Ahead of The Fantastic Four: First Steps‘ release, there were some notable complaints about the film and what it looked set to be online, but the movie seems to have handled most of these concerns. The Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) has finally introduced Marvel’s First Family in live-action, and the results were spectacular.

But, in the run-up to its release, how the film would fare critically seemed far less certain. As a release that could make or break the future of the franchise after a series of less-than-stellar releases in the Multiverse Saga, tensions were naturally high about how good or bad the movie might end up being.

With this in mind, the film was put under extreme pressure, with every trailer and story detail that was released being thoroughly picked apart, and critics sharing thoughts on where the movie would fall down. However, after its theatrical release, it appears that many of these issues have been resolved.

7

Galactus Shifts In Size Depending On His Needs

One of the biggest issues that spread online was the depiction of Galactus. While the MCU’s version of the Devourer of Worlds was praised for his comic book accurate look, which improved upon the 2007 Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer’s giant cloud, people took issue with his size.

Having seen Celestials appear in earlier MCU films, like Eternals and Captain America: Brave New World, the bar was set high for monolithic monsters in the MCU. But Galactus being the size of a skyscraper rather than a planet appeared to rub some people the wrong way, though Galactus altering his size is part of his power set.

As of the film’s release, Galactus appearing on Earth at the size he does makes far more sense, since he appears like this in The Fantastic Four: First Steps‘ ending in order to kidnap Franklin Richards. As such, this sequence feels far more fitting than if Galactus had appeared at that size to start actively trying to destroy the planet.

6

The Silver Surfer CGI Was Polished For The Theatrical Release

Next up, the trailers revealed a first look at Julia Garner’s take on the Silver Surfer. While for many, this was exciting, there was a portion of the audience who criticized the general design and CGI of the character.

However, as is often the case, Marvel Studios worked on the movie up to a point much closer to the release date, which meant the finished look took another step up in quality. With this improvement in the final chapter ahead of release, Silver Surfer stands out as one of the best parts of The Fantastic Four: First Steps.

5

The Thing Was Hesitant About Saying “Clobbering time” For Good Reason

The trailers for the film also teased Ben Grimm, issuing his famous catchphrase, “It’s Clobbering Time!” from the comics and cartoons. While this is clearly a reference that has close ties to the character, the MCU’s Grimm is reluctant to repeat it, which some cited as a weird story decision.

However, the film’s story justifies this call. With the Fantastic Four living as heroes on Earth-828 for the past four years, they have made a huge impact on the world’s population, and become celebrities through various means.

In addition to Reed’s technological contributions, Sue’s diplomatic ambᴀssadorship, and the protection the team offers against external threats, they have also become pop culture icons. This leads to the team having a cartoon made depicting their adventures.

However, the real Ben Grimm reveals that the catchphrase was just a TV thing, which is why he is hesitant to start repeating it. It doesn’t actually reflect his character, but he eventually embraces it as part of being The Thing.

4

Mister Fantastic’s Stretching Powers Look Better Than Ever

In the MCU movie’s initial trailers, it was noticeable that all the team’s powers were on display, apart from Reed Richards’. Historically, getting Mister Fantastic’s stretching powers right has been a huge hurdle. As such, the fact this ability wasn’t shown in early trailers made MCU fans nervous.

This purposeful exclusion could have meant that Reed’s powers still failed to translate to live-action, which would have been a disappointing loss for the MCU.

Fortunately, in later trailers, Mister Fantastic’s powers were teased, revealing a depiction of Reed’s stretching skills that considerably improved on earlier versions. With the release of the film, the final result proved to be beyond anything that was possible even 10 years earlier.

Getting Reed’s powers right was an integral part of ensuring these characters have longevity in the MCU, and with the skilled CGI artists clearly nailing it for the first time, this was a huge win for Marvel Studios.

3

The 1960s Retro Futuristic Aesthetics Adds Character To The Fantastic Four’s Story

In the past, the MCU has ventured into telling stories that take place in different eras. Captain America: The First Avenger takes place largely during World War II, and Captain Marvel is set in 1995. In other films, there are scenes that cut to different times, but few commit to fully setting the story in unfamiliar territory.

The Fantastic Four: First Steps threw all caution to the wind in this regard and set the story in an alternate reality version of the 1960s. And to add to the potential confusion, it made this period piece into an ultra-futuristic utopia.

While this could have confused audiences, and made for a story that feels largely disjointed from the rest of the MCU, the setting adds to the character of the movie, and helps to establish the incredible influence the Fantastic Four has around the globe.

2

The Sub 2-Hour Runtime Makes The Fantastic Four: First Steps тιԍнт & Punchy

For as long as the MCU timeline has been operating – since the first release in 2008, and through the nearly 40 films that have come out since then – the majority of the franchise’s movies have been at least two hours long. However, The Fantastic Four: First Steps broke the mold and delivered a superhero movie under the two-hour mark.

Now, as much as traditional films tend to sit somewhere between 90 minutes and two hours, this is much less common in the expansive and fantastical world of superhero storytelling. As a result, it seemed as though this movie – which is arguably more ambitious in scope and scale – would be far too short.

However, despite cutting major actors, several nearly complete scenes, and more, the movie is actually incredibly effective in delivering its message. It is undoubtedly short, but it wasn’t missing anything, as much as people wanted to see more.

The Fantastic Four: First Steps proves that it’s possible to deliver a superhero story and leave the audience wanting more, rather than packing the story with an abundance of action, fantasy, and adventure that ultimately becomes too much.

1

The Thing’s Beard Shows Off His Bond With Johnny

In previous iterations of the Fantastic Four, the family dynamic hasn’t always been as clearly laid out as it should be. Yes, these heroes are a team, but they are also extremely close, with a deep familial love for one another.

Despite this, 2005’s Fantastic Four pushed the rivalry between Ben Grimm and Johnny Storm, with Johnny incessantly making fun of Grimm’s new looks, and 2015’s Fantastic Four ended just as the team met up as adults. But The Fantastic Four: First Steps moved in the opposite direction with an incredibly unlikely detail proving Johnny and Ben’s connection.

Late trailers and teasers for First Steps unveiled an unusual new look for The Thing, with the character sporting a beard on his orange rock body. While this look has foundations in the comics, the inclusion in the movie seemed like an odd choice for the hero’s debut outing.

However, in the movie, Johnny sees Ben with an unshaven face, and compliments the look. This moment perfectly illustrates the brotherly bond between Ben and Johnny, while also showing how much they respect and love each other. Ben then decides to grow his beard, leaning into Johnny’s suggestion, and adding a greater emotional depth to The Fantastic Four: First Steps.