The Reel Rejects - FANTASTIC FOUR: FIRST STEPS (2025) IS A BLAST!! MOVIE REVIEW!!

Episode Date: September 23, 2025

GALACTUS IS COMING!! Fantastic Four: First Steps Full Movie Reaction Watch Along:   / thereelrejects   Get your New Customer offer + 3-month Unlimited wireless plan for just 15 bucks a month at https://www.mintmobile.com/REJECTS Support The Channel By Getting Some REEL REJECTS Apparel! https://www.rejectnationshop.com/ With Avengers: Doomsday on the horizon, Andrew, Tara, & John REUNITE to give their Fantastic Four: First Steps Reaction, Recap, Commentary, Analysis, Breakdown, & Spoiler Review! Andrew Gordon, Tara Erickson, & John Humphrey jump into Fantastic Four: First Steps (2025), Marvel Studios’ bold reboot of the First Family. Directed by Matt Shakman and featuring a screenplay by Josh Friedman, Eric Pearson, Jeff Kaplan, and Ian Springer, the film introduces us to Reed Richards / Mister Fantastic (Pedro Pascal — The Last of Us, The Mandalorian), Sue Storm / Invisible Woman (Vanessa Kirby — The Crown, Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning), Johnny Storm / Human Torch (Joseph Quinn — Stranger Things, Gladiator II), and Ben Grimm / The Thing (Ebon Moss-Bachrach — The Bear, The Punisher). They operate in a retro-futuristic 1960s world where science, celebrity, and cosmic danger collide. In First Steps, the Fantastic Four are already established heroes when Reed & Sue reveal they are having a child, setting off both public celebration and personal tension. But everything changes when Silver Surfer (Julia Garner) delivers a warning: Galactus (Ralph Ineson) is coming. With cosmic machinery out of balance, Reed, Sue, Johnny, and Ben must pull together to protect Earth. Key moments include the Silver Surfer’s haunting arrival, Galactus’ looming threat, the emotional weight of Sue’s sacrifices during battle, Johnny’s recklessness as the Human Torch, and Ben’s struggle with his transformation. The film also features a mid-credits cameo that sets up future MCU conflict. With incredible visuals, strong performances, nostalgic period design, and one of Michael Giacchino’s most memorable scores yet, First Steps stakes its claim as a new high point for the franchise. Follow Andrew Gordon on Socials:  YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@MovieSource Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/agor711/?hl=en Twitter:  https://twitter.com/Agor711 Follow Tara Erickson: Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@TaraErickson Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/taraerickson/ Twitter:  https://twitter.com/thetaraerickson Intense Suspense by Audionautix is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/... Support The Channel By Getting Some REEL REJECTS Apparel! https://www.rejectnationshop.com/ Follow Us On Socials:  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/reelrejects/  Tik-Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@reelrejects?lang=en Twitter: https://x.com/reelrejects Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheReelRejects/ Music Used In Ad:  Hat the Jazz by Twin Musicom is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Happy Alley by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/... POWERED BY @GFUEL Visit https://gfuel.ly/3wD5Ygo and use code REJECTNATION for 20% off select tubs!! Head Editor: https://www.instagram.com/praperhq/?hl=en Co-Editor: Greg Alba Co-Editor: John Humphrey Music In Video: Airport Lounge - Disco Ultralounge by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Ask Us A QUESTION On CAMEO: https://www.cameo.com/thereelrejects Follow TheReelRejects On FACEBOOK, TWITTER, & INSTAGRAM:  FB:  https://www.facebook.com/TheReelRejects/ INSTAGRAM:  https://www.instagram.com/reelrejects/ TWITTER:  https://twitter.com/thereelrejects Follow GREG ON INSTAGRAM & TWITTER: INSTAGRAM:  https://www.instagram.com/thegregalba/ TWITTER:  https://twitter.com/thegregalba Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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It started with a scream inside a quiet Maryland home, a mother trying to protect the family dog and her son in the grip of a violent hallucinogenic rage. By the time it was over, she was dead, and he claimed LSD made him do it. His name, David Minor the 4th, and we talked to him. Listen to Invisible Choir every other week as we uncover the most haunting true crimes you've never heard of, available wherever you get your podcasts. This video is sponsored by Mint Mobile. More on them very soon.

Gang. I'm ready. I think that's all the stuff. Are you ready to get fantastic? You're going to be Marvel's first family. Let's do it. Let's take our first steps. Let's do it.

I'm going to give you the little countdown. We're going to watch the movie, all the post, mid, pre, and it. and pre-mid post-credit scenes, all that good stuff. It's time. A one, a two, and a three. All right, here we go. Let's see what it is.

Fantastic code. Oh, oh, oh. Okay, here we go. Where's it going? We're doing this thing. We're going to take us to another plan. We're going to transport, watch guys. Took me to Marvel.com.

Hey, let's see. Future Foundation Delegates, we're glad you could join us. To reward your thorough research, we have surfaced some additional materials to refer to on Marvel Unlimited. Got us some fantastic four comics here that you can apparently download.

Is there four or five? Way more than that, dude. There's a bunch on here. Coy would be so proud. So, hey, that's pretty sick. All right. If they're encouraging people, to pick up a comic during the film.

That's what we like to see. And, you know, that's what we like to encourage also. Have your phones at the ready if you're at the movies in case they need you to scan to purchase or download for free some products. Anyway, yeah, this was a lot of fun. And, you know, it was very fun to see, again, the Silver Surfer, you know, character recontextualized

for the here and now. There's been a little bit of that on the big screen. But certainly Julia Garland. had a lot of presence. Ralph Innocon as Galactus. I mean, obviously, I don't think there was a moment in there where we were actually looking at like photography of him, but like his likeness and certainly that deep gravelly voice brings so much with it.

