Amac Productions

This movie stops short of being fantastic.

It is so close to being an amazing movie that it’s crazy to me. It’s also crazy to me how some things also occurred in the Superman movie that dropped in the same month of 2025.

Friendly robots. Black hole. The world turning on the hero. And so on.

Yet, this movie does not manage to invoke the emotions that Superman 2025 does.

Let me explain.

All in all, this is a good movie. But it’s just shy of greatness because it never risks enough to make it work. Certain tweaks would make all the difference for the movie.

Such as, instead of seeing Herbie build the crib – a mere mention that he was with Sue wanting Reed to build it instead of the robot because that’s what dads do. Then a little scene of him putting the crib together would humanize Reed in a way the movie fails to.

He’s too in his own head.

We only get glimpses of what they’re trying to convey. For example, when he tells his son that he’s going to stop looking and let Franklin tell him who he’s going to be. Moments like that should have been more heavily leaned into.

In order for things to feel stressful or tense, you must build the tension properly.

And you give me glimpses of Marvel’s First Family without leaning into it.

Instead of Herbie doing all the baby proofing, the family should have been helping too. You can still use Herbie as a comedic relief, but it would hit harder later because of how wanted this baby is by all of them. Instead, it’s played as an inconvenience that the baby proofing is happening.

Which does not match the ending – which is amazing – when all of the boys are worried about getting the car seat installed properly.

Those little moments, details needed changing to make the effect of Franklin being the target hit home all the more emotional.

Like when Johnny confronts the Silver Surfer about coming for his home, his family. That moment would hit harder if we got a moment when Johnny is overjoyed with the baby planning. Seeing a sonogram from his sister. Something. Rather than his irritation over setting off the new fire alarms.

It would make the ending all the more impactful.

Because I know they love Franklin. They’ve told us. They proved it in the fight. Unfortunately, it’s too late to try and make me feel the gravity of the situation.

I needed more from them.

A more tight-knit family I expected from the trailer. Like when Reed is talking about them always having Sunday dinner together. I needed more moments like that when they come together as a family. To really feel the terror and horror as Galactus tries to steal the infant from them.

The horror of the entire world suggesting they hand over the baby.

Those little things stop the movie from achieving greatness. Just such minor moments that should have given me more to love about the characters. And feel so much more to lose.

The worst part is getting little glimpses of them.

Johnny always thanking Herbie and giving him a little scratch on the top of his head. Every time. I loved that he treated him like part of the family.

Sue’s utter unwillingness to compromise her family for the needs of the world. Her unwavering love for her son. That drives her beyond her powers limits to save him and everyone else.

Ben missing being human. Longing for it. But also loving himself as he is too. Playing around with the children. Walking through the old neighborhood. Getting Sue cookies because she’s got a craving.

Johnny telling him a beard would look good and meaning it, instead of being a punk.

The two of them acting like children over who was going to check on Reed and Sue.

Sue appearing in the room with them and scaring the crap out of them to her amusement and their irritation. Such a sibling moment.

Johnny not being a punk.

The movie gets so much right.

Making it really annoying that they didn’t trust themselves to fully lean into the family aspect. Allow it to breathe. Maybe even instead of the flashback tape to tell us how they got their powers. We know. Move on. Not needed.

Those are the choices that show Marvel was playing it too safe.

Feeling as though they needed to tell another origin story instead of telling a good story. A great story.

You were so close Marvel! I know you’ve been sh*tting the bed lately, but this one was a really good outing with the whole plot, lighter tone, family, and retro future on another Earth. Which gives you free reign to tell a story entirely separate of the established ones.

While you tick most of the boxes, you also fall into old traps you don’t need.

We’ve had now three origins for the Fantastic Four. You could have skipped this one. Focused on the now. While still establishing that the Fantastic Four have never failed the planet before, making their first loss to Galactus all the more jarring.

Also like Superman 2025. Loses his first fight after three years. Theirs is four.

Honestly, this movie is like a pebble in my show. It’s annoying how close you were and that you didn’t manage to hit it. On the flip side, this movie’s watchability is pretty damn good.

This is one of the most important things to me. I love rewatching movies. Seeing what I missed the first time. Enjoying it all again. If it’s a one and done movie, I’m out. I like coming back to the enjoyment over and over.

Superman 2025, highly rewatchable. Much like Superman: The Movie.

The original Fantastic Four movie. Spider-Man. There are ones I revisit time and time again. They hold up. They’re good.

And I’ve found that Marvel fails this one a lot. Because the movies got so interconnected that if you didn’t watch everything down to the most minute show, you’d be lost. Characters wouldn’t make sense because they had a development elsewhere. Nope. Not for me.

Captain America. Thor. Captain Marvel.

