Avengers: Infinity War and Endgame may represent Marvel’s greatest achievements, but The Fantastic Four: First Steps is the MCU’s most faithful and self-assured comic book movie yet. Director Matt Shakman delivers a vibrant vision of Marvel’s first family, embodying the spirit of the comic’s 60-year legacy while still catering to modern viewers’ tastes, resulting in one of the most charming and inspired MCU debuts yet. 

First Steps takes place in an alternate dimension from the other MCU movies. So anyone can dive into this story and follow along without needing to catch up on two decades’ worth of MCU film and TV backlog. In this reality, known as Earth-828, the Fantastic Four are Earth’s greatest heroes (and most beloved celebrities). 

The team is led by Reed Richards/Mister Fantastic (Pedro Pascal), the world’s most brilliant scientist who can stretch and contort his body to incredible lengths. Alongside Reed are his wife, Sue Storm/the Invisible Woman (Vanessa Kirby), who possesses the ability to turn invisible, and her brother Johnny Storm/the Human Torch (Joseph Quinn), who can ignite his body into flames. Last but not least is the irascible Ben Grimm/The Thing (Ebon Moss-Bachrach), a hulking powerhouse of a man with skin made of rock.

When the Fantastic Four aren’t saving the world from existential threats, they’re gracing magazine covers and making the rounds on the talk show circuit. Despite constantly defending the world from Mole Man attacks and super-ape invasions, their life is pretty routine — that is until the universe throws them the ultimate curveball: Sue’s pregnant.

With a child on the way, Reed grows obsessed with eliminating potential threats, but there’s no amount of scientific tinkering that can assuage the fears of an expecting dad. As if this weren’t enough for expecting parents to stress over, a metal-skinned alien woman (Julia Garner) arrives on Earth, heralding the arrival of Galactus (Ralph Ineson), a giant world-devouring creature. With Galactus approaching, the Fantastic Four find themselves in a race against time to stop Galactus from consuming their planet.

First Steps succeeds because Shakman fundamentally gets these characters — what they stand for and why fans adore them — and doesn’t make dramatic changes for the silver screen. That approach sounds like a no-brainer, but there’s a long history of filmmakers needlessly tinkering with successful comic book formulas — see Fantastic Four 2015. 

First Steps is a Fantastic Four story through and through — a charming and earnest family dramedy at its core, told through the lens of a cosmic sci-fi adventure. Shakman nails the style, tone, and emotional core of the best Fantastic Four stories and brings them to life with bold cinematic flair.

Since this story takes place in an alternate timeline from the mainline MCU, First Steps features a unique retrofuturistic aesthetic — imagine if The Dick Van Dyke Show featured talking robots, flying cars, and intergalactic space travel. It’s an ambitious choice that makes the film look distinct from its MCU predecessors.

But where the film really shines is through its impressive action sequences. It’s fun watching each member of the team put their powers into action in unique ways — from Reed contorting himself into a brace while in zero gravity to Ben using himself like a wrecking ball to bring down a skyscraper. And watching Garner’s Shalla-Bal surfing the event horizon of a black hole like an intergalactic Kelly Slater is comic book fan nirvana. 

The film’s screenplay provides the foundation for a great adaptation, but its core cast of actors are why First Steps leaves a lasting impression. The main cast has great chemistry that makes you believe you’re watching characters who have known each other for a lifetime. Watching the film felt like I was jumping into season three of a great TV show, at the point where the writers have worked out all the kinks and found their groove. 

You couldn’t ask for a better ensemble to embody Marvel’s first family, and there are two performances that stuck with me. Moss-Bachrach is an absolute treasure as Ben Grimm, a rough-around-the-edges tough guy with a heart of gold. The Thing has always been a world-class grump, but Moss-Bachrach brings a soft weariness to Ben that adds greater depth to the character. 

Pascal makes an interesting choice, opting to deviate from Reed’s more iconic comic book characterizations. Reed is still a tortured genius with the weight of the world on his shoulders, but Pascal softens him considerably. I’m unsure if he’s removed Reed’s harsher edges to appeal to audiences or is leaving space for the character’s darker turn in future films. His take on Reed is less aloof and more absentminded — the smartest guy in the world but a dummy when it comes to reading the room. 

The Fantastic Four earned the moniker of Marvel’s first family because their stories laid the blueprint for the legendary comic book titles released in the ensuing years (Avengers, X-Men, Spider-Man). I can’t imagine a truer to comics live-action version of a Fantastic Four film. It’s meaningless to call this the best Fantastic Four movie ever made since the current standard is already lower than Ant-Man’s limbo bar. But it’s the most ideal version of a Fantastic Four film, thanks to its unabashed commitment to the far-out source material.

Where filmmakers like Bryan Singer and Christopher Nolan made grim superhero films that ignored the joy and imagination found in comics to tell serious stories in “realistic worlds,” Shakman’s Fantastic Four does a complete 180. He creates a vibrant and off-the-wall reality that celebrates everything that makes comic books special. 

First Steps delivers the type of summer popcorn flick anyone can enjoy, but it will hold a special place in comic book lovers’ hearts. It’s a thrilling action-adventure movie packed with striking visuals that tells a gripping story with harrowing emotional stakes. But above all, it’s not afraid to embrace the kitsch, verve, and sense of wonder found in classic Fantastic Four comics.

The Fantastic Four: First Steps lands in theatres starting today, July 25.