The Fantastic Four: First Stepshas cemented itself as one of Marvel’s biggest films in recent years, bringing the first family into theMarvel Cinematic Universein glorious fashion, delivering what many have alreadyproclaimed as the best live-action iteration of Fantastic Four to date(not that there’s much competition to begin with). The film has delighted both critics and audiences alike, sporting aRotten Tomatoes score of 86%from the former and 92% from the latter, as well as debuting to a very respectable$117.6 million domestic box office opening, proving that, despite some of Marvel’s recent blunders, they can still deliver the goods. If nothing else, it’s leaps and bounds overJosh Trank’s infamous 2015Fantastic Fourfilm, but once again, not exactly the highest bar to clear.
WithFirst Steps, Marvel has gifted fans with easily the most impressive casting line-up that the titular team has seen yet.Pedro PascalandVanessa Kirbyare the perfect Reed Richards and Sue Storm, exuding the tender, achingly romantic companionship of their comic counterparts beautifully. The other half of the team is equally well-cast, withEbon Moss-Bachrach’s Ben Grimm/The ThingandJoseph Quinn’s Johnny Storm providing their signature back-and-forth banter, despite the former not receiving the same depth asMichael Chiklis’s interpretation of the character in the 2005film. But when it comes to singling out the best scene of the Fantastic Four’s latest incarnation,the film’s standout moment may not be the one you’d expect.
The Birth of Franklin Richards Showcases Marvel at Their Best
While there are plenty ofmemorable scenes throughoutFantastic Four: First Steps, from the action-packed climax to the smaller moments,the film’s most impactful sequence is, without a doubt, the birth of Franklin Richards, the son of Reed and Sue. This is a scene with so many components operating at once, making for the most lively and involved sequence thatFirst Stepshas to offer, not to mention one of the most memorable in Marvel’s recent slate. The scene begins as a tense chase, as the team attempts to flee the Silver Surfer/Shalla-Bal (Julia Garner) and return to Earth-828 through the wormhole which they had utilized to confrontthe mighty and intimidating Galactus (Ralph Ineson). There’s such an urgency to the scene as is, but the addition of an in-labour Sue Storm makes the sequence feel all the more alive and in-the-moment.
What begins as a tension-filled escape with the team fleeing a formidable foe quickly turns into a scene of crucial stakes, with the lack of gravity on the team’s ship making it hard for Reed to help Sue safely deliver their baby, not to mention the metal woman on their tail amidst this dire situation. FewMarvel films throughout Phase Fourand Five have been able to muster this visceral a sequence, one that feels pulled straight from the glory days of the MCU.The Fantastic Four: First Stepsmay not be one of Marvel’s best films as a whole, but this sequence is the closest it gets to top-tier Marvel status, and shows that there’s still plenty of life left in this universe when given to the right talent.
This Scene Makes Every Member of The Fantastic Four Relevant
Part of what makes this scene the best in the film (and one of the movie’s biggest strengths in general) is the necessity of each of the four team members.Everybody has their part to play in both escaping and delivering Franklin safely; if one of these four weren’t present, you truly feel that the team would have been doomed to fail — no pun intended. Ben is piloting the ship through most of the scene, withtrusty robotic sidekick H.E.R.B.I.E.taking the reins at the last minute as Ben helps Reed and Sue with the delivery. Meanwhile, Johnny attempts to shoot the Silver Surfer with a laser turret (reminiscent of the one Luke Skywalker operated onthe Millennium Falcon inStar Wars: Episode IV -A New Hope, or at least I thought so), despite failing due to the wormhole bending the beams. All the while, Reed is helping Sue properly position herself, while Sue is using her abilities to camouflage the ship and hide it from the Silver Surfer’s gaze as she’s giving birth (the power you have, Sue!).
It’s a Damned Good Thing ‘The Fantastic Four: First Steps’ Is Going Back to the Past
It’s giving the Jetsons, and we’re here for it.
Every single character has their part to play in this sequence, which makes it all the more emotionally satisfying when the team escapes danger and Franklin Richards is finally born.It’s a beautiful moment of catharsis, and it’s the scene that makes the Fantastic Four feel the most like a complete unit. They’re truly a family, andFirst Stepsdoes a remarkable job of portraying that familial connection, especially in this sequence.Many superhero team-up films have characters that fall to the wayside due to not having as important a job as the main players, or simply not receiving the same amount of screen time. TakeDavid Ayer’s 2016Suicide Squadmovie, for example; who remembers the brilliant character that was Slipknot, “the man who can climb anything”? What’s that, you forgot he was even in the movie? Exactly! It’s a difficult task for an ensemble comic book movie to juggle a full cast of characters, and Marvel does a terrific job of just that withFirst Steps.
‘First Steps’ Brings Out a Warmth and Liveliness the MCU Has Been Lacking
Let’s face it: the MCU has largely been failing to connect as of late. Not that there haven’t been the odd projects that turned out spectacular, namelyGuardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3andSpider-Man: No Way Home, but even the good MCU films and shows as of late have lacked a certain appeal and energy that made the Phase One through Three MCU movies as terrific and rewatchable as they were. There’s a vibrancy tothe imagery ofThe Fantastic Four: First Stepsthat, outside the aforementionedGuardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, hasn’t been seen in these movies to this extent in some time. It’s a cliché to say, but the film looks like a direct translation of a comic to live-action.
But even beyond the visual aesthetic,First Stepsshows a glimmer of the old heart and soul of the MCU, particularly in the birth scene. The film lets its characters sit in their feelings and have intimate moments without compromising the scene for a joke; not that this hasn’t been seen in films likeThunderbolts*, but it’s been few and far between with Marvel’s recent slate. A common criticism among fans and critics alike has been the MCU’s dependence on jokes, to the point of compromising the emotional integrity of a scene. However, they’ve also had the inverse issue in series likeSecret Invasionthat are too dry and low-energy, finding it hard to strike that perfect balance of old. Every project should feel unique, yet tonally consistent, and Marvel’s latest output has been a mixed bag in this regard.
The birth of Franklin Richards is a reminder of what the MCU once was at its peak, and what it can still be when dealt the proper hand. Not just that, but it’s easily the most faithful aFantastic Fourfilm has ever been to the soul ofStan LeeandJack Kirby’s original source material. Let this be a lesson for future MCU projects; we want more of this, please!
The Fantastic Four: First Steps