I can rewatch those movies any time and they stick in my head. They’re good and memorable. Not forgettable in a sea of Marvel movies, lost to never be watched again because it’s too much freaking work.

This movie? Highly rewatchable. Can’t wait to see it again.

Do I wish they had done better? Yes.

Does that mean they didn’t do what they did well? No.

It’s a good movie. Shy of greatness.

And for me? The one who steals the entire movie? Johnny Storm played by Joseph Quinn.

My intro to the Fantastic Four when I was a kid was the original movie. I loved it and it’s the first place I ever saw Chris Evans. However, much like Chris Evans is the quintessential Captain America, Joseph has taken Johnny and made the character his own.

He’s not a punk. He’s warm and silly and goofy while also incredibly intelligent.

Able to translate and understand an entire language using one sentence.

Figures out what all the messages have been and convinces the enemy to help them defeat the bigger one. Johnny is sweet and funny and steals every scene he’s in.

Even when he nearly passes out because of his lack of oxygen. Using it was useful since he gathered information from the Silver Surfer. He’s a hothead, but never to the point where it puts other people in danger.

I even loved the moment when he asked his sister if she was serious about killing the surfer.

Then his mock complaining about having to kill a woman he finds interesting. While also understanding that speed was affecting the beam. He managed to hit her by using it to his advantage.

I truly enjoyed how smart he was in this movie.

Because although Reed Richards is hailed as being one of the smartest men in the Marvel Universe, I don’t think this movie did him justice. Honestly, all of his plans failed. Like a lot.

He’s able to build a rocket and a thing to scan his child. But all the plans to negotiate or move the Earth never pan out. He’s a better engineer than genius.

Meanwhile, Johnny translates language. Uses it to his advantage. Convinces the surfer to join him instead. And tries to yeet himself to the other side of the galaxy to save his nephew. Even once offering himself up instead. Asking the surfer to let him make the sacrifice instead of his nephew.

For me, Johnny steals the movie.

Herbie is next up on the list of favorites.

Then Ben and Sue.

Honestly, my biggest compliant about Ben is that he did not get enough screen time to fully develop. I wanted more. I still want more. Give me a whole movie about Ben. I feel like there’s so much there we just didn’t get to.

Sue is amazing. Kickass mom who gives everything for her family, her son, and the world she protects. Like damn. Manages to turn the ship invisible while giving birth.

Also, Reed I think you were asking too much from the woman about to give birth in space while being chased by villains who want to steal her baby. I mean, she did it. But eff you for asking more of her in that moment. Just no.

Sue is a badass every woman wants to be.

Then there’s Reed. He’s in the movie and that’s pretty much all I think of him. He actually bothered me and felt like a waste of Pedro Pascal – who probably could have done more with the character if given more than just science things to do while asking too much of his wife. Like we needed more little moments with Reed where he just was. Like when he’s freaked about having a kid and says he scheduled a breakdown for later.

I needed more of those. Something to give me a glimpse into who he is besides panicking about everything all the time while thinking things no one should.

Lastly, little things about the movie that I just need to mention.

Why did we send Johnny to confront the Silver Surfer when she first appeared if the other three could easily get into the car and pass him on the way? Only for everyone to land at the same time? Why?

The whole world wanting to give up a baby and calling its parents selfish for not wanting to do that? Totally believable.

One speech from Sue and the world changes their mind? Nope. Don’t buy that at all.

I have literally seen the opposite occur within the world. We can’t get the whole world to agree on anything. Let alone not taking the easy way out during a crisis. Or working together to build things to save our butts in a timely manner without getting in our own way.

Forget the space travel, guy who can catch fire, or the walking boulder – that’s the most unbelievable thing in the entire movie!

I fully believe no one would have walked away from the front of the Baxter Building until they had that kid to yeet into space and save their asses.

Next! How does Johnny ‘flame on’ without burning anything he’s wearing?

Like in the original movie, he destroys his clothes. Not his suit because it was with him in space. Sure, I can buy that. But here, he manages to just fly around and land without setting his clothes on fire.

But he must conserve his oxygen in space.

There’s no gravity on their ship to Galactus, but there is some on Galactus’ ship.

Why do we not just open the portal and push him in when he’s standing right next to it? Before he starts to walk away to get Franklin.

I love Herbie locking down the apartment though. Very nice.

The retro future setting is amazing. I love it.

Ben gets to wear clothes! I love that for him. Thank you. Very nice.

Their suits look so comfy, like pajamas. Which – you know – makes the most sense to me. If you’re going to be wearing them on a daily basis while fighting, comfy is the way to go.

I think that’s all the honorable mentions of random things that went through my head while watching the movie. Anyway, thanks for reading! If you’re feeling appreciative of this content, please consider supporting!

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