The Fantastic Four: First Steps . . . And baby makes five
Set in a retro-futuristic New York in an alternative 1960s (VW Beetles but no Beatles), it's no stretch (terrible pun intended) to say it's the coolest looking MCU flick in far too long and it leaves previous efforts at turning the blue-suited nuclear family into a viable franchise looking very lacklustre indeed.
It doesn't hang about either. The manageable two-hour runtime flies by and any idea that is a genesis story is knocked on the head early with an entertaining and witty opening montage that tells how our family of astronauts - Reed Richards/Mister Fantastic, Sue Storm/Invisible Woman, Ben Grimm/The Thing and Johnny Storm/Human Torch - got their amazing superpowers.
They are now globally admired and adored planetary elders in comfy looking onesies, who preach peace and strive for humanity's best interests, while clobbering baddies with righteous zeal. However, nothing could have prepared them for their latest adversary.
This is Galactus (Ralph Ineson), a skyscraper tall super villain with a stadium-filling voice, from somewhere out in the depths of space who survives by literally eating whole planets. His imminent arrival to dine on little old Earth is announced by the cooly fatalistic Silver Surfer, who is played with a well-pitched indifference by Julia Garner.
And so, our heroes battle to prevent their newest foe from turning the planet into his latest meal. They do this with an appeal for global cooperation, which might be possible in the film's idealised vision of the 1960s, and some scientific tricks that strain even the parameters of the MCU's built-in credulity. Still, the deeply silly plot does present one or two moral dilemmas for our heroes, not least one involving Reed and Sue's newborn, Franklin.
Pedro Pascal, the hottest thing in Hollywood right now, plays patriarch on the spectrum Reed with a quiet authority, Vanessa Kirby is her usual flinty and impressive self as Sue, and the Human Torch may or may not be falling for Silver Surfer; in one of the film's better lines, he asks her "So, are you actually attached to that board . . . ?
At one point, The Thing, who already looks like a jumbo Weetabix in a hat, seems like he's going to turn into Cookie Monster, and thankfully the family's cute but slightly irritating robot H.E.R.B.I.E. isn't given too much screen time. A now rehabilitated but still cankerous Mole Man (actor?) is also good value.
The inevitable city destroying finale works very well, with Galactus barging around New York like a bored Godzilla. In fact, The Fantastic Four: First Steps keeps its head and isn't as protracted and messy at the usual MCU fare; Shakman even cheekily makes at least two visual references to Kubrick's 2001: A Space Odyssey.
When Gallactus laments in his Grand Canyon of a voice, "who can stop this blank, eternal hunger?", those of us perplexed by the planet-eating MCU will similarly wonder if fans will ever fire of the formulaic superhero genre.
Still, The Fantastic Four: First Steps manages to find a look, feel and sense of cool all of its own that that sets it apart from the usual big screen Marvel chaos and confusion. However, the question does linger - didn't The Incredibles do all this with much more flair and fun?
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Irish Times
08-08-2025
- Irish Times
The Movie Quiz: What was that feckin' Mrs Brown's Boys film called?