Yeah, I enjoyed the production designs and the music and the world itself. If I had a gripe, I mostly just wish we could have spent a little more time in the world, just kind of soaking it in and breathing. this certainly was tight and it moved real quick and in some ways I think that's a good thing in other ways I'm like damn if you let this breathe this might have felt a little bit more substantial but as it

it's funny the origin story thing and I'm sure we'll get into this on our Q&A but you know not including the origins is an interesting thing because like yeah okay people kind of know and I really like the way they handled it here with the like little newsreel and you don't see the event because obviously we wouldn't have a camera on that but we do get you know like that unpacking of them. But I do feel

like, and this was a complaint levied at Superman, like, you know, without that, you do kind of just get thrown into events and you kind of have to let the movies just sort of depiction of the ensemble fill in a lot of those gaps. And I thought that did it decently here, but it did

feel like we definitely just kind of hit the ground running as a movie. I agree with you. I agree with you. I think like again, I still enjoyed the final battle, the climax. It hit all the emotional beats that I wanted it to. but at the same point the buildup towards it was incredible and then it happened really quickly

I was like oh no it felt a tiny bit rushed I would have also agreeing with you that I would have liked to spend a little more time too in that world but also to that final battle while it was very satisfying emotionally speaking and just a cool battle itself I would have liked a little bit longer just you know what I mean

but that's just amazing but I still loved it you just love carnage Andrew I love carnage like I love Woody Harrelson you know you just can't stop all right everyone's back in the room we're all emptied out we all changed our diapers and we're good to jump into some questions from our lovely patrons thank you guys as always for helping to guide these reviews you are the fantastic ones and we appreciate you and we're going to start off with perhaps one of the most pressing questions and kind of work our way down

from in context of the movie to more you know peripheral and fanciful musings and whatnot. So first and foremost, Clayton Crook, are we all rocking with the things beard, Tara? Yes. Andrew. I like it, but I think if he would have gone the rooster route with just the mustache, that would have looked even sicker. All right. Well, then we got two people on team beer. Okay, fine. All right. I said team mustache. So that we all have a bespoke answer. I think he should do the mutton chops or like a, like, you know, like the Mark Marin where it's just like, you know, the big mustache and the little soul patch. Oh, God, not the soul patch, John, get out.

Okay, fine, no soul patch. How about one of those big long goatees? But just, okay, fine, okay. Well, keeping it a mutton chops and a mustache. I'm meeting you both halfway. We love the thing beard. Yes, it looks great. More thing beard next time.

And actually, I like that choice. I thought that was very fun. It was, partly because, like, yeah, what happens? You know, like he might, he's just going to sand it down. It's just fun world building. But then the fact that Johnny encourages him and that he just embraces it for the rest of the movie he has a beard and that's just that i was like cool yeah and i know they're going to be in doomsday for the next one but if they when they eventually have their

own film if it takes place around christmas time i'm sticking with my guns i want him to dress in a santa claus suit just for one scene do it once do one of those uh you know christmas specials get kevin bacon back that's what i'm saying all right roby bobarp piratee hey what do you think of pedro pascal vanessa kirby ibn moss backcrack and joseph Quinn's performances in this movie, which are your favorite performances in general from those actors? I loved all four of them, again, as I pointed out in my initial review, once we finish the reaction, they really do feel like a dynamic four, or that's not a dynamic, but a wholesome four, let's call it that, they really do feel like a family. You can feel their history with each

other. They do not feel like, you know, strangers who have all these superpowers. You really feel their internal conflicts that they have, but also, too, I love seeing them when they're dealing with things of when things are going great, but also when they're dealing with things in conflicting manners, which is a very grounded reality that we have to deal with here in the real world and things we can resonate as people who do not have superpowers. So I think the film really nailed that. I think the actors really nailed that.

Which one is my favorite performances? Can I just give the political answers? Say, I loved all four of them. I thought they were all great. If I had to gun to my head and I had to pick one, I would say Vanessa Kirby. I think she was like, again, she was the emotional weight of the.

the four, and she was the stabilizing one of the four, even though they were all very incredible, but I would say Vanessa Kirby, but I loved all four of them. I'd go with Pedro Pascal because his emotion at the end was brilliant when, you know, Sue was dying, and I thought

like, obviously, you know, when you blink at the right moment and a tear drops on the cheek, like, I just I hadn't seen a ton of that. I mean, in The Last of us, he really brings it. He's like, really societies want to favorite actors in general

but I thought like in this moment I was like he's really got it like he brought it and he did a he did a home run with it and I liked it I agree he was definitely more restraint and not as expressive throughout the film or he was expressive rather but he was more restraint

so I agree with you yeah I'm not an expert on the Fantastic Four comics but I have picked up a lot in passing and from perusing you know with both who are what I'm trying to say? I've picked a lot in passing from especially Coy, Greg, Aaron, other people around the office and just other folks I know who are

well read on these subjects and you know I've I've perused some F4 comics myself and from what I've come to understand yeah like Reed Richards not the most dashing charismatic leading man like certainly has some element of you know he as far as I can gather you know he does look like you're sort of quintessential 60s guy, you know, and there is, I guess, an element of dashing this there, but yeah, he's also got a superior sense of his own intellect

and, from what I understand, can be sort of a difficult character at times or a character who maybe cannot help himself through certain situations that, you know, are particularly captivating to his obsessions and his, you know, scientific pursuits. And so, yeah,

Peter Piscal being an actor, we know for being so charismatic in a lot of roles, I thought, embodied nicely a guy who's a bit more reserved and a bit more awkward. And because of what we vaguely know about him in the public eye and some of his just like human anxieties, it almost seems like maybe this allowed him to call upon some of that for the character. So I did like watching him, maybe not stretch extraordinarily into a mode I've never, you know, could have imagined him in.

