The world is trucking along, experiencing earthquakes in Russia; France, Canada, and the United Kingdom recognising the State of Palestine; Kash Patel hanging out with Winston Peters; and a convicted felon was discovered cheating at golf on his own golf course, as well as a new Some Geek Told Me blog, in the form of The Fantastic Four: First Steps-Movie Review.

It seems only last week that I was writing the preview for the movie, and time has passed in the only way it can: painfully slowly during the week and quickly at the weekend, bringing us to this day. So, without prancing around like a person who likes to prance around, let’s move into one of the world’s most beloved literary works, a Some Geek Told Me movie review!

You know how the classic story goes:

• I buy a movie ticket days in advance.
• I arrive at the cinema and purchase a drink.
• I proceed to enter the theatre without anybody asking to see a ticket. Every. Single. Time. It’s amazing.

Anyway, the theatre was about 1/3 full, which for a Tuesday night, was not too shabby. It was one of those times there was no allocated seating, so I planned to go in the middle of the back row; however, a young couple had already nabbed the coveted section, so I sat a few seats away from them. No one is perfect.

As for the trailers, it was another case of showing trailers for children’s movies, and not a single movie aimed at adults. In saying that, an argument could be made that Pixar’s Hoppers could fit into both groups.

So after the trailers had finished, it was time for the Fantastic Four to enter the MCU! As always, let’s go over the rules of the review.

1.) Please be aware there will be spoilers concerning the movie, so proceed with extreme anxiety and caution.

2.) The aim of my reviews are not to rip apart the subject or trash it. If I liked the subject enough to watch it, then I’ll give my honest (possibly biased) opinion.

3.) I’m not a professional critic, so I’m not going to dive into deeper concepts and themes, or the art of filmmaking. I’m just a geek; always have been, and always will be.

I’m not here to lick windows, so let’s get on with the review!

First things first, did I like the movie? I did actually. I realise that the MCU has been chugging along since 2008, and The Fantastic Four: First Steps is the 37th chapter, but I liked it. I really did. I mentioned in the Thunderbolts*: Movie Review, that I hoped that the MCU could continue its momentum, so maybe they have.

Things I liked:

A few things stand out to me from this film. The first topic of conversation was the visuals, which included the sets and special effects. With the way modern movies are filmed, you have no idea if the performers are standing on a physical set or just standing in front of a green screen. It’s the same with The Fantastic Four: First Steps, since some of the sets looked so real and tangible, I couldn’t tell the difference between reality and CGI. To me, that’s a good thing.

This, of course, leads into the gorgeous retro-futuristic aesthetics, which ranged from period costumes to the buildings to the Fantasticar. Earth-828 feels like a lived-in world, and in my humble opinion, that’s an extraordinary thing.

With visuals for the characters, well, I was not disappointed. This was the first time that Mister Fantastic’s elastic powers did not look weird and fake. Also, when the Human Torch took flight to see what was causing the light show, as in the Silver Surfer’s arrival, I think there was a lens flare on the camera, coming off his flames.

The scene with Sue making her womb transparent, so Reed could see Franklin, was creative and beautiful. As a father, I would have loved to have seen UMC1 and UMC2 as Reed had done. The film-makers had thought outside the box with Sue on that one. That was transformative.

Sue also had two awesome moments, when she explained that she would not be sacrificing the world for her son, just like she would not be sacrificing her son for the world. The other was when she started pushing Galactus through Manhattan and into the teleportation portal.

Like I said last week about watching the trailers, Ben Grimm looked spectacular, and he was. It was the best live-action version of the Thing I have ever seen, and that included developing his personality, losing the angst from the previous films, and giving the public the real, “Blue-Eyed Lovin’ Thing.” Grimm was happy being the Thing, which provided an anchor point to the film.

When a comic-book character gains powers or is transformed, they traditionally look the same or have a slight variation. Within Marvel, Archangel has his wings, Wolverine has his claws, and even Bruce Banner can change into the Hulk and back again. But like Nightcrawler, Triton and many others, the Thing can not transform into his human self again, because he is a rock creature, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Ben Grimm is always the Thing, all of the time, but he’s alright with that. He’s upbeat, being a rock creature, so he may not like it, but he has accepted it; he’s relatable. He’s not moping about trying to find a cure, because he was too busy making friends and protecting his neighbourhood. It was stunning to see his eyebrows!

The dialogue among the members of the Fantastic Four was excellent, just as I had hoped. Each character brought something unique to the conversation. It was interesting to see Reed struggling to find an answer to a question, while Johnny was portrayed as intelligent and creative. Ben grew a beard, adding to his character development, and Sue once again demonstrated that she is the most powerful member of the team.

I had previously seen the Silver Surfer’s entrance on a video before the film opened, which featured her saying, “I herald his beginning. I herald your end. I herald… Galactus”. I have to admit, that speech did not lose any of its potency in the theatre. Julia Garner was terrific as the Herald of Galactus.