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Extra.ie
01-08-2025
- Extra.ie
FILM REVIEW OF THE WEEK: Fantastic Four: First Steps
The latest iteration of the Fantastic Four arrives as a refreshing recalibration of the superhero genre. Unburdened by the labyrinthine continuity of the broader MCU, it reintroduces Marvel's first family with a stripped-down sincerity and a sharp stylistic vision. The setup may seem familiar to longtime comic book fans – four astronauts transformed by cosmic radiation – but the execution is stylish and enjoyable. Like James Gunn in Superman, director Matt Shakman (WandaVision, The Great) bypasses the origin template, dropping us into a world where the team is already established and adored. But this isn't the celebrity-inflected satire of The Boys or the anxiety-riddled introspection of The Batman. Instead, Shakman offers something closer to a retro-modern fairytale: a mid-century sci-fi Manhattan soaked in analogue futurism and optimism, where flying cars hover above the skyline and reel-to-reel computers predict galactic anomalies. It's a setting at once whimsical and weighty, evoking the spirit of Jack Kirby's original vision while updating it with cinematic elegance. The plot of Fantastic Four pivots on an unexpected pregnancy and an impossible moral dilemma. Reed Richards (Pedro Pascal, The Last of Us, The Mandalorian, everything on your TV and cinema screens right now), the stretchy super-genius known as Mr. Fantastic, and his wife Sue Storm (Vanessa Kirby, The Crown, Mission: Impossible – Fallout), aka the Invisible Woman, are expecting a child. As the foursome grapples with the implications of a super-powered baby, the cosmos delivers a dire ultimatum in the form of Julia Garner's hauntingly serene Silver Surfer, heralding the arrival of Galactus, the infamous Eater of Worlds (Ralph Ineson, The Witch, Game of Thrones). The heralding of an impending creature set to upend your universe feels like an apt metaphor for pregnancy, and these two storylines – personal and galactic – collide in an emotionally-charged climax. At the heart of this revitalised Fantastic Four are four performances that sell the premise not through spectacle but through chemistry. Pedro Pascal plays Reed Richards as a man trying, and occasionally failing, to balance genius with empathy, and brings his trademark ability to convey grit, tenderness and the weight of the world on his shoulders. But it's Vanessa Kirby's performance that is the film's emotional linchpin. Her Sue Storm is less the sidelined female superhero of past versions and more the de facto leader: assertive, nurturing, and unshakably moral. She can turn invisible, yes, but this version of Sue refuses to fade into the background, becoming the heart of the film and driver of many of the action sequences. Joseph Quinn (Gladiator II, A Quiet Place: Day One) brings a welcome reinvention to Johnny Storm, the Human Torch. Ditching the brash jock routine, Quinn plays Johnny as a thrill-seeking, attention-hungry younger brother who masks insecurity with swagger. His crackling flirtation with the Silver Surfer gives the film some of its most affecting scenes, culminating in a sequence where Johnny attempts to reason with a cosmic being not with weapons but with empathy. Meanwhile, Ebon Moss-Bachrach (The Bear, Girls, Andor) is wonderful if underused. His Ben Grimm is neither a brooding monster nor comic relief, but a soft-spoken, gravel-voiced everyman trapped in a rock-covered body. Moss-Bachrach infuses Ben with nobility and quiet humour, though it feels like his backstory was cut short. Supporting players also shine. Julia Garner's Silver Surfer is celestial in appearance, but painfully human in her doubts. Ralph Ineson lends Galactus a weary menace, more ancient god than comic-book tyrant. The CGI is thankfully better than in the trailers, and the production design by Kasra Farahani (Luce, Everything Everywhere All at Once, The Batman), is impressive in its futurist mid-century combination of Mad Men by way of The Jetsons, where CRT monitors plot hyperspace jumps and vending machines dispense Yoo-Hoo beside blueprints for warp drives. The film also works hard to reward longtime fans with sly callbacks and deep-cut references – from nods to Sue's potential twins to lines cribbed from the old Hanna-Barbera cartoon – but never at the expense of newcomers. It's the rare Marvel outing that doesn't require a ten years of MCU homework to enjoy it. In the end, Fantastic Four feels like a love letter: to the source material, to mid-century aesthetics, and to characters who, for too long, have been sidelined or misunderstood. It's not perfect. Pacing lags in the third act. Johnny and Ben could use more screentime. And while witty and with emotional arcs, it lacks Big Memorable Moments in the realms of humour, emotion and action, offering a quieter charm that risks feeling a little forgettable. But after many failed attempts of representing these characters onscreen, this version understands what makes the Fantastic Four fantastic: not their powers, but their bond. Like Superman's determination to highlight kindness, Fantastic Four: First Steps has a viewpoint, reminding us that family, both chosen and forged, still matters most. Directed by Matt Shakman. Written by Josh Friedman, Eric Pearson, Jeff Kaplan, Ian Springer. Cinematography by Jess Hall. Starring Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Ebon Moss-Bachrach, Joseph Quinn, Ralph Ineson, Julia Garner, Natasha Lyonne, Paul Walter Hauser, Sarah Niles, Mark Gatiss. 115 mins