But I do think, yeah, he adapted nicely to a more reserved character. and I thought Vanessa Kirby was a really lovely you know cohesive presence that tied the group together as a whole and Joseph Quinn very charming I think my favorite was even Moss Bachrach just because even under all the effects you know I still thought that his choices and his performance were really charming and warm

and even when he's like you know in a sadder moment they don't make as much explicitly out of the torture of this character and he's a much more well adjusted version than we've seen at times in some of the previous iterations. So I thought like he had a lot of nice, lovely little subtle notes in a movie that isn't necessarily so concerned with having

an eye on those things. Not to slight the movie, but you know, I do feel like they were all really well cast. They really brought a lot of great familial presence. And if there's one thing the movie left me wanting more of for better or worse, it was just like, yeah, I would love to what, well, that too. But I would love to watch

more of them just in their comfortable space together being a family apropos of nothing else to the plot Yeah, that's a good problem to have when you want more though Yeah, I would

I would, it can be Just go watch the bear Yeah and any favorite performances From them beyond this gang Oh, the bear The Bear The Bear the last of us Stranger Things

And I can't remember what else Vanessa yeah Pedro great on the bear Joseph Quinn great as Jeremy Allen White Pedro Pascal it's got to be the Nick the Nick Cage movie that we watch just for that just for creating that meme alone I loved him in that film for Vanessa Kirby I mean I've only seen her Mission Impossible at this so it's got to be that

Hobbs and Shaw definitely got to be Hobbs and Shaw I don't even remember that movie I love Hobbs and Shaw it's been a while since I saw that one and then Eddie Munson of course for Joseph Quinn or we could say Joseph Quinn in Dexter but that's not really him that's just the character being named Joseph Quinn and then I guess for E. Bon Moss I'm going to just go

as what's his name in The Punisher right? Oh yeah he's micro micro thank you he was great at that I like them season ones if Aaron was here he would say girls because he was on girls the show Aaron loved that show he binged the out of it

because it's everyone was going to say the bear I'll just shout him out on Andor because he was good on that show too I didn't even know he's in that Anyhow? Yeah. And, yeah, I thought, also to the aside, Joseph Quinn, they definitely kind of sanded that character down

to be not as much of a hothead, not as much of like a super masculine dude as I understand he's supposed to be, but very charming performance as well. I liked how resourceful he was too and how protective he was of his nephew. Like, I thought that was really sweet and endearing. Yeah, yeah, absolutely.

Isaac, after seeing this movie, and thank you for chiming in, Do you guys feel like Marvel is back on track in the way they were in the past? It's not endgame level hype, but it's nice to see the films and post-credit scenes all simultaneously pushing us in a certain narrative direction again. Thoughts? Well, I mean, I'm always cautionary about it. Are they back? I mean, because again, phases one through three were pretty much doubles, triples, and home runs.

And that's just the language I speak because I'm a baseball instructor. But, you know, you're talking burgers. I was talking burgers, John. you know me too well but you know again i love deadpool and wolverine i really like thunderbolts i thought that film was really you know working off some really dark and thought provoking themes and when you're talking about you know depression and such and i thought that was a very thought provoking film and just in general and trying to think what else says marvel come out i mean what else has marvel come up with lately that uh i would say that's a good sign yeah for the answer to

Well, there's so much that I can't even remember. She-Hulk. I actually never watched it. Well, you missed out. I'm sure I did. Justice for She-Hulk. I like She-Hulk. You know what, again, I love this.

I love Dead Pull-Mover and I really like Thunderbolt. So, again, just staying in a cautionary phase of I like those films. Let's see what they do. I really love Shang-Chi. That was 2021, right? So that was a few years back. Spider-Man, No Way Home. I really liked.

It's been a while. since I saw Dr. Strange in the multiverse of madness, I thought it was okay. Thor, Love and Thunder, let's not talk about that. It was okay. But I will say that, again, I'm going to just remain on the, let's see if they can keep pulling out

singles, doubles, triples, and maybe a home run here and there. But I'm glad the Russo brothers are back. I loved all their MCU films. I have not seen the films that they have done outside of the MCU, although I heard they're not the greatest. They're so much better. I'm still looking forward to what comes next.

I'll say that. What about you, Tara? Tara, are we so back? Is Marvel so back, Tara? I would say that nothing's going to, you know, you put it in contests of endgame. You're like, nothing's going to beat that hype. Like, it's so far from that.

It's not even funny. But what this is is I think it's a good family fun Disney movie that does bring these characters into our view, has fun with them without it seeming to be too dangerous, which I liked. And obviously, bringing in the family aspect to it and having, like, the Silver Surfer be like, die with yours. And, like, Vanessa Kirby really did. Sue died with hers and her son, like, brought her back to life, which I think is cool.

There are some cool, like, underlying subtext kind of things that happen in this movie. but I don't think it was as epic as some of the other Marvel films that we've gotten. This is not a type of film that I would say I would walk out and go like, oh, my God, have you seen Fantastic Far? I'm like, oh, it's good. But I felt that way I think about like Deadpool and Wolverine. When me and Andrew watch on the channel, that's how I felt. So that's where I'm at.

Okay, okay. Um, man, I feel like this, not to slight your question, I feel like this is a question we should like move away from, this is a question we just ask every time now. And it's one of those questions that you can't really answer from one installment to the next. It's got to be like a streak. Um, and I mean, this certainly contributes to a streak that bodes better than it's been boating in the recent past. this isn't free of some of the gripes that I tend to have for Marvel movies it's a little slight for my personal taste

despite it's reasonable runtime for a Marvel flick but I do agree with you that like yeah while it is maybe not the massive cultural everyone is paying attention and this feels like world rending the thing is like you had everything with Endgame obviously comes at the heels of a you know a decade of buildup and all

Also, you have, like, two huge epic installments, one of which we lose. So, yeah, I think it's nice that this at least bodes to something a little bit more focused and a little bit more unified and something that clearly was allowed, for the most part, to be its own thing and do what it wanted to do and not had to be worried about setting up a whole bunch of shit down the line. I think it's a step in the right direction. For sure. It's a step toward getting Marvel back on track. It's a first step. It's one of the, it's not the first step. one of a few. This film got me excited

to see more of the Fantastic Four in the MCU, and I'm looking forward to seeing it. Yeah, I definitely want to see all these actors and the supporting characters too. So that's a good thing, I would say. Captain Fernandez first. Just want to say, we appreciate y'all burning the midnight oil for us rejects.

We're here so late. Any old time. Now on to the question. Thank you, by the way. Do you think limiting much of the, the F-4's heroics to the opening was a good choice. Personally, I would have enjoyed seeing more of them interacting with not only their villains, but the larger world as well.

How we feel. I mean, I guess for me, yes, I would agree with you. I think it is fun to start things off with heroics. I mean, I was actually kind of surprised because we start on just like a scene. And then we jump into a very fun montage with the newsreel explaining the origin and them, you know, vanquishing what was supposed to apparently. be John Malkovich, the red whatever, right? That was cut.