I thought Paul Walter Hauser’s Harvey Elder / Mole Man was going to be just a cameo, but he came back to play a larger role, along with a few one-liners, with one destroying Johnny by commenting on his clothes. I’m going to remember that burn.

Finally, we have reached the Destroyer of Worlds, Galactus. As I mentioned last week, 2007’s Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer featured Galactus, but it resembled a world-eating cloud entity. The film-makers changed this by having Ralph Ineson play Galactus, and I loved it. Seriously, seeing Galactus sitting on his throne, as well as stomping around Manhattan, was staggering.

Galactus’ height will always be up for debate, but having a man hundreds of metres tall walking around is an unsightly and ludicrous image; however, it was still fantastic. Who else could wear such an audacious helmet but Galactus? I was so pleased with his appearance.

Things I disliked:

This MCU film was a little odd for me, because I really liked it. I came out of the theatre, feeling quite positive about it. Maybe I was still riding the wave from Superman, or watching Galactus and the Thing, but I was thoroughly entertained. However, as I have said before, no movie is 100% perfect.

Over the years, I have noticed a recurring theme in TV shows, movies, and comics that annoys me. While I understand that the Fantastic Four originated from a comic book, I often find it frustrating that alien invasions or attacks from other countries typically take place in the United States, specifically in New York.

DC are guilty of this, but the greatest offenders are Marvel. I know their target audience is Americans, but as a non-American, it can be tiresome to read or watch aliens or foreign countries invade America. Aliens invading New York, or at the least, the United States, has been used so many times in movies that it’s very predictable.

My example to this problem is this: the Silver Surfer arrives on Earth, and she could go anywhere on the planet, absolutely anywhere, but not only does she decide to visit the United States, but New York, no less. And the very first humans on the planet that she meets happen to be the Fantastic Four?!

Why didn’t Shalla-Bal decide to visit India or China, two of the most populous nations on Earth? She could have gone to Indonesia, Brazil, Japan, Russia, Nigeria, Pakistan, Tanzania, or Greece, but she didn’t. She went to the United States, like no other country exists.

As for the city, New York ranks about 10th in size on the globe, with Tokyo, Delhi, Shanghai, and São Paulo all larger. Why didn’t the Silver Surfer arrive in Mexico City, Cairo, Mumbai, or Beijing? Is English the only human language she knows? I understand the plot needs to be driven forward, but it still could have worked if the Silver Surfer arrived in another country, and the Fantastic Four travelled there to greet her.

Another point I want to address is that I do realise the film was not about the Silver Surfer, but the scene where Johnny talks to Shalla-Bal in her native language and forces her to confront her actions was creative. The guilt of her being the Herald of Galactus had finally caught up with her, forcing her to face her mistakes.

After surrendering to the torment, Shalla-Bal took off, then finally appeared to save Johnny and to push Galactus through the portal. It’s a small issue, but the Silver Surfer disappeared for maybe 20-25 minutes of film time, to suddenly betray her lord and master; but as the viewer, you’re not given any insight or more explanation about her betrayal. Where did she go after flying away from Johnny? What thought processes led her to rebel against Galactus?

Like I said, it’s a small issue, but as a fan, I would have appreciated seeing the Silver Surfer wrestle with her past deeds against her soul and loyalty to her lord. It would have added more depth to the character and explained why she decided to stand up to Galactus, rather than being a plot device or a deus ex machina.

For my final point, we need to discuss Franklin, because Marvel has opened Pandora’s Box for a fourth time by introducing characters with immense power levels. First, it was the Scarlet Witch, then Adam Warlock, The Sentry, and now, Franklin Richards. Four characters with reality-warping powers or super-enhanced strength abilities.

Yes, the Scarlet Witch is dead, but the multiverse is a massive place, so never say never. So this leaves Adam Warlock, the Sentry and Franklin to solve, possibly, any problem in the MCU. In the comics, Franklin is highly overpowered. I mean, in one future-set story, Franklin became Galactus.

Franklin is a significant and complex character in Marvel lore, which makes his introduction into the MCU challenging. Film-makers must take their time to explore his powers thoroughly, providing detailed attention to the plots of future projects. They need to exercise caution in how they portray him. I have concerns about their approach, as they cannot overlook Franklin, just like they cannot ignore Adam Warlock and the Sentry.

The die may have already been cast because of the time-jump in the mid-credits scene, when Sue left the room to retrieve a book for Franklin, to discover a person kneeling and talking to Franklin. That person was Doctor Doom. So, it appears that the Ruler of Latveria is trying to recruit, or maybe already has recruited Franklin, which will directly lead into Avengers: Doomsday, which is out in December 2026.

Ironically, I discovered this video explaining a theory of Doctor Doom’s origin in the MCU, which is compelling.

