'The Fantastic Four: First Steps' Review: Matt Shakman Brings Emotion Back to Marvel (Disney+)

With Pedro Pascal and Vanessa Kirby leading a restrained, heartfelt reboot, First Steps revitalizes a familiar formula by focusing on smaller-scale storytelling rather than grand spectacle.

When superhero films can no longer grow bigger with explosions and special effects, Marvel seems to have chosen to go smaller in The Fantastic Four: First Steps. The challenges and threats in the story remain significant, but the narrative unfolds on a more intimate scale.

Director Matt Shakman adopts a clear visual style, concentrates on a limited cast, embraces an unusually dramatic tone for the genre, and tells a direct, straightforward story. This approach offers a Marvel movie with a distinct, cohesive vision that also succeeds in entertaining.

"For the first time in a long while, you get the sense that a Marvel movie has a personal vision, a coherent one—and that it also fulfills its mission to entertain."

Shakman’s background includes directing numerous TV episodes for critically acclaimed shows such as Mad Men, Game of Thrones, Fargo, and Succession. His only prior feature film was the lesser-known Cut Bank (2014).

Author's summary: Matt Shakman’s First Steps breathes new life into Marvel’s formula by embracing intimacy, emotional depth, and a clear narrative focus rather than spectacle.

Micropsia — 2025-11-01

'The Fantastic Four: First Steps' Review: Matt Shakman Brings Emotion Back to Marvel (Disney+)

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