Red ghost or whatever his name was. I forgot you're right. Yeah, they show him a Johnny Storm or thing or somebody kicking that orangutan and yeah, like that was he got just cut out wholesale from the movie. But yeah, it's like I like the amount of interaction the four had with the rest of the world

because it definitely seemed like from the personalities on TV, the reporters and the press conferences and just the people outside. Like they did seem to just kind of like be citizens of the world. world with everybody and I thought that was a lovely flavor throughout and yes I could have maybe used a movie that allowed for moments like that beyond act one but it didn't like wreck the movie for me yeah I liked seeing it the way it was done and again we're skipping over to the origin story

which we all know which I was fine with but I did two seconds one two do we all know do we all know what the origin story like it's been a long time since you've seen the not completely comic book accurate like 2000s movies. This is a sub question. Do you feel like the Fantastic 4 origin is like a second knowledge? It's like Batman's parents dying is like a thing everyone kind of

knows. I mean Batman is like but Fantastic 4 no I don't think it's as much I mean I do think that yeah compared to Superman, Spider-Man and Batman the origin while a lot of people know it through cultural osmosis is less well known than

Yeah, I would agree with that. John, first of all, it was longer than two seconds. Number two, I gave you 37 seconds, okay? Oh, boy. Number two, I will say this, look, we already got two of the films, Fantastic Four and Fantastic Four Rise of the Silver Surfer, and we got Fan Four Stick. So I understand the desire not to want to tell another origin story and just like,

here, let's give you a quick montage of what most of you who have seen these other three films kind of already know. so I get that. I like the montage. I like the montage. And also, too, I really like seeing how the world thinks of them and then seeing a lot of the things from their perspective and their point of view and how they view the fantastic four.

And then the turn on them when they did not want to give up their child. And it's like it's an interesting perspective because, like, again, I'm not a parent, obviously, but I can only imagine putting myself in perspective of Sue Storm. Like, I would not want to give up by child either. And I get it. look, if you don't give up your child, the whole world dies. So you've got to lose your child anyways, right? But if you do and then the world survives, well, you gave up your world anyways, right?

So how you got to live with yourself? Yeah, yeah, exactly. You really are. So, I mean, I thought it was fine the way it was done. But also, I wouldn't have been opposed to that way. As long as you execute, you give us good character moments. And of course, look, I'm not going to mind good action sequences as long as they're emotionally driven and character-driven action sequences.

That's fine by me. What about you, Kara? What I will say is that the last Fantastic Four, I can't remember which one, but I do remember when they go to greet the press. It was hilarious. I, like, laughed my ass out at how many jokes there were. And I'm glad you kind of reminding me of that, Captain Fernandez.

And I would say that, although they did interact with the villains, I would have liked to see more of that. The most that they interacted with the public was Sue's big speech, which was really written very well, very emotional. got everybody on track and spiked the idea of like, we're going to move heaven and earth, which was a lot of fun, you know,

and then interacting with the public that like, I'm not going to sacrifice my baby to save the world, but I won't sacrifice our world to save, like, I won't sacrifice our world to save my baby and I won't sacrifice my baby to save the world. And I thought that it was a really good quote and the emotion there when we cut to the rest of the people in the audience,

they're sort of tearful and thankful for her and being like, Oh, she gets it. It's not that she's just being selfish. She's like, no, I want to save you guys and keep my fucking kids. So, like, let me do it. So I agree with you, Captain. Yeah.

And I do appreciate at least that we did get that direct bit of, like, in the way they handled the public turning on them, or at least being the like, why wouldn't you do this for us? Because it's millions of lives, billions of lives versus yours. Like, yeah, I like what they gave us. And I think they should have just leaned more into them. interesting too seeing the two different choices that the silver surfer had as well as the fantastic four like the the option that doomsday the option that galactus rather gave them on you know sacrificing something to save your planet rather and which options they both take but I still

think that even though it's again felt a little rushed at the end I still like that it completed her arc you know for her to to save the day rather and she made the right choice in the end and I like tones yeah that's some kind of But again, they had, she as well was stuck between a rock and a hard place as well, so I understand the need to, I'm going to save my child and save my planet and give myself up. It's, again, this is a major theme in the film of Sacrifice. Yes, it is. Thank you.

Captain. Captain, my captain. Clayton Kirk, do you think the lack of R.D.J. is Doom was a mistake. His first introduction will be Avengers Doom's Day. supposedly will not be in Spider-Man Brand New Day. Is this enough, or are you concerned? No, I did not want him at all, really, in this other than the little cameo is fine. I think the focus on the film should have been on the family, Fantastic Four, and on the threat, which was Galactus.

So I have no issue with how much they showed, or rather barely showed of Doom. So, no, I don't think it was a mistake at all. I thought the reveal was a lot of fun. That's like, what? Exactly. Which I think is a lot of fun for the audience. I'm not obviously into the comic book so I'm not like oh I don't know

about doom and all the juice that I would have that maybe you're talking about Clayton that you would have liked to see I didn't mind it. Yeah I like it's it's one of those things where the idea of them introducing Doom full sale in an Avengers movie somewhat undermines the idea that he's like the arch nemesis

of the Fantastic Four however in just the confines of this movie yeah I thought it was appropriate what they did I like the one cut to the Latvarian whatever that UN kind of play that they're at they show live area the seats are empty cool he's out there somewhere and then yeah we go to the very end we can assume that that's r dj doom in the cloak with the mask and yeah that was enough for me here i wonder was that really i'm assuming it probably was rdj

is a stand-in or some pa or some shit on set i know i'm probably gonna look it up either way but let us know it was herbie actually it was herbie and a cloak yeah i know and it was a fake Halloween mask that's what that really was it was a william shatner matt it was a william shatner it was a William Shatner mask, right? In Doom's Day, we're going to see, you know, Victor von Doom on Halloween then falling into some kind of hot thing, you know, full of, like, kettle corn that used to his face. You know who it really was? It was Nick Castle that was standing in there. Yes, another actor who played Michael Myers. That's right. Or it could have been Dick or it could have been Dick Warlock. He also played Michael Myers on Halloween, too. Okay.