Irish Daily Mirror
01-08-2025
- Irish Daily Mirror
It's the year of celebrity breakups - all the shock star splits of 2025, so far
News of Patrick Kielty and Cat Deeley's split took showbiz fans by surprise this week. The Late Late Show host and his British presenter wife announced on Tuesday that their marriage was over after 13 years. Paddy, 54 and Cat, 48, were television's power couple and were thought to be happily married with two young sons. However, they said in a joint statement on Tuesday: 'We have taken the decision to end our marriage and are now separated. There is no other party involved.' Their love story was particularly sweet as they met as friends and colleagues on TV show Fame Academy in 2002 first, before they got married a decade later. Love blossomed when Patrick crossed continents to make it to a birthday lunch for Cat in LA. Their unexpected break-up is the latest in a line of celebrity separations and divorces in 2025. Celeb fans are calling 2025 the year of shock star splits, as there have been so many of them. Jessica Alba and Cash Warren Jessica Alba split from her husband of 16 years, film producer Cash Warren in January. The Fantastic Four actress shared the news on Instagram, saying she had been on a 'journey of self-realisation' and that 'It's time for us to embark on a new chapter of growth and evolution as individuals'. They had been together for 20 years and have three children. Jessica Alba and Cash Warren attend the "The Killer Inside Me" premiere during the 9th Annual Tribeca Film Festival at the SVA Theater on April 27, 2010 in New York City (Image: WireImage) Jessica Simpson and Eric Johnson Also in January, Jessica Simpson broke up with husband Eric Johnson after a decade of marriage. The singer, 44, and NFL player, 45, have two daughters and a son and said although it was a 'painful situation' they are focusing on their children. Thalia Heffernan and Angus Scott-Young Another New Year break-up was Irish model Thalia Heffernan and her rugby player boyfriend, Angus Scott-Young. Thalia, 29, met the Australian sports star, 27, through a dating app in the summer of 2024. The pair shared their relationship all over social media, with posts of them posing together in various places. However, with Angus playing in London for Northampton Saints, it seems the long-distance relationship was tricky. Katy Perry and Orlando Bloom Star couple Katy Perry and Orlando Bloom recently called it quits after nine years together. They broke up earlier this year, but only confirmed the news last month. Orlando Bloom and Katy Perry (Image: orlandobloom/Instagram) The pair met in 2016, had daughter Daisy Dove in 2020 and were engaged for three years. However, there was much speculation about the state of their relationship, with talk of how they were no longer on the same page. Pop singer Perry did not attend the wedding of Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez, though superstar British actor Bloom was a guest. 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Lily Allen and David Harbour (Image: Internet Unknown) Allen's daughters - teens Marnie and Ethel, who she shares with ex-husband Sam Cooper - were also in attendance and the couple seemed to be madly in love. However, romance turned sour for the two, who were said to have been living separate lives before the split. Allegations of infidelity on the part of Harbour made the break-up acrimonious. Rumours suggested Harbour was cheating on Allen, using the celeb dating app Raya. While not addressing the end of the relationship on her podcast Miss Me, Allen has referenced it, hitting out at the unfairness of how men prefer younger women. David Harbour is now dating model Ellie Fallon, who at 27, is 23 years his junior. Sabrina Carpenter and Barry Keoghan Sabrina Carpenter, 26, and Barry Keoghan, 32, confirmed they were over as we went into 2025. The two stars had appeared as love's young dream when they got together in 2023. 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Ryan Tubridy's romance with scientist Aoibhinn Ni Shuilleabhain was very high-profile when they got together in 2009. But they parted ways in 2014. Ryan, 52, has just announced his engagement to psychologist Claire Kambamettu, 41; while Aoibheann has three children with husband Carlos Diaz. For more of the latest breaking news from the Irish Mirror check out our homepage by clicking here. The Irish Mirror's Crime Writers Michael O'Toole and Paul Healy are writing a new weekly newsletter called Crime Ireland. Click here to sign up and get it delivered to your inbox every week
