On opening day of the highly-anticipated Marvel Studios film, “The Fantastic Four: First Steps,” I grabbed some friends to go watch the new blockbuster. Despite being more familiar with Marvel Cinematic Universe canon as it relates to the Avengers rather than the X-Men or the Fantastic Four, I was willing to give this new addition to the MCU a try. So without further ado and with spoilers ahead, I will unpack four points takeaways.
A Family Friendly Plot
Anyone can gather from the film’s promotion material that it is about doing whatever it takes to keep family together. Galactus – a colossal space entity played by Ralph Ineson – wanted to devour Earth as he has done to countless other planets. The Fantastic Four attempted to negotiate with him to take Earth off the menu, but Galactus said he would only spare Earth in exchange for the child of Mister Fantastic and Invisible Woman, played by Pedro Pascal and Vanessa Kirby respectively. The parents refused to sacrifice their newest addition to the family – Franklin.
This Marvel film is the most family friendly one I have seen. Unlike other Marvel films like “Captain America: Civil War” that have multiple complicated storylines, this film had one storyline.
The film did not include any deaths, blood, gore, cursing or extreme violence, making it more child friendly. The superheroes aimed to use their brains, technology and teamwork instead of immediately resorting to violence – contradictory to other Marvel films laden with explosions, gore and destruction.
The set design was simplistic and colorful, with a plethora of big shapes, sleek clean architecture and primary colors. This combined with the factors above create a low-stimulating film that anyone can enjoy.
A Parent’s Love
The film highlights a parent’s perspective when it comes to the lengths they would go to protect their child. It emphasizes how parents will make the impossible possible to ensure their child’s safety and wellbeing. The parents’ stubborn decision seemed selfish to the entire world as Galactus crept closer and closer to Earth. Even Mister Fantastic, or Reed Richards, was considering Galactus’ deal when there seemed to be no other options left, much to Invisible Woman’s, or Sue’s, angry refusal. She said she would not give her child up to save the world, but she would not give up the world to save her child.
I think the film portrayed the moral dilemma in a raw, emotional way that left me torn between both sides. Reed and Sue’s stressful, heated exchanges definitely pulled on my heartstrings. I also believe the side that the viewer chooses is based on where they are in life. A young person might take the world’s side and support the greater good. A parent might side with Reed and Sue because they wouldn’t sacrifice their child for anything.
Unity is Easy When Everyone Is Affected
Reed brainstormed a way for Earth to escape Galactus’s destruction via his recently invented teleportation machine. It was a long shot, but the plan was to teleport the entire planet far, far away from Galactus.
When the world realized that nobody could escape Galactus, everyone pitched in. Whether it was donating building materials, constructing teleportation bridges around the world or conserving power, everyone worked together because for the first time there was a cause and a problem that truly affected every single person.
Viewing such unity on screen led me to reflect on our own world. We are united in many different senses, but many people could care less about problems that have little to no impact on them until it’s too late.
On the other hand, the unity portrayed in the film was obviously exaggerated for the story’s sake. It seems too convenient for one heartwarming speech given by Sue to stop the worldwide protests fighting for a guaranteed way to save Earth – giving up Franklin.
It Wasn’t All “Fantastic”
The film primarily focused on Reed and Sue and the side tension between Johnny Storm, also known as Human Torch, and Silver Surfer, played by Joseph Quinn and Julia Garner respectively. Meanwhile the character development of Ben Grimm – The Thing, played by Ebon Moss-Bachrach, got the quick, unrefined scraps.
The filmmakers fumbled the opportunity to explore Ben’s craving for normal human interaction, especially love and romance. He was constantly objectified and gawked at because of his rocky orange exterior, so the film could have given more attention to his feelings for the elementary school teacher who saw him as a person. Instead precious screentime was dedicated toward the Lucky Charms product placement.
Overall, “The Fantastic Four: First Steps” is a refreshing addition to the MCU due to its better approach to resolving conflicts, emphasizing parental love and depicting a sense of unity we can only dream about.
Elena Mendonsa can be reached at [email protected] or [email protected]