All right, we're moving on to Shaden Rhodes. Sorry, he got me going, John. I was excited for this movie before its release. I'm afraid for where this comment's going to go. I kept hearing it was one of the best MCU movies and we were back as a fandom. But I was ultimately left disappointing with this movie. I still think the movie is in the okay to good

section, what Koi would call the middle 30 movies or whatever. But my problems line up in the writing. If I was rating this movie just on how it looks, this would be a top tier MCU movie for me, but I'm curious if you all had issues with the writing and does this get

you excited for the future. Also, keep up the amazing work. We will do our best, Jaden. And you are, dang. Yes. Writing. How we feel. I would just say, I don't think it was as funny as it could have been in me remembering

the other Fantastic Four movies. I was laughing a lot more throughout. This is more focused on like the science and the baby and the motions of it, which I don't mind at all. But I think you're talking more story, Jaden. And I don't think that I was really thinking like, oh, this is terrible. but what I will say, I'm not like stoked on it. I'm not like, wow, that was great.

And I'm super excited. I'm just like, yeah, that was a movie. They did a good job. Yeah. Yeah, no, again, I'm going to stick with what I said earlier. I still thought the emotional beats worked in the film. There were a couple times where some things were a little bit generic, but I mean, you're going to get that here and there in certain films.

But I liked the way most, just about all the characters were written. Some of the stuff at the end, just because it happened so quickly, it just felt a tiny bit rushed to me. But overall, I thought the film was extremely entertaining, it was emotional, and I really loved the dynamic between the Fantastic Four, and I thought the little baby was cute as hell. I loved Herbie fully loaded. I thought he was adorable, and I would buy one of those if I had the money and they really sold them. And I thought the music by Michael Jekina, I know that's not writing, but I'm just pointing out a lot of the things I did really enjoy while also being constructive as well. But, yeah, again, I thought the film was, I really enjoyed this film a great deal to be quite honest.

honest, while still being a little bit constructive here and there as well. Definitely, I do agree with terror, though. Could have beefed up a little bit on the comedic aspect for sure. I think that would have levitated and balanced out, especially some of the more darker moments. We're talking about destroying the planet and taking away a peepie, so that is dark in itself. So I think a little bit more comedy would have balanced that out a little bit, you know, give it a little more pathos, if you will. So what about you, John? I would agree with Jaden to an extent.

And I still had a lot of fun with this. I still liked a lot of what they set up here. I thought like a lot of the beats made sense. And to me, what this left me wishing for was that they had given it maybe an extra 15 minutes or so to because you're not doing the origin, you're trading in that time where we get to observe them in the status quo before everything changes. And then we get to relate to them being thrown into an uncomfortable new position. So I don't begrudge them choosing to handle the setup the way they did. but I would have liked to maybe spend a little bit more time this is a plot movie in most regards to me

I like the characterization I think there are fun charming ideas in the script but I do think they would have benefited from giving us a few more scenes where we just get to revel in the family in their dynamic in their vibes really getting to love these characters not so much letting the casting do a lot of the heavy lifting and the strength of the performances and the strength of the charm of the world as you said the sort of visual feast doing a lot of that heavy lifting I think it could have made a lot of the peril

feel more perilous and darker because Galactus is this world rending you know cosmic force and he does you know come across pretty scary but because again this movie is zipping by and it's very breezy in its pacing

it does kind of feel a little less impactful when it comes to the heavy stuff and the light stuff doesn't feel as light as it could be because these are a bunch of of affable charming people, but like I don't really feel like I freaking know them. And I think that is a hazard of assuming that we all just know. I don't begrudge anybody being like we've seen an origin depicted a thousand times. Let's change how we incorporate the

knowledge of that. Cool. Great. Fine. But yeah, I think this could have used more meat on the bone in terms of the thoughtfulness of the writing of the characters. Not also to mention that, yes, Johnny Storm, a bit different than I think the quintessential comic book portrait. trail would be. I think the Chris Evans one is probably more accurate in terms of who the personality is supposed to be. But yeah, this is not the worst written MCU movie I've seen by far, but this has a lot of the telltale problems they have, and it does feel like a movie where you can still feel things being removed and maybe reshot and truncated down. And,

and yeah, it's pretty good for that. But yeah, at almost two hours, this felt like a 90-minute movie in the wrong kind of way to me. not 100% wrong, but just in a way where it's like, I could use something that feels a little more substantial and that feels a little longer because this is friggin Galactus and it is like the Marvel First Family is a very important group of characters.

You know, I think the Shang Chi movie is longer than this and half as many people know who that guy is not begrudging them, like that movie a lot. But yeah, I think the writing could have been stronger, but there's also a lot of good stuff in there. For sure. You know what I do know about Reed Richards? He doesn't know where the iodine is.

Hey, he doesn't. That's what I know about, Ray Richards. I'll give you that. Bella, he doesn't love you, Bella. But we do. Is that a Twilight reference? New to the Patriot, you know it. I've never seen them.

Well, get ready. One day. You've seen Twilight? Yay. I have. Oh, damn it. You old guy, Andrew, through the Twilight rewatch the same way. I've only seen the first one.

I haven't seen any of the rest. And I saw the first one the day that it was, or like the week it was released, so I don't remember it. You know what I think would be, we could do those, but you know what I think would be a fun reaction for the three of us to do? 50 shades of gray. Oh, it would be very odd for Valentine's Day. I love doing shit like that. Because I love you like me, too. Yeah, we got to get to Bella. Bella. We love you, Bella. New to the Patreon. Thank you so much for joining us. Really enjoying the channel. Ah, it makes me so happy and, and yeah, welcome. Considering Fantastic Four had a built-in fan base and brand recognition.

What do you think led to its disappointing box office performance? Was it just another case of Marvel fatigue or something else. I mean, Marvel fatigue is definitely a thing. Like I said, it's not phases one through three. I think two, I get it. Spider-Man No Way Home made a lot of money. Deadpool and Wolverine made a lot of money so you can't use the excuse of... There's so many different options out there now.

