First Steps is the latest adaption about Fantastic Four. None of them has been successful in the past, but I must commend the studios for not giving up trying. Unfortunately, First Steps isn’t a very good adaptation either. There is part of it a really like. I think Galactus is nicely portrayed as an eternal superbeing, or whatever he is. It is made clear that he’s billions of years older than our universe at the very least. That suggests that he’s at least almost immortal, doesn’t it? It also suggests that there are other universes out there, not just our own, which makes us – the human species, even less significant in the cosmos.
In Fantastic Four First Steps, we get to know the back story, almost as a footnote. I think that might be the right way going about it since explaining the origin for their superpowers hasn’t worked in the past as a storyline. Here, they’re already established heroes even if they haven’t been around for so long. I think it’s four or five years since the radiation changed their DNA and created the superpowers.
I think you benefit from knowing one or two things about the universe the Fantastic Four operates within, though. You don’t have to know, but it’s easier to comprehend the inner tension within the group. Johnny is the little brother that no one listens to. Ben being the lump of rock that can’t pass for normal even if he wanted. He’s lonely and in need of human connection. You can tell he’s tired of always being a spectacle, and there’s Reed, who wants to have the last word in everything, and his wife, Johnny’s sister, Sue.
Oh, and early on, we also learn that she’s pregnant. Something I can’t remember ever reading in the comic books as a kid. But that was 40-50 years ago, so I guess they could have re-invented the story a few times since then anyway.
You can ignore all that and just concentrate on the story if you like. Once everything is established, a mysterious creature – the Silver Surfer – is entering the earths atmosphere, bringing a message to mankind. The Earth has been chosen for destruction by Galactus. Or rather, it has been chosen for him to devour.
Of course, the Fantastic Four cannot let this happen and embark on a journey to try to negotiate with Galactus. Do you think they succeeded? Of course not! There are some great action sequences though and a nice sci-fi environment inside the gigantic ship of Galactus. Essentially, after that, it’s just one big fight for survival, trying to outsmart Galactus. It’s very visually complex, although I was under the impression that a miniature set was obviously used at one point.
I think First Steps is a very entertaining movie, a bit slow-paced sometimes, and maybe it could have benefited from not being PG13. I don’t think it would have made very much difference, though. There’s really no reason to make this more violent or disturbing. Hell, what could be more disturbing than threatening to devour the whole planet anyway?
Oh, and don’t skip the end credits. There is a little extra teaser there.
