Fantastic Four First Steps is a visually striking and thematically ambitious take on Marvel’s “First Family.” Having read the early comics, I appreciated how the film evokes the optimistic worldview of a time when humankind stood on the brink of space exploration. Yet while it aims to capture that spirit, it also sanitises the era it tries to portray.
The 1960s weren’t all sleek rockets and moon landings. Assassination, war, and civil unrest—JFK, Vietnam, and the violent targeting of civil rights leaders—shaped the decade. The film glosses over these realities. And while its alternate-universe setting may justify the omissions, the lack of historical weight ultimately weakens the choice to set the story in this time period at all. That’s because the narrative Stan Lee originally crafted contained all those themes, and it’s beautifully explored in the essay “How Did the Original ‘Fantastic Four’ Change Comics?” published on History.com.
Despite a committee-written script and Matt Shakman’s steady direction, the film’s strengths lie more in its aesthetic than its narrative. It’s full of promise—but frequently stumbles.
When the wait for new network episodes of alien curiosities and conspiracies feels long, I’m sure other folks have looked elsewhere for their fix. Whether that’s on YouTube, Paraflixx or Gaia, there are plenty of services to search for. As for who are the best hosts depends on their ability to convince, charm and persuade. When the list of programs is vast, there’s no number one show to explore every single subtopic out there. Neither is there one individual who can cover it all.