They're streaming and there's all that. And again, I really like this movie, so I would have liked... I don't know. I haven't looked up what it made. So I have no idea, but I'm going to assume you are correct with a... It was a disappointing box office performance without having looked up. But I will say, again, Marvel fatigue is a thing. It's not, uh, I don't want to say that is an elusive thing, but, um, you know, for a movie to make a lot of money and I, I, I'm

living proof of this, even though I don't really go to the theater much anymore. I will say, like, all the movies that I know that have made a lot of money, I usually go to the theater five, six, seven, eight times, but I'm also a nutcase. But, you know, that's like the dark night. I saw that 12 times. A Spider-Man, no way home. I saw that, like, five or six times. Star Wars Revenge of the Sith, I saw that like five, six, seven times. So for these movies to make a lot of money, you have to get repeat viewings a lot of the time in order to generate that type of revenue to get into the 700 million upwards

range. And this movie I really, really liked, I probably would, even though I really enjoyed it, I probably would have seen it one or two times. I'm like, okay, I'll wait for now. I'm waiting for streaming. It's not one of those films where I'm going to see it four, five, six, seven, or maybe four or five times, you know. but yeah, I'm not going to see it several times

like I would with those type of films. I don't think Marvel fatigue. I mean, there's plenty of Marvel movies out there that are really, really good that you can go like, yeah, I'll go see it. It's like everybody will have faith probably every time that Marvel releases a movie and everybody will probably be like,

let's go see it, but not all of them are going to do well because of the story. It's literally just the story here. It's special effect. are great practical herbie i loved all the acting is really good but does it get me excited did i really really feel something when sue died a little bit but not really could i have yes i could have if they had taken maybe a little more time lived with them a little bit built up a little bit more of a foundation with her the hubby them as a family so we really feel it when they are in danger i

don't think it has to do with marvel fatigue i think it has to do a story would you have seen this movie two, three, four, five times in the theater or no? No. That's the problem. That's how you make a lot of money in the theaters. Yeah, it's weird. Like this movie as of now is grossed $520 million odd worldwide. And for the, yeah, for the way this movie actually presents itself. I'm like, yeah, sure, that seems appropriate from what I understand that is underperforming for this. Yeah, this isn't quite epic enough of context and execution, I think, to, yeah, like really get. up there into that, you know, billion dollar, like, the word of mouth is just so strong kind of range. I can see why Superman maybe had a bit more of that because Superman embraces a bit more danger, a bit more weirdness. Whereas this movie, again, like, does something really lovely and

it's retrofuturist aesthetic. But, yeah, like beyond the ensemble, I think this, you know, as a piece, didn't really have anything that would clue you into the idea that, no, no, no, This is going to be a new caliber for Marvel. This is Marvel taking the gloves off and either really doubling down on some kind of thing or doing something audacious and different. You know, the thing they had to do here was just kind of like nail a classic sort of Marvel movie

with a slightly interesting twist. And so, like, I think there's the combination of yes, in recent years, there is some level of Marvel fatigue. I know for a fact that people, some people, who aren't as plugged into this stuff, do get overwhelmed with the perception of like, there's a hundred been movies and shows that I gotta friggin' watch.

This helps in that it's not really connected to anything right now, you know, it will be. But even that isn't always apparent to people. So I think that factors in. And yeah, I think this just didn't quite transcend itself in the struggles of Marvel faces

in order to clinch that extra degree of, again, the question, are we back? We're so bad. Like, that's always the Marvel thing now. And I feel like this doesn't answer that question with quite as much it doesn't rocket past that question the way it needs to like it answers it you know like

yeah we're pretty well it's pretty good we're kind of back. It's not like oh my god dude we're freaking back. When we're back Doc Emmett Brown will say we're back and it does feel like a bit of a small container for something like the the whole of a Galactus Silver Surfer tail

at the moment like I almost feel like they're in a tough position because they can't use Doom right now because he's coming up but then Galactus This is also like a villain that seems kind of suitable for more than just like one isolated little movie. So I don't know. I can see why this didn't hit its mark as much as they wanted to, sad as that is. And as weird as it is to assume that a $520 million grossing movie is not. That's funny.

When you have crazy budgets. But yeah, this just did not quite transcend, unfortunately. Oh, yeah, Reject Nation. It's time for me to tell you that if you're still overpaying for wireless, it's time to say yes. saying no i've joined this family no contracts no overages no hidden fees no bs that's why i have finally converted to the thing i kept hearing about the mint mobile today's video sponsor with mint to get premium wireless starting at just 15 dollars a month and it runs in the nation's largest 5g network i kept my same phones same numbers same contacts and i just started saving money the service honestly

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Texas, and fee extra. See, MinMobile for more details. Thanks, MinMobile for finally reeling me in and helping me save. Ruby Rogers, good comic book alliterative name. Can't wait to see you guys react to F4. Well, you have now. Personally, this and Superman were definitely my summer highlights. What are your thoughts on the chemistry between Pedro and Vanessa? I find that they have a whole lot more than I honestly expected,

but who wouldn't was such a handsome co-star? Boy, did it hit me in the fields when she tells him sometimes you being who you are hurts me. That was a good ass scene. Cannot take that from them. Especially with fan theories linking Reed to being on the spectrum. Did you enjoy their relationship starting off older than we've previously seen? Love y'all and hope everyone has an amazing day. I wonder if on the set Pedro was like, well, Vanessa, getting his little Wilson fist gone.

But yeah, no, I really like the relationship. He was definitely, they couldn't. That's why this cost so much money. He was acting like Kingpin all day. But did they feel like they were older than the I and I can't pronounce his name Grubfeld and just, I mean, I know she's a little, I know she's definitely a little bit older than Jessica Alba. But I mean, I felt like he was maybe like five or six years older, maybe seven years old. They felt younger middle age in this movie in an appropriate way. They didn't feel like kids.

