I grew up a huge nerd. This shouldn’t come as a shock to anyone who reads my columns regularly. One thing I’ve always loved has been space and astrophysics. My great-grandfather was an engineer. My grandmother raised me, and he was her father. He was also one of my role models. He taught me to appreciate science and astronomy from an early age. I say all of this because Galactus embodies everything I love about astronomical science, and it brought me great joy to see Marvel keep that legacy intact instead of making him a one-note villain.
This article will contain some general spoilers and a brief discussion of Galactus’ fate in the film. If you don’t care about these things being spoiled, please read on. There won’t be anything too in-depth as far as character relationships or future MCU events beyond Galactus’ fate, so it is up to you if you care about those sorts of details. Some people only care about one, very specific spoiler, and I can promise we do not discuss him at all. This is your final warning: turn back now to avoid spoilers for Fantastic Four: First Steps.
If you paid attention to Julie Garner’s wonderful performance as Shalla-Bal, you’ll likely have heard something unusual when she announced her presence and mission. It might not have been something you noticed at all, but rather something you didn’t notice. There were no threats from Shalla-Bal nor Galactus when she arrived. She stated eloquently and truthfully that Galactus is no different than the Universe itself. She intimated that you couldn’t stop Galactus any more than you could hope to stop a star from being born or a volcano erupting. He is a function of the universe, not a villain bent on destroying planets en masse.
Except for the small period where Galactus was known as the Lifebringer, he has always been a force of nature. Even in his first appearance, Galactus made it abundantly clear that the day-to-day lives of humans did not mean anything to him. Humans are to Galactus as an ant is to a human; at best, it’s a species worth studying. Galactus’ purpose has always been to control the expansion of planets. His true purpose was to stop the spread of Celestials, who birth from planets. His presence also keeps Abraxas away, but that’s a story for another day.
Galactus functions like a black hole. He is as destructive as a black hole, and just as powerful as a Celestial. Marvel didn’t identify him as a Celestial in the MCU, but make no mistake about his power level. Galactus has merked several Celestials in his day. Marvel hasn’t quite defined his power, but they make it clear that he’s natural and will be replaced. If a being more powerful than Galactus was capable of creating him and Galactus is at least as powerful as a Celestial, whatever or whoever created him is a being of unimaginable power. It’s better to think of him as a force of nature, and that’s what director Matt Shakman had Silver Surfer stress, and Galactus reinforce when the First Family visited him.
Galactus is more of a threat where there’s aboslutely nothing you can provide him that would prevent him from feeding on your planet. The planet is more important to him as fuel than the worries and concerns of the beings inhabiting the planets he’s about to eat. A black hole doesn’t care how long a star has been around, it only cares that the star is there and is a source of fuel. I thank Matt Shakman for giving me a Galactus that is true to the comics. I can’t wait to see how Galactus being teleported off somewhere, “we know not where,” means that he will be returning to show off his true power. I can only hope he squares off with an Eternal or a Celestial at some point.
My first reaction as I left Fantastic Four: First Steps following the first showing of the day was to celebrate. Fans have finally been given a true-to-page reincarnation of Marvel’s First Family on the big screen. Even more reason to celebrate is the comic-accurate portrayal of Galactus as the film’s antagonist. I am a huge Galactus fan because I love space and black holes. Galactus is essentially a black hole for the Marvel Universe, and staying true to the fact that he’s a force of nature and not a villain was something I was pleasantly surprised to see acknowledged and respected during the film. In sum, Fantastic Four: First Steps did a masterful job of bringing the First Family to the MCU. Director Matt Shakman absolutely crushed it. Here’s my spoiler-free review.
At its core, First Steps is about family and meeting it where you find it. Many people can relate to having a great family, and many people can relate to having no genetic family but finding a family with others. Fantastic Four: First Steps examines family from both sides and reiterates the message that family is where you find it. It’s also through the power of that family that people can accomplish the impossible together. There will be tough moments, and there will be moments that test the very core and stability of that family. Allowing your family to help you meet those moments head-on, in addition to allowing yourself to be scared with others, is how you overcome them.
MCU fans will know that Matt Shakman is the man responsible for WandaVision, which was a ground-breaking first series for Marvel on Disney+, and helped the fairly new network grow its subscriber base. WandaVision received huge praise for Shakman’s usage of many different periods of life, through television tropes. The show began with 50s TV and costuming before moving through the decades, and riffing on famous sitcoms and plotlines. When Shakman announced this film would be a period film set in the 60s, his previous work on WandaVision had viewers really eager to see his vision come together. Shakman delivered another masterclass in period filming.
Many of Marvel’s best ideas have all been period projects. Captain America: The First Avenger, WandaVision, Agent Carter, Captain Marvel, and now Fantastic Four: First Steps. That doesn’t even account for films like Guardians of the Galaxy, which leaned heavily into the past through music, or Deadpool & Wolverine, which recreated several eras of previous filmmaking before the MCU was even a twinkle in Marvel’s eye. They just seem to knock it out of the park when they dip into different periods, and that opens up so much through storytelling. I appreciate that they’re selective with it and only use it when it’s going to be effective in telling a story.
The actors they cast for the film all did a remarkable job playing their roles. Pedro Pascal and Vanessa Kirby set the bar for Reed and Sue Richards. Their chemistry was evident from the jump, and their work only improved as the film progressed. Ebon Moss-Bachrach nailed Ben Grimm, aka The Thing. He absolutely embodied The Thing throughout the film. He was loyal, wise, and the voice of reason for Reed. Joseph Quinn can officially tell Chris Evans to move aside, because there’s a new flame in town. While still young and… well, Johnny, but we see a deeper side of him than just the cocky ladies’ man. He’s a member of this family, and he wants to prove himself. He’s easily the heart of the film.
Then there’s Ralph Ineson and his portrayal of Galactus, which was perfect. Ineson was able to deliver the same Galactus, who is indifferent to humans and life in general. He only cares about his eternal hunger and prioritizes eating over everything. He also doesn’t care for the Silver Surfer, excellently played by Julia Garner. Surfer is nothing more than an employee to him, but could there be more to the Surfer? These two loved their roles and worked together to off-set to deliver more chemistry onscreen, and the effort shows. I believed every moment of their interactions today.
The music by Michael Giacchino also delivered. Giacchino is no stranger to delivering music of a particular era, nor is he a stranger to making banger soundtracks. He has done both once again, and I’ve been humming the new Fantastic Four theme all day. The original soundtrack for the film hits all the right emotions and all the right times. They also limited the use of licensed songs and even had one artist make a song specifically for the film called Let Us Be Devoured by Andrea Datzman. It’s a fantastic piece of music, especially if you’re into digging through Marvel’s Easter eggs and hints.
If you’re a fan of Fantastic Four, you’re going to be elated at how well-done the film is, as well as how much it honors and respects the source material. There’s plenty of humor stuck in the film, but it’s mostly a story about heart and family. It will leave you feeling happy for several reasons: the film and the fact that we finally have a good Fantastic Four movie in theaters. Go see this film before people spoil it for you, as there is a campaign going around to do that by people upset at good comic movies. You’re going to be glad you went and saw it, that much I can promise you.
BSO Rating: Fantastic 4.75 out of 5.
