Exploring the New Era of Marvel's Fantastic Four
Delve into the latest chapter of the Marvel Cinematic Universe as we explore the dynamic storytelling and innovative character portrayals that redefine the iconic Fantastic Four. Join us as we uncover the nuances of this thrilling cinematic journey.
I sat down in the theater...
…snacks in one hand and low expectations in the other. I patiently waited for the film to start, and once it did, I knew I was in for a treat. As a young millennial, I was lucky to experience the original Fantastic Four films in theaters and unlucky enough to remember when they tried to reboot in 2015. That is to say, a proper Fantastic Four movie has been a long time coming, and I believe we finally have one. I left the theater on a high note, feeling like “wow, this is our first family!” I don’t believe it’s a perfect home run by any means, but it has all the makings of a great foundation for the new phase Marvel is entering.
The biggest standout and surprise about the film was its tone. We all know Marvel can usually skew on the sillier side of things, but this film immediately felt different. The best word I can use to describe it is solemn. I was taken aback at just how serious all the characters felt; for example, Johnny Storm, who has usually gotten a goofy portrayal, hardly made any jokes and the seriousness of what they are facing, as a world and as a family, was really able to sink in.
Performance Highlights
Stellar Cast Deliveries
(Image credit: Disney/Marvel Studios)
Ebon Moss-Bachrach was another standout; upon hearing his casting, I was both very excited and slightly on edge. I loved him in The Bear but wasn’t sure what he would bring to Ben Grimm, who I’d consider something like a hard-boiled egg: tough on the outside but soft on the inside. Apprehension aside, Moss-Bachrach was able to bring such emotion to the character; at times, it did feel like a lot of his storyline ended up on the cutting room floor, and he definitely could’ve had even more shining moments, but he did extreme justice to what was left of his arc.
The cast gave their all, and it was enough for some, while others felt a little… out of place. I was blown away by Vanessa Kirby’s performance as Sue Storm. Again, those first Fantastic Four films did not give Sue room to do much of anything let alone be a force to be reckoned with. Kirby brought an immense strength and tenderness to her role, and I found myself rooting for her the whole time. It was a beautiful portrayal of motherhood and how far a mother would go for her child.
Character Analysis
Johnny and Reed: A Closer Look
Johnny and Reed were the most confusing for me. I didn’t feel like Pedro Pascal was the best choice for Reed; he had basically no personality, which is a shame since Pascal is one of the most charismatic actors today.
They didn’t really find ways to highlight his genius capabilities, either. Johnny was also characterized slightly differently than I remember him being. I did appreciate the film wanting to show that he isn’t just a womanizing wise ass, but it felt like in trying to be different, the performance fell a little flat.
Family Dynamics
The Heart of the Fantastic Four
The Fantastic Four as a family unit was one of my favorite parts of the film. I loved the little moments of banter and quality time between the core four. It really did feel like being with your loved ones, and the movie really shined in those moments. You could feel the warmth between them all. The argument between Reed and Sue felt so real; you could hear a pin drop in my theater. I was taken aback at how human a discussion it was. Kudos to them!
Powers
Showcasing Super Abilities
One of the biggest issues I had with the film was that I did not feel they showcased their powers enough or in the best ways. We hardly got to see any cool stretching (sounds crazy, I know), and the Thing didn’t really get to show his abilities off either. We needed more smashes and more stretches. Sue and Johnny at least did get to show their powers in interesting ways, which I loved! Sue is especially powerful, so I really enjoyed seeing her get to show off and lead the pack.
Exploring the Narrative
A Journey Through the Film's Storyline
I was happy not to receive another origin story since we already have that with this team, and I did enjoy the storyline the movie portrayed. Galactus and Silver Surfer felt very bad ass and like legitimate threats throughout the film.
I especially loved Julia Garner as Silver Surfer; her scenes were some of my favorites in the film. She brought gravitas and tragedy to the character, and I ate it up. Galactus felt a little underbaked, unfortunately. I imagine we’ll end up seeing him more, but for a character with such a rich backstory (look it up), we basically learned nothing about him.
The film moved very fast, and you could tell where things got chopped up in post; this wasn’t necessarily a bad thing like with other Marvel films (*cough cough* Brave New World), as I feel it still flowed well. I appreciated the desire for a movie that isn’t nearly 3 hours long, even though I honestly could’ve sat for more. I would’ve loved to see Ben’s arc, would’ve loved to see Silver Surfer and Johnny bonding, would’ve loved for Galactus to be able to show his story to everyone.
Final Thoughts
A Marvelous Cinematic Experience
Regardless of its missteps, the movie is a pretty good Marvel outing; it is one of the better films in recent years for them, by far. This is technically marking the beginning of phase 6, with a lot more multiverse shenanigans to come before the saga ends, and all I can say is I am so happy to have our family back! The film provided a great introduction to this new Fantastic Four team while giving us some remarkable performances from a few of our leads. It’s a movie that defies some expectations while also sticking to a tried-and-true formula. Is it perfect? No. Is Marvel so back? Only time will tell, but this was a good first step in the right direction.
Written by Bria Celest
Bria Celest is an author and photographer. For bookings: contact her at briacelest@gmail.com. Visit her photography portfolio at celestimages.com
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