They felt like an appropriate age to be having a kid. Yeah. And they felt, I think, Sue and, uh, and Reed. to me felt like the right stature to seem convincingly like yes the matriarch and patriarch of this team they are

the first and foremost people on the team that are going to be talking to you on TV or whatever and they need to come with some level of natural experience and authority with that and I think their performance is reflected. I do agree with that that Vanessa Kirby definitely

feels a slate bit older although she is so freaking beautiful and I love to performance and it's just that they don't feel like kids it's not they feel like old they just don't feel like spring chickens yeah of course I'm just talking in comparison of the age difference between them and the original too but they definitely feel a little

bit older than the fan four stick ones because they were like what like 24 25 or however they were in that one but I will say that line was very meaningful and again I really appreciated how real this was it was not all sunshines and rainbows you know and I think that again

adds groundedness and And it takes us to reality, you know, how relationships are dealt with here. And yes, these might be superpower beings and they might have godlike powers, but they're still human beings at the end of the day. And I like that these situations were dealt with, you know, like that. And I think that, you know, he was like there were a lot of times, too, where he was not able to read the room, whether it was a very simple thing. You know what I mean? You know, it wasn't able to stretch that brain of his for certain things when it came to being in the relationship. having herbie build the crib for instance is like yeah i get it you're you're doing stuff he ain't got a lot of

people skills look look look you're doing very important things you're trying to save the planet or stop the next nefarious villain seriously or create a baby scanner very very very very important stuff i am not throwing that under the table seriously i'm not being sarcastic but that is a very important thing to do at least uh his wife or uh you know viewed it as such so like it's important to read the room when it comes to a relationship of having the emotional intelligence and read at the room i did and john understood that reference so i be again that is a but that is an actual reality that a lot of people have trouble even as smart as they can be like i've had trouble and lots of relationships having emotional intelligence you know what i mean but also i'm just having intelligence in general i have a lot of trouble with that as well so i totally can resonate and

understand the smartest man in the world also oh wow he's kind of like the rest of us he doesn't always understand things on a personal and emotional level when it comes to even his wife. So I thought the relationship was fantastic. I thought their chemistry was fantastic and was great. I thought the chemistry was great between Pedro and Vanessa. I do get what you're saying if fans are linking Reed to being on the spectrum. It hits very, like, true to heart in her saying sometimes you being who you are hurts me. That doesn't say that they're saying that more if they're with somebody on the spectrum.

I'm saying if you're just with somebody in general, you're going to think that sometimes. So I really like that line, but especially in people being on the spectrum in that their brains and the way they react to things and the way they communicate is not always understood. So I think that line was really, really great. And any time they were holding close or kissing,

I believed it. So, yeah, chemistry on fire. For sure. Yeah, I like, I appreciate the fan theory. I mean, I could see him being on the spectrum coded. I think that's just a neat thing to include, to nod to the fact that that's just a real thing people are. And, yeah, I think them appearing a bit older generally

than having, like, two actors that we know are super-duber young playing. I think that that's good. And I think in the 60s, granted, this is like retrofuturist, but like in the 60s, younger people looked older, you know. So, yeah, I think starting them off a little bit, you know, a few years into being the Fantastic Four, many years into their relationship and just as slightly

older people with slightly more visible experience, good choice. Malik Curry Do you guys feel they held back a bit? I liked the movie and thought the visuals were the standout of the film but as far as story and action to me it felt like they played it entirely

too safe, likely due to the past Fantastic Four films history. As mentioned I liked it but I would have loved it had it been a little more action-packed and if the story had been given maybe an extra 30 minutes I think Thunderbolts was the best superhero film of the year definitely held back no John Malkovich I know they were waiting we were waiting for that they cut stuff out they cut him out entirely they cut stuff out with Paul Walter Houser I I definitely could have used more time on characterization yeah I mean throw in some more fun action like I don't be wouldn't be mad at that yeah no I could

to use definitely another action scene or two for sure. And I would have, I think John that's not what I came out thinking of in terms of what was missing first. And I would also like to spend a little more time with Galactus and with Silver Surfer as well. I did like the backstory we got

in her, although it was very, very quick. And I get it, the entire focus of this film is the fantastic four and how the world views them and reacts to them, which is fine. I like that. But also I do like to have perspective and understanding of the villains, which I did, but would have

liked to spend just a little more time with them, which then another action sequence or two. So I think this film definitely would have benefited from another 15 to 30 more minutes. Tara? I think they did play too safe with the action, but I think I already mentioned before that I think it needed more foundation for us to get to know them more

at a core emotional level so that like when she does almost die with Sue, that we actually feel the same way that we see the characters feeling. Kind of want to put us in that position and give us a little bit more of that foundation, which would lead to a better story. Yeah, I would agree with that.

I think you could, I would add more meat to the character bones, and not that I needed more action, but I think you could do more physically to just make Galactus feel like a truly impossible obstacle. And, you know, it's like all the stuff that they hint at with, like, I like that he's not just like big and evil. He's been tasked with this cosmic mission, and he's tired of it and just wants the hunger to and like there's something cool there and you know the shalabal origin

also tragic neat stuff there but yeah it all kind of feels like for the stature these villains are supposed to hold we should have a more momentous that's what I'm saying bigger more epic thing presentation whatever you want to call it like there's something about a lot of Marvel movies

lately not all of them some of them do succeed in feeling expansive but for these multiverse stories I always feel like I'm viewing them through these narrow sort of fields where like I'm getting the full picture or something. It's too simplistic for you, John. Sometimes, yes.

Sometimes no. But I do feel like I am like only seeing one half of, you know, two lenses in a binocular sometimes. You're like the mole man. Yeah, which, you know, there's a deleted scene out there of him. So, you know, anyway. Eddie. Munson.

Yeah, that's right. My favorite scenes are when Sue goes full mommy protection mode. How does it feel exploring this new side of Sue Storm, her first time going through motherhood in a film? I love it. I think that was something that added some freshness to the franchise because with the Jessica Alba and with, why am I blanking on the actress's name

that married the thing in the fanciedic with Kate Mara, and I think her family owns the New York Giants, if I'm not mistaken, Rooney Mara is her sister. But yes, I think that it added a new dynamic to the character. I know in the comics Franklin is her son, but I'm not very familiar with that. comic but yeah seeing her mama bear instincts come out that like she will do anything to protect her child i thought that added just a sense of uh of pride and also a sense of uh just protectiveness

not only of her baby but also of the world and that's how the fantastic uh for view the world as a family and that they're going to do anything it takes to protect them so i thought it was really good and i also you could really feel the emotion uh and the expressiveness and the weight of everything through Vanessa Kirby's emoting and it was fantastic. Again, I keep using that word on purpose. Tara? I thought it was great.

You know, there's specifically, when Reed brings in, he's like, well, it would be mathematical. It would be the smart thing to do. And then she's like, what? And the actual F? I know you're thinking, which we're all kind of thinking, too, like, okay, it's one kid for a million people. But then when she goes out and she gives that speech,

that's a perfect moment. And then you do see when the mommy mode hits where you're like, Of course, a mama die for her child. Even the child is two days old, does not matter. It just, it happens like that. So them giving her that side of Sue Storm, I thought made her really, really related and more grounded. Absolutely.