And speaking of theories, my theories about Galactus and Franklin were wrong, but not 100% wrong. The correct answer was a little from Theory A, and a little from Theory B, to create Theory C.

Theory C: The Silver Surfer finds Earth as per her instructions to locate planets full of life. She alerts Galactus of the snack. However, before Galactus can get his Uber ride ready, the Fantastic Four turn up to talk with him. It’s at this point that Galactus detects Franklin’s power level. He then offers Reed and Sue a deal, to trade Franklin for the Earth.

Like Superman, I have only added these criticisms because I’m just being pedantic, as I liked the majority of the movie.

So, what about my preview questions?

• Where is the film’s continuity in the MCU? I would say it is set before Thunderbolts* but before or during Avengers: Doomsday.
• Does Galactus destroy the Earth, or will he be defeated by the Ultimate Nullifier? To the best of my knowledge, there was no Ultimate Nullifier reference, as he was defeated by being pushed through a teleportation portal, thus saving Earth.
• Will the dialogue between the members of the Fantastic Four be smart, witty, and heartfelt, or will it tank? I think overall, the dialogue was great. It was witty and sharp when it needed to be, just as it was dramatic and serious as the plot developed.
• Considering the movie takes place on another Earth, will there be any main MCU cameos or references? Even though there were no direct MCU cameos and references, there were still Marvel references. We had the Fantastic Four battling Peotr the orangutan, one of the Red Ghost’s Super Apes. Apparently, John Malkovich played Red Ghost, but the scenes were cut from the film. We also had Reed mention he had been tracking the Puppet-Master, the Wizard, and Diablo, as well as featuring the Giganto fight scene, mirroring the cover of The Fantastic Four #1.
• Will the Yancy Street Gang appear? Please be a yes! No, however, I believe a news report mentions, “The Yancy Street Bookies.” I may have misheard it, but that’s what it sounded like.
• Does Franklin develop and grow super quickly? No, Franklin developed at the normal rate. The film established the pregnancy discovery in Act 1, then did a montage of events to signal time passing. Franklin was born, and when the mid-credits scene appeared, there was a time-jump of 2-3 years, with Franklin appearing as a preschooler.
• How large a role will H.E.R.B.I.E. play? It concerned me that H.E.R.B.I.E. may have been a punching bag or been used as a jester-type character, but I was wrong. All of the members of the team treated H.E.R.B.I.E. like he was a part of the family, because he was.
• Will the origin of the Fantastic Four be explained as being set in the present, but with a flashback, or will the characters gain their powers in Act 1, then have a time jump to progress the story? This was clever because when we meet the Fantastic Four for the first time, they already have their powers. Their origin story was told through the means of The Ted Gilbert Show, which used “old” TV footage of the Fantastic Four’s departure to space and arrival back to Earth, four years ago.
• Are Reed and Sue aware of Franklin’s abilities? Do they witness him doing things or just detect his power level using technology? As you can imagine, both parents are concerned; Reed more than Sue, that Franklin could inherit some abilities or powers from his parents. Reed conducted several tests, and the results are negative. They only learn of Franklin’s powers because Galactus used the Power Cosmic to detect and scan Franklin while he was in the womb. Later on, Franklin resurrects Sue from the dead after the final battle.
• Will the Silver Surfer betray Galactus? Yes, she did, and I’ve already discussed that question. Thanks for asking.
• Will there be any Negative Zone, Doctor Doom, Annihilus, or Valeria Richards references? Yes and no. There were no Negative Zone, Annihilus, or Valeria Richards references, but Doctor Doom made a mid-credits cameo, along with his empty Latverian seat at the United Nations.
• For Galactus’ origin, how will it be explained? Reed tried to explain Galactus’ origin, but because of Galactus’ power level and age, Reed was not confident of his findings, since Galactus was beyond Reed’s level of understanding and research. In saying that, Reed mentioned that Galactus may have come from a time before the Big Bang, which paired with the information Galactus was chatting about, while sitting on this space throne.
• On Earth-828, is Reed considered to be the smartest person on the planet? That was unclear, but he’s certainly regarded as one of the smartest people on the planet.
• Does Johnny say “Flame On!” to activate his powers? No, he didn’t; however, his action figure did.

Just before I end this awful review, I want to say how important it was to have a small tribute to Jack Kirby at the end of the film. It brought a smile and tear to my face.

Overall, I have to say well done to Marvel, because I thoroughly enjoyed it. The Fantastic Four: First Steps was indeed a great first step into Phase Six.

Anyway, don’t trust me, go watch it for yourself, so you can be the judge. Have you seen The Fantastic Four: First Steps? Please tell me your thoughts about it. I would love to know.

Ok, that’s another blog for another week. Thanks once again for reading, following, and subscribing to Some Geek Told Me. I toil away to keep myself sane and hopefully entertain you. Remember to walk your dog, read a banned book, keep pushing for more international recognition of Palestine, and I’ll see you on Saturday for an extra blog.