Fantastic Four 2025 Review: Things You Must Know Before Watch

Liputan6.com, Jakarta The highly anticipated film, "The Fantastic Four: First Steps," is set to launch the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) as part of its ambitious Phase Six.

This 2025 American superhero film is based on the Marvel Comics superhero team Fantastic Four and marks the second reboot of the film series.

The Marvel Studios production is scheduled to premiere at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion in Los Angeles on July 21, 2025, before its official release in the United States on July 25, 2025.

Directed by Matt Shakman, the film promises a fresh cinematic experience with a screenplay written by Josh Friedman, Eric Pearson, Jeff Kaplan, and Ian Springer.

"The Fantastic Four: First Steps" is the 37th film in the MCU chronology, marking a significant step for this ever-expanding franchise.

Fans are eagerly awaiting how this iconic team of heroes will be integrated into the larger universe.

Set in a retro-futuristic world inspired by the 1960s, the film will transport audiences to Earth-828, a unique alternate universe.

The Fantastic Four, consisting of Reed Richards, Sue Storm, Ben Grimm, and Johnny Storm, will face the cosmic threat of the planet-eater Galactus and his herald, the Silver Surfer.

This premise offers the epic conflict that has become a hallmark of Fantastic Four stories.

"The Fantastic Four: First Steps" features an ensemble cast that promises incredible on-screen chemistry.

Pedro Pascal will play Reed Richards, aka Mr. Fantastic, the genius leader with the ability to stretch his body parts.

Vanessa Kirby will bring to life Sue Storm, the Invisible Woman, who can manipulate light and create force fields.

Ebon Moss-Bachrach is cast as Ben Grimm, The Thing, a stone giant with unmatched superpowers.

Meanwhile, Joseph Quinn will play Johnny Storm, the Human Torch, who possesses the abilities to control fire and fly.

These four actors are expected to capture the essence and family dynamic that characterize the Fantastic Four.

In addition to the core team, the film also introduces other important characters.

Julia Garner will play the Silver Surfer in the form of Shalla-Bal, while Ralph Ineson will voice Galactus, the planet-devouring cosmic entity that poses the ultimate threat.

Natasha Lyonne and Paul Walter Hauser also join the film, adding depth to the cast.

In "The Fantastic Four: First Steps," the team of heroes must face one of the greatest threats in the Marvel Universe.

They are tasked with protecting a retro-futuristic, 1960s-inspired world from Galactus, a planet-consuming cosmic being, and his herald, the Silver Surfer.

This conflict will be the centerpiece of their adventure.The film's setting is unique, taking place in an alternate universe known as Earth-828.

This setting allows the filmmakers to explore a different visual aesthetic and bring a fresh twist to the Fantastic Four story.

The futuristic, 1960s feel is expected to be a major draw for audiences.

This premise also suggests that the film will focus on faithfully adapting classic elements from the comics, while still incorporating a modern twist.

The battle against Galactus is one of the most epic stories in Fantastic Four history, and fans are eagerly awaiting how Marvel Studios will visualize it on the big screen.

To complement the cinematic experience, Marvel Studios released a prequel comic titled "The Fantastic Four: First Steps #1."

Written by Matt Fraction and illustrated by Mark Buckingham, the comic provides a rich background before the events of the main film.

It was released on July 2, 2025, a few weeks before the film's theatrical release.

This prequel comic is set four years before the events of the film, chronicling the debut adventure of the Fantastic Four team.

The story appears to be inspired by the original Fantastic Four #1 by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, paying homage to the comic's roots.

This is important because the main film will largely skip the team's origin story.

The comic's primary function is to fill in narrative gaps and provide a deeper understanding of how the Fantastic Four team was formed and began operating.

This way, audiences who read the comic will have a richer context for watching the film, even though the film itself is designed to be standalone.

Overall, "The Fantastic Four: First Steps" has received generally positive reviews from critics.

Many reviews highlighted the film's distinctive retro-futuristic aesthetic and family-focused themes, which were considered a success.

Some even called it "the best Fantastic Four film to date," given the less successful previous efforts.

Critics praised the film for its brilliance on the big screen, particularly thanks to its stellar cast and spectacular chemistry.

The impeccable production design and instantly iconic musical score were also notable highlights.

The visuals of "Fantastic Four: First Steps" were described as a retro-futuristic feast for the eyes, with a 1960s-inspired style.

Vanessa Kirby's performance as Sue Storm is often cited as the standout performance, repeatedly saving the day.

The film is also said to capture the feel of Stan Lee and Jack Kirby in several scenes, particularly in its depiction of Galactus.

Another strength is its self-contained narrative, which requires no prior MCU knowledge, making it easily accessible to new audiences.

Despite receiving widespread acclaim, "The Fantastic Four: First Steps" also received mixed reviews from critics.

Some felt the film wasn't as enjoyable as expected, while others argued that the actors hadn't fully found their groove, or that the screenplay flattened the characters.

The villain was also a slight disappointment for some critics.

The film felt like Marvel was trying to recapture what worked in the early MCU films, but didn't quite achieve that classic Marvel magic.

The story was considered simple, with no major twist in the third act.Technical aspects, such as the CGI work, were sometimes considered inconsistent.

Furthermore, the film was considered to not delve deeply into the less glamorous family dynamics of the comics, which are a core part of the Fantastic Four.

Some critics even felt the film felt more like a first episode than a fully standalone film for Reed Richards, suggesting it was just the first step in a larger story.