Yes. It's actually kind of great. It's bright, it's bombastic, it's brimming with imagination, and most importantly, it remembers to be fun. It’s a superhero adventure that knows how to entertain without trying too hard to be clever or edgy. I’d be shocked if anyone genuinely hated it - though this is the internet, so I’m sure someone out there has already started a 20-minute video essay titled Why Fantastic Four Is a Betrayal of the Comics.
Still, let’s be clear. This isn’t one of those “Marvel is BACK, baby!” kind of movies. It’s not Infinity War, and it’s not Guardians Vol. 3. My excitement going in wasn’t “I can’t wait to see what happens.” It was more like “Please don’t mess this up.” And they didn’t. They stuck the landing.
Let’s talk cast. Pedro Pascal surprised me with his take on Reed Richards. In the comics, Reed is often a cold, arrogant genius who somehow always manages to make the worst decision possible with the best intentions. Here, he’s softer. Still brilliant, still emotionally distant in that “I think in equations” kind of way, but also more human. He’s a loving husband first and foremost, and Pascal brings that quiet warmth effortlessly.
Vanessa Kirby steals the spotlight as Sue Storm. She’s the true leader of the group, and the movie doesn’t shy away from that. She’s calm, commanding, and smart without ever slipping into cliché. There’s a delicate balance there - being the emotional center without being overly sentimental - and Kirby nails it.
Joseph Quinn as Johnny Storm was the biggest question mark for me. I wasn’t sure how they’d handle the Human Torch without making him an annoying womanizer. Turns out, they just made him charming. He’s still the lighthearted one, still the guy who jokes around in high-stress situations, but he’s capable and grounded and smart. A flirt, not a creep. A fun guy, not a punchline.
And then there’s Ebon Moss-Bachrach as The Thing. And folks - this man gets Ben Grimm. Where past versions leaned into the gruff, gravel-voiced tough guy persona, this Ben is something else entirely. He’s soft-spoken. Loyal. Thoughtful. He’s the kind of guy who cooks a big pot of chili and calls you “kid” while giving life advice. The clobberin’ is still there when you need it, but so is the heart.
What really stood out to me, though, is how this movie doesn’t feel desperate to connect to everything else. It’s a standalone story. No multiversal gymnastics. No cameos crammed in for applause breaks. This isn’t the Fantastic Four arriving in the middle of a multiverse collapse - it’s their own story, set in their own universe, and you don’t need a Marvel PhD to understand what’s going on. That alone makes it feel refreshing.
As far as visuals and tone go, this is peak Marvel. Vivid colors. Creative setpieces. Big, bright set design. And most importantly, it all feels hopeful. It’s not cynical. It’s not weighed down by trauma or existential dread. It’s just a good old-fashioned superhero movie. That’s not to say it’s simplistic - the characters are more nuanced than ever - but it remembers to have fun along the way.
If I had to nitpick? I could have done with one or two more action scenes. Maybe the villain was a bit undercooked. But honestly, It's Galactus - He's there to be enormous and be defeated, That's his job. I'm not here to nitpick, I’m here to say that this is the kind of movie Marvel should’ve made right after Endgame. Not Quantumania. Not Love and Thunder. This.
Like Superman, there’s a back-to-basics energy here. It’s not about nostalgia for nostalgia’s sake. It’s about rediscovering what made these characters worth caring about in the first place - and using that foundation to build something new.
So yeah - I gotta say - it's some fantastic first steps…
(Yes. I went there. Deal with it.)
