Directed with both reverence and ambition, First Steps feels like a love letter to vintage Marvel—imagine Interstellar filtered through a kaleidoscope of Jack Kirby cosmic surrealism and grounded by heartfelt family melodrama. It’s a film that’s earnest, imaginative, and unafraid to wear its heart on its sleeve. Plus, the tone and storytelling feel ripped right from the Silver Age, striking that sweet spot between awe-inspiring space adventure and intimate character drama. This is the kind of movie Stan and Jack would’ve dreamed up on a late night in the Marvel Bullpen.

What truly makes First Steps soar is its cast. Marvel’s First Family finally feels like a family. Every team member delivers a pitch-perfect performance, each with a clear sense of who they are and why they matter to the group dynamic. Everyone understood the assignment. The chemistry is effortless—like these characters have lived in each other’s orbit for years, through triumph and tragedy alike.

The Fantastic Four: First Steps brings heart and spectacle as Marvel’s First Family finally get a film worthy of their legacy.

But the heart of the film, just like in the comics, is Sue Storm. Vanessa Kirby brings a quiet strength and emotional gravity that grounds the entire story. Her portrayal doesn’t just complement the rest of the team—it holds them together. The team doesn’t function without Sue, and the film wouldn’t work without Vanessa Kirby. She is the glue.

As for Galactus? He’s everything that you waited for in a cinematic version of Galactus. He’s not just a looming galactic threat, but also an actual character brought to life with gravitas and menace. Ralph Ineson’s voice performance is chilling and commanding. He makes the Devourer of Worlds a screen presence that’s as unforgettable as he is cosmic. Every time he speaks, it’s like the entire film pauses to listen. Galactus is a spectacle that steals every scene he’s in.

Of course, this wouldn’t be a Fantastic Four story without visual flair, and First Steps delivers in spades. The production design is gorgeous, capturing that mix of retro-futurism and cosmic awe that defined early Marvel. Every frame bursts with color, detail, and imagination. Complementing it all is Michael Giacchino’s sweeping score that soars alongside the action but knows when to pull back for the quiet, human moments.

Overall, The Fantastic Four: First Steps captures everything that made the comics iconic: the bold science fiction, the soaring stakes, and most importantly, the family at its core. For the first time, the Fantastic Four feel fantastic. Marvel’s original superheroes finally have a film that does them justice—and it’s one small step for the franchise, one giant leap for superhero cinema.

Rating: 4/5 atoms

The Fantastic Four: First Steps hits theaters on July 25th.

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The Happy Valentine’s Day image was accompanied with the announcement, showing off a piece of artwork with the four superheroes. It’s a comic-book-inspired piece with Reed Richards and Sue holding each other’s hands. Johnny is sitting, and Ben is reading a magazine.

The image gives off a very ’60s vibe with the magazine that Ben is reading and the photo of Ben in human form as an astronaut. If you look closely at the cover he’s reading, it is similar to the Life Magazine cover with Lyndon B. Johnson on the front cover.

This may be hinting that the Fantastic Four film will be set in the 1960s. If that’s the case, could time travel be involved? Perhaps will see a family out of time and adjusting to modern life.

July 2025 is going to be a huge month for comic book fans since Superman: Legacy will be released on July 11, 2024. The film will be directed by James Gunn with David Corenswet and Rachel Brosnahan starring as Superman and Lois Lane, respectively.

Fantastic Four has Matt Shakman attached as director, who has helmed WandaVision on Disney+.

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Unfortunately, the story by McQuarrie and Erik Jendresen isn’t as engaging as the previous films. The story about a world-ending rogue artificial intelligence is realistic. Still, sometimes realism isn’t the most compelling of stories. As incredible of a writer as Christopher McQuarrie is, he can’t figure out the chess game between Ethan Hunt and the Entity. Hunt and company are able to solve every threatening situation with coincidence and implausibility neatly. At the same time, the movie doesn’t feel like there are any stakes. 

Regardless, Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One has more good than bad. Only Mission: Impossible can provide a sense of adventure and thrills. The movie contains several stunt sequences that are meticulously planned and shot practically. That kind of realism adds drama and tension to the film. Each setpiece is so breathtaking that it leaves you wanting more and more without overstaying its welcome.

Overall, Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One is the worst film of the McQuarrie era of Mission: Impossible films. The first movie might fare better when you pair it with Part Two in two years, but as of now, the movie doesn’t feel complete. Nevertheless, Tom Cruise is the last big movie star in existence. You can tell he loves making these types of entertaining films. His enthusiasm comes through with each passing second. He truly cares about making a great film; audiences can see it in Dead Reckoning. It’s a shame that it’s not at the same level as the other films in the franchise.

