I’m slightly late to the party as the movie is nearly one month old at the time of this post. Life has been a little hectic, but we finally managed to go and see the new Fantastic Four movie.

A couple of things about the Fantastic Four comic book… I own a metric ton of their comic books. In fact, the second comic book I ever bought was a Fantastic Four comic during one of our Elementary School Book Fairs. As you can see from the cover below, I’m not entirely sure who thought it was a good idea to even have this comic available for kids.

Still, for a long time I would have considered them my favorite superhero team. The Human Torch is one of my top five characters, and even though the focus of this movie was not Dr. Doom, he has remained my favorite villain in all comics.

When they first announced the movie, I had my concerns. While the early 2000s movies were fun in their own way, they never quite hit the right marks showing the team overall (though Ben and Johnny’s relationship was spot on in those). In addition, I know that everyone seems a little more down on, burned out, or just wants the whole Superhero movie genre to go away at this point. Marvel really did a great job in the Infinity Gems saga, but even I can admit there have been some stumbles along the way since End Game.

But… then the first trailer came out, and I saw they were really leaning into that 1960s look for the team. It was something I thought would have been a good choice for any of their movies.

This movie was pretty much pitch perfect. I nailed the look and feel of the group by really leaning into the one true thing which separates them from every other comic book team out there: they’re a family. Yes, they fight supervillains, and they have saved the world multiple times over, but the best stories show how the family interacts with one another. Those connections which exist directly because of those bonds.

I loved that we got to see Reed struggle with the idea that he didn’t always know the answer to the problem. I loved that we got to see Johnny as something more than just the dumbass lady’s man. I loved that Sue was the lynchpin of the movie, with everything revolving around her – our true guiding star. And I loved the portrayal of Ben… too many times the story only focuses on the fact that he is The Thing. In the Marvel Universe, The Thing is well loved by pretty much everyone. Excellent to see that in this film.

Galactus… how many times have I heard the same refrain about so many comic book things (whether it is their costumes or how the powers get shown or a hundred other things) … I’ve heard it so many times that I’ve begun to believe it as well. The decision to show him as a cloud is the only way this would possibly work.

Galactus looked amazing. He looked both amazingly powerful and something which is a force of nature. I’d like to think this is the way Jack and Stan saw him in their minds when they crafted those early stories.

A worthy threat for the Four.

Finally, the Silver Surfer. Another threat, to be sure, but also the sadness of a being who had lost more than anyone else could comprehend to save their people and their world from Galactus. In the comics, that sacrifice often helps illustrate that we’re not seeing someone who doesn’t know the damage or destruction Galactus can wreck upon sentient creatures, but the Surfer has firsthand knowledge of it from both viewpoints.

The one thing I’m a bit sad about is, based on the upcoming movies (Doomsday and Secret War), this may be the only time we get to see this world. Which will honestly be a shame. I feel like in a perfect world we would have gotten at least one more full movie in this 1960s style before bringing the family into the MCU proper.