“Fantastic Four” has a “distinct retro-futuristic aesthetic and family-focused themes,” according to Rotten Tomatoes. With a “certified fresh” critics score of 89% on Rotten Tomatoes, reactions to “Fantastic Four” seem largely positive — even if they sometimes come with qualifications.

The Marvel Cinematic Universe is no stranger to experimentation. Despite this, ‘The Fantastic Four: First Steps’ marks one of its boldest creative choices yet. Directed by Matt Shakman, the highly anticipated reboot of Marvel’s First Family doesn’t take place on the familiar Earth-616,

This week, Marvel Studios is releasing the highly anticipated The Fantastic Four: First Steps on July 25th. The upcoming Marvel movie marks the long-awaited induction of the first superhero family into the Marvel Cinematic Universe and the third cinematic iteration of the iconic comic book characters overall… or, is it?

At the core of First Steps are Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Joseph Quinn, and Ebon Moss-Bachrach as Reed Richards, Sue and Johnny Storm, and Ben Grimm. Each slips easily into their role like a customized astronaut suit, but special praise has to go to Kirby and Moss-Bacharach for giving the ensemble its real heart.

Fantastic Four: First Steps is helping Marvel to "get its mojo back", according to early reviews of the new superhero reboot. The 37th film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) is "Marvel's best film in a decade", the Telegraph said, while the Guardian commented the studio had "regained its buoyancy".

However, The Fantastic Four: First Steps has taken it a step further with its marketing, more than any other Marvel film that I can think of. For the press, the releases are often typed up in a vintage 1960s typewriter format, which is impressive. But for the public? Gosh, it’s been so fun.

First Steps is a mid-tier Marvel Cinematic Universe movie that gets the relationships between Marvel’s first family right, but its story and plot are so predictable that