Movie Review: 3/5 atoms

Video

Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One hits Ultra HD Blu-ray with a native 4K, HEVC / H.265, Dolby Vision/HDR10 presentation with a 2.39:1 aspect ratio. There is a smooth gradient of vibrant white, and you won’t find any bloom the whole time. Thanks to Dolby Vision, the dark areas and shadows are a deep black, and the details are still perceptible throughout. Also, there is zero crush found in these areas. The colors have a natural look but pop more than the Blu-ray version. The movie has a variety of details, ranging from the environment to the costumes. This Ultra HD release can exhibit it all cleanly. Not to mention, the various texture is distinctly sharper and better defined. The picture has a consistent and fine film grain, giving the movie a filmic look.

Video Review: 5/5 atoms

Audio

Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One hits Blu-ray with a Dolby Atmos or a 7.1 Dolby TrueHD audio presentation if Atmos is not supported. This review will cover the Blu-ray’s Dolby Atmos mix. The sound moves seamlessly across all channels—front to back, side to side, and everything in between. The sound effects are accurately placed to the events on the screen—fully immersing you in the movie. Lorne Balfe’s score fills up the entire soundstage, and each instrument is intelligible and layered over each channel. At the same time, the dialogue is discernible and clear. Also, the subwoofer comes alive throughout the video. Every car crash and gunshots land thunderously.

Audio Review: 5/5 atoms

Special Features

Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One has the audio commentary with director Christopher McQuarrie and editor Eddie Hamilton and an isolated score track on the Ultra HD disc. The rest of the bonus features can be found on the HD Blu-ray disc:

• Abu Dhabi
• Rome
• Venice
• Freefall
• Speed Flying
• Train

Features Assessment

This release features many features that provide much information about making the film. The audio commentary with McQuarrie and Hamilton breaks down the scenes with their in-depth commentary. The special features on the Blu-ray are a series of behind-the-scenes featurettes at some of the film’s most essential sequences. Abu Dhabi explores the exotic location and its incredible airport. With Rome, it explores the film’s thrilling car chase through this historic city. The city of Venice has been filmed plenty of times in cinematic history. Venice looks at the scenes shot in this iconic city and how they tried to film it in unique ways. Freefall, Speed Flying, and Train explore the creation of the film’s thrilling climax (and the best part of the movie).

Special Features Review: 3.5/5 atoms

Overall, Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One is a middle-tier Mission: Impossible flick that isn’t on the same level as the other movies in the franchise. We’ll have to see whether Part Two will make Part One better, but we won’t find that out until 2025. Regardless, the video and audio presentations for the Ultra HD release are immaculate, and the bonus features are informative and comprehensive, too.

Overall Review: 4/5 atoms

Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One is now available in stores on 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray.

This Blu-ray was provided by Paramount Home Media Distribution for review purposes.

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Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One is not much of an action movie. It’s much more interested in exploring the paranoia that attunes to a hotly debated topic today: The emergence of AI. Considering this movie is about the world’s most elite, specialized operatives. However, Ethan and company have been known to finish an impossible mission through ludicrously tricky feats. Yet, is artificial intelligence the next logical step in Ethan Hunt’s list of foes, or is the science-fiction element derailing the franchise similar to Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull? 

Of course, that’s up to the viewer. However, the execution of this plot point could’ve been done with more excitement and less exposition. Boring is too strong of a word, but the film doesn’t have as many exciting moments for current film audiences. Christopher McQuarrie’s plot choices don’t do much to prevent these flaws. It usually feels that he was more invested in pursuing ideas for the sake of it than pursuing ideas for the movie’s sake.

Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One takes a dip in quality as it focuses more on setup than thrills and entertainment.

Yet, that’s the inherent problem of a film split into two parts. If there were no prior setup, the first film would try to build up the plot before things pick up in the second film. Also, the film has difficulty defining its stakes. Dead Reckoning’s MacGuffin is a particular point, primarily because of how many times it turns out fake. Its characters range from distinct but under-used (Pegg and Rhames are ineffective here) to stale functional characters in the script’s structure. 

That said, there is enough excitement here for long-time fans and newcomers alike. Some standout action sequences make it an entertaining watch beyond the overdrawn plot—namely, the few action sequences. A chief example is the climax on the train. It features an exceptionally entertaining stunt sequence that reminds you that Mission: Impossible will always provide some genuinely awe-inspiring action.

Overall, director Christopher McQuarrie has crafted an entertaining, twisty little thriller despite its faults and some overly fabricated designs. At times, it’s a touch too complicated for its good. Still, the film is difficult to criticize as it’s only one-half of a complete story. For all we know, Part Two will stick the landing and put Dead Reckoning up there with McQuarrie’s fantastic series of Mission: Impossible flicks. Until then, Part One feels as incomplete as the MacGuffin Ethan Hunt is searching for.

Rating: 3/5 atoms

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