Review: “Fantastic Four: First Steps” Like a Visit to the 1964 World’s Fair with An Old School Tribute to Motherhood and Family

What a surprise. Matt Shakman’s first Marvel movie, “The Fantastic Four: First Steps,” scores on every level.

There are sharply drawn, witty characters and a production design that is outstanding for being its own character.

Shakman and co drop the whole albatross of the Marvel Universe. The Fantastic Four live in their own version of New York set in the 1960s but also very futuristic, a la the Jetsons. It’s a rare period piece set in midcentury modern context.

Think of this movie taking place in world where Times Square looks like it did in 1962 and also in the TWA Terminal at JFK (now a hotel). Production designer Kasra Farahani’s team is so attentive to little details that it’s like a wonderland for anyone who grew up in New York. (Box office should be huge here just for that reason.) The cars, the street signs, all of it is resonant. Even the cars are vintage — and the Fours’ flies! (No one — dressed in period clothes —  seems surprised.)

“The Fantastic Four” is also a throwback kind of film in that Shakman has managed to work in product placements galore that don’t seem out of place. Canada Dry,  7 Up (do they still make it?) are prominently billboarded.When I saw Leighton’s, and the RKO Theater, I thought I was in a dream. I’ve included a real photo below that the designers obviously studied. 

This Fantastic Four is all about motherhood as Sue Storm (Vanessa Kirby, in a star turn) and Reid Richards (Pedro Pascal, better here than in the other 15 films he’s in this season) are about to welcome a baby (named Franklin). The couple live in a futuristic building set in ’60s Times Square (think the 1964 Worlds Fair) with Sue’s flying, fiery brother, Johnny (Joseph Quinn, who looks more like a young Robert Downey Jr) , and Ben Grimm aka The Thing (The Bear’s Ebon Moss Bacharach overcoming an unwieldy costume with humor). It’s like the Real World for superheroes.

They’re a family with super powers, and they’re trying to protect themselves and their fellow New Yorkers from the evil Galactus, who wants their baby for his future evil doings. Galactus’s emissary is a now female Silver Surfer (Julia Garner, dangerous and vulnerable). Add to this crew a malevolently humorous Paul Walter Hauser, and Matt Wood as the voice of Herbie, a sort of C3PO helper to the Four.

When Galactus and the Silver Surfer attack Earth, the Four volunteer to go into outer space and solve the problem. You do wonder why no one questions why heavily pregnant Sue goes on the mission because obviously the baby will be imperiled, but no one stops her or even suggests that she stay home. Of course, trouble awaits.

There are all kinds of nice touches. The Thing is constantly chided for his comic book catchphrase, “It’s clobbering time!” A kind of Uncle Charlie who helps out with the baby, he meets a nice Jewish girl Hebrew school teacher (there’s a scene in a synagogue!) played with effortless charm by Natasha Lyonne. They look set for a sequel storyline.

What Shakman has pulled off is no small thing. He’s given these characters a satisfying environment that is clever and sweet and comforting while letting them lampoon their own comic book history. A lot of this comes from a kind of anti-Marvel preamble explaining their history coolly and concisely that doesn’t even suggest a connection to the rest of Marvel. A note at the end of the movie says the Four will turn up in the next Avengers movie, which is almost too bad because they function so well in their own magical world.

PS I forgot to add– all the Disney plugs for ABC TV using their 60s-70s logo. 

Again, keep these two pictures in mind when you go to see this film. PS I wish I’d caught the names of the movies playing in their Times Square. I’m sure they will be parsed by experts.