“After leaving Silver Falls following Alex’s love confession and her kiss with Cole, Jackie Howard spent the summer in New York City. When Katherine...
While I loved Superman, the same cannot be said about the newest superhero movie to hit the big screen. The Fantastic Four always struggles to make a successful adaptation. They seemingly find the right cast, but the wrong script. The Fantastic Four: First Steps heads in a better direction than its predecessors but lacks the charm that typically leaves audiences wanting more.
Like James Gunn’s Superman, First Steps avoids an origin story. Set during a retro-futuristic 1960’s, the Fantastic Four and all their merchandise is adored in this world. Early in the film we learn that Sue Storm is pregnant with her and Reed Richard’s first child, which they had given up trying to conceive. This happy news is briefly celebrated around the world until Earth receives a harrowing warning by the Silver Surfer. She leads the Fantastic Four to a greedy and evil space God named Galactus, who threatens to destroy the planet unless Sue gives up her possibly superpowered baby.
I really wanted to love this one. The cast, including Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Ebon Moss, and Joseph Quinn sounded so promising. But even their performances feel a little lackluster until the final act of the film. I do still have faith in them, but Marvel needs to figure out how to make audiences connect with their characters again. They had the right idea with Thunderbolts, but that may be because we already had established relationships with many of those characters. The only real attempt to feel anything here is Sue and Reed as first-time parents. Though we have empathy for them, what we know about those two, along with Johnny Storm and Ben Grimm is all surface level. And while the parenting storyline is sweet and I appreciate the simplicity of the plot, the embarrassingly poor CGI on their baby son is cringing and takes you out of the movie.
The biggest issue with First Steps is how it takes itself entirely too seriously. The jokes they attempt do not land, and with this group, you’d think there would be a few chuckles. The Fantastic Four: First Steps is the best out of the four adaptations so far, but that is not saying much. However, if you stick around for the end credit tease, they do leave audiences with something to look forward to. Giving a little bit of hope for these characters you so desperately want to root for.
No surprise that the most recent Marvel tale is crushing it at the box office. “Captain America: Brave New World” is a typical superhero film that still makes for a thrilling good time.
The film follows the events after the Disney+ series, which officially dubbed Sam Wilson as the new Captain America. A few years later he is more established in his new position, working for the United States government, with reservations about the new president, Thaddeus Ross, played by Harrison Ford. But when an attempt on Thaddeus’ life causes chaos. Sam must grab his shield and soar into action to uncover the motive behind a deadly global plan. Filmmaker Julius Onah’s daring whirl at this genre pays off for the most part as he succeeds in capturing the heart of a beloved character we want to know more about, while providing enough high-flying entertainment to keep audiences satisfied and engaged.
While the story is formulaic and I think Marvel needs to let us slowly digest their content, I can appreciate the effort in character development. Anthony Mackie thrives in the title he’s deservingly earned. Mackie provides depth and authenticity that humanizes his character. We’ve known the previous Falcon since 2014 when he was introduced in “The Winter Soldier”, and to see how far Mackie and his character have come is kind of heartwarming, especially for Marvel fans. There are flaws to this film, but they do not lie with Mackie. However, the villains lack substance, and the plot is a bit overcrowded, but this set up of a new and darker Marvel Universe with a more relatable lead, does have potential for the future.
“Captain America: Brave New World” is a box-office smash you want to see in theaters. With its gripping action-packed sequences and now, iconic red Hulk, the film is a riveting sci-fi theatrical experience.
This week I review “The Flash”. DC has been struggling for years to make a great superhero movie. There have been very few hits, but early reactions are saying “The Flash” might satisfy fans in more ways than one. It stars Ezra Miller, Ben Affleck, Michael Keaton and Sasha Calle. Seems like they locked down a great cast, but did DC get this one right?
This week I review DC’s “Shazam! Fury of the Gods”. The film stars Zachary Levi as a young teen who can transform to an adult superhero. The first film was hit, but is this sequel a miss? Watch my full review to find out!
“Shazam! Fury of the Gods” is currently playing in theaters.
