look as that bleeds into not only the set and costume design but also in the film’s overall atmosphere and tone. There is simply a level of positivity and a lack of cynicism for most of the movie’s brisk 114-minute runtime. Imagine the positive vibes of movies and television programs of the 50’s and 60’s and you’ll understand how this makes everything seem like everything is possible. Even the people in the movie come off as very nice and pleasant to each other, which is far away from the more sardonic and pessimistic tone we have in Marvel’s and, well, today’s world. I do love

The acting, overall, is top-notch as everyone, and I do mean everyone, pulls off performances that make you connect with them and their characters. I wasn’t a big believer of Pedro Pascal pulling off a good Mister Fantastic because, well, he doesn’t look a whole lot like the Reed Richards from the comics. But once he got to talking and how he showed off his slight aloofness mixed with his genuine concern for both his family and the planet, I changed my mind quickly. I also loved Vanessa Kirby‘s performance as Sue Storm/Invisible Woman as she was able to project stern strength but still able to kind of be a soft-spoken spokesperson for the team when needed.

Joseph Quinn‘s Johnny Storm/Human Torch also came out well as, although he is brash and a hot-head, he’s able to reel himself in and actually do some thinking that helps the team. I also liked Ebon Moss-Bachrach‘s take on Ben Grimm/The Thing. You can tell there’s a really likable guy underneath all that CGI granite skin of his. I will say it’s weird as, while Mister Fantastic, Invisible Woman and the Human Torch have some really big moments, The Thing doesn’t and I can’t help but feel whatever moment he was supposed to have was cut out to keep the movie within the manageable time of under two hours.

I also liked the performances from both Julia Garner and Ralph Ineson who play this universe’s Silver Surfer and Galactus. Although you don’t really see them as, like with The Thing, they’re basically all CGI, they give really menacing voice work for their characters. This is especially true for Julia Garner, who delivery is almost robotic and emotionless but, underneath it, there is still some humanity in there. It’s very subtle and I really liked it.

As there are three main cast members who are purely CGI, I will say I was very impressed with the visual effects here. For the most part, they are almost seamless. However, I did kind of feel some of the “green screen” during the big setpiece in the middle of the film. As I said, this is a SPOILER FREE review so I can’t tell you specifically what this is but you’ll know it when you see it. However, I really did buy that The Thing, Silver Surfer and Galactus were just a part of this as they didn’t look out of place in the least.

Although this is a Marvel film, there aren’t that many action scenes. In fact, there are only two of them! Thankfully, they are really good and quite long so I really like that they focused on making these two action setpieces of good quality rather than just having a bunch of them that are just meh. Still, you don’t really miss them as Fantastic Four: First Steps seems to focus more on character interactions, proper tone and just plain, good storytelling. Regarding character interactions, everyone has really good chemistry with each other. I totally felt the love between Mister Fantastic and Invisible Woman here. The witty jabs between The Human Torch and The Thing felt organic and not forced. I really bought into the idea that these four individuals are, well, a family!

I also do love the focus on keeping the appropriate tone as the movie went on. Things really get serious and somewhat dark but it’s still the same world we’re introduced to. There are jokes and humorous moments but they’re never used to break a somber scene. You don’t see that in a Marvel movie every day, do you? As such, you get really sucked into the story. I will say the ending feels a little deus ex machina but, as I was fully invested, I noticed it but I really didn’t mind.

As much as I have been praising the movie, I do feel there is something lacking. The villains, while scary because of how powerful they’re presented, aren’t particularly interesting. When I was talking about the lack of scenes for The Thing, I mentioned there’s a possibility that there are some scenes that were cut out. Well, the entire movie does seem like that as there are abrupt time skips peppered throughout the film. That makes it hard to keep a good sense of how much time is actually passing. They could’ve done things like show the seasons passing or something like that instead of the perpetual summer this world seems to be experiencing throughout the year. These are minor problems but major enough to keep me from saying its, well, fantastic.

Fantastic Four: First Steps is a return to form for the Marvel Cinematic Universe but in a roundabout way. It doesn’t follows the formula it’s been using for the past couple of decades. But because it does a lot of things different from previous entries, it does manage to capture a lot of the Marvel magic that they seemed to have lost. When the Marvel Cinematic Universe started way back in 2008 with Iron Man, it felt fresh because we haven’t seen a superhero movie done like that before. The same can be said for Fantastic Four: First Steps. I am kind of sad I didn’t get to see it on opening day because of how good it is. So, if you haven’t seen a Marvel movie at the theater in a while, I do implore you to see Fantastic Four: First Steps. It is worth it.

Have you seen Fantastic Four: First Steps? What did you think of it? Let me know in the comments section below!