With a lot of hoopla surrounding its release, we finally get this second reboot of The Fantastic Four, and it’s the first film of the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s Phase 6. And if you’re still counting, it is the MCU’s 37th film. Without a doubt, there’s strong curiosity about this film, as The Fantastic Four has always been a firm comic book favorite. Still, for some reason, its transition to live-action cinema has always been problematic. 

Mark Shakman directs, and he’s probably best known for the Marvel Limited Series WandaVision. And true to form, his stylized retro-futuristic look can be found in this film, and I would best describe it as ‘Jetsons being shot in live action’. Similar to Wanda, beyond its trademark visual style, there is also a strong emphasis on narrative and dramatic storytelling. When there are action sequences, they’re driven by the tension and the suspense, as much as by the fighting and action itself. 

The basic premise is that the Four, including a pregnant Sue Storm, must protect their world, Earth-828, from being devoured by a cosmic being known as Galactus. The herald of this diabolical supervillain is none other than the Silver Surfer - another comic book favorite, so wait and see what happens to the Surfer of this film. The impending birth of Reed Richards and Sue Storm's baby helps elevate the narrative to one of potent human drama, family, and sacrifice. 

Reed Richard’s/Mister Fantastic is portrayed by Pedro Pascal as the scientist leader of the group. Sue Storm/Invisible Woman is Vanessa Kirby, and more than the force fields she can generate, she is the cement holding the family together. Ben Grimm/The Thing is Ebon Moss-Bachrach, Reed's best friend, who turned into orange rock. Then there’s Johnny Storm/Human Torch played by Joseph Quinn, and his being a ladies' man is more hinted at verbally than displayed. 

Providing strong support are Jennifer Garner as Shalla-Bal/Silver Surfer, and this was a brave move, to have a female Silver Surfer. Ralph Ineson is Galactus, and here is a villain who’s supposed to project scale and size - given that he devours planets. Natasha Lyonne and Paul Walter Hauser have minor roles, Natasha as Rachel Rozman, school teacher and potential love interest for Ben Grimm, and Paul as Mole Man.

The shafts of humor come primarily from Johnny Storm, the Mole Man, and The Thing. And what I appreciated in this film treatment was how Sue Storm emerges as the moral center, the gravitational pull of the Four—the one defining what’s right and wrong, given that there are several moral dilemmas throughout the storyline. 

Best to watch this on an SM IMAX screen to appreciate Galactus, who’s a futuristic Godzilla or Kaiju. There’s one crazy sequence of a child being delivered, and it’s an impressive set piece. This is a superhero film with more drama and pathos than your average superhero outing. Hard questions are raised, requiring even more complex answers. So, it may not be as much fun and games as, say, the recent Superman movie. And I’m genuinely curious to observe how audiences will take to this latest Fantastic iteration.