I like that idea. I like how, I like what we got from that here. And if this was my movie, I would have tipped the balance slightly so that we still have a strong ensemble. But I would have made Sue like the lead. Because I think there's just so much interesting stuff to do there. And it's the fact that it's your. child this child is special he's got these crazy abilities this is growing inside you you're all subject to this radioactive space you know experience but you are in a special position here and galactus's journey directly relates yes to your family but specifically to something growing inside of you so like in that sense i would have zeroed in more on the motherhood perspective however i do like that that is a strong part of it's a strong thread uh you know a strong color in their palette of this movie and uh again most of my complaints are just like i like the idea that you started

with just do more do more with it uh rani h how do you think these movies compare to the previous ones do they uh do you think it sets the stage well for what's to come like the first avengers movie did for the infinity saga i think nothing is better than fan forestick that was the greatest movie ever we could have gotten nothing will ever be better i think this was i know you're sincere yes i am definitely sincere just like bad Batman and Robin is the greatest film member. I think this movie was definitely better than the pre- I actually, I think John and I would agree.

We really liked Fantastic Four Rise of the Silver Surfer, although it kind of got a little... I felt a little bit underwhelmed by Galactus there in the end. It just like it was this cloud or whatever, but overall, I still really enjoyed that film, to be honest. I thought Chris Evans was a lot of fun, and I thought the thing in the first movie was really good. And I still can't pronounce his name

who played Reed Richards. I thought he did a great job. Yon Griffith. What he said. But I personally, and I know this is recency bias, I thought this was the best one so far. Granted, we're saying all these constructive things that we think would have taken it to the next level

to make it even more of a special film. I still really enjoyed it. Again, all the emotional stuff that was in the film really hit me hard. And I love the family dynamic, which I think is the most important thing to have in Fantastic Four. And again, the things,

themes in the film really hold dear to me and I thought they were executed pretty well of sacrifice family and unity and I just I also love the the 60 setting I thought that was a wonderful choice and having it be in a retro futuristic setting too I thought that was really cool and I love the music by michael jacchino so when you factor in all these things I would say this was my favorite one I think that it does set the stage for what's to come with marvel you live you learn you learn to make it better all right yeah I think well I mean I think the stage has been and is being set this doesn't really set the stage much for Doom

because he's not really involved with this and Doom's Day and Secret Wars are going to deal heavily with him so in a way this in a good way feels kind of isolated other than that we know Doom is going to come back

and they're probably going to hop universes at some point to the previous Fantastic Four movies I would say that most of what's here is probably better I think you could probably do some arguing maybe over Rise of the Silver Surfer in terms of like the real math

of like what you like this is probably pound for pound the best one there are probably some flourishes that the previous movies include that this doesn't that could have helped this movie but yeah like in the all around this is probably the best one compared to the previous Fantastic Four movies

compared to the previous MCU flicks I would say it's like upper good tier perhaps not like one of the best ones definitely not like me or one of the worst ones pretty good John just admitted if Reed Richards would have been breakdancing in a club this would have been your favorite we get it that's what I wanted ruby Bobarp Pirate is back

guys how's it going better now after seeing this one how would you rank all the fantastic four movies that you have watched fan four stick first um fan four stick second and fan four stick third all right Tara I you guys know my memory. But what I will say is that the comedic stuff, if they could pull that from the previous stuff and put it in this movie, it would be

this movie. And add 10 more minutes of foundation stuff to set up this movie. So I feel something a little bit more when shit goes down. And yeah, make that the fights with the villains be a little bit more epic so that you're like, whoa. I mean, you still, we still

kind of were, but it wasn't at the level that we kind of expect now for Marvel. Absolutely. I would say I was Roger Corman. I was going to say that, damn it. I want to see that. I do want to see it, too. I would say that this, logically speaking, is probably at the top. I would allow myself some wiggle room for Silver Surfer or Rise of the Silver Surfer being my second place

because there's some stuff in there that might be more like lovable or inspire like more vivid emotions in the fun, as you mentioned from those movies. But this is probably the best one. Rise of the Silver Surfer, Fantastic for the first one. and then the fan four stick after that's why i let you say it because if we were you're the bang to my flash and you were going to say the same thing there you go stephan horton welcome back looking forward to watching along with the r r crew thoughts on the side characters like sarah niles uh lynn nichols oh sarah niles lynn nichols and natasha leone's rachel rosman do you think they were more to their characters that do you think they're they had more to their characters that went the way of the cutting room floor was what we got enough.

I mean, I definitely would have liked more, especially with Rachel Rosman, just because I really was endeared to that relationship that we didn't get a ton of with Ben and with her. And also, I like that they were hinting at that as confident as Ben is, especially as this big, strong, you know, thing. And, you know, we have that moment of him looking into the TV of what he once used to be,

but also now he's afraid to ask a woman out. even though he's got all this confidence and he's a very, you know, again, imposing figure and it's a very famous figure too because of the way he looks. And that is a very daunting thing and that's something we all deal with. You know, that really can, you know,

that really can, you know, shatter your confidence when you're afraid of how you look. Now, granted, none of us are a big rock thing like that. So, but I thought that was an interesting thing to, I'm not trying to say thing, by the way, but I thought that was an interesting thing to depose and work off of with him. And I would have liked to flesh that out

a little bit more personally with him and with Rachel. And when it comes to Sarah, it seemed like she was the publicist for the Fantastic Four. I'm just going to yeah, like thoughts on Nichols. I liked her character. Cool to Sarah Niles is in the movie. Cool for her. I like seeing

an actor and going, I've seen you before. I think I liked it. I liked her. I would have liked to get no more about her other than she seemed to be on board with the Fantastic War. Cool for her. I'll always take a surprise, Natasha Leo. love Russian doll, love a lot of the stuff she pops up in. I like her personality. I think she suits a place like this. I don't really feel like

we did much with her, but I like the idea that she and Ben Grimm could have some romance somewhere down the line. I have to imagine that there was probably at least more with her, probably the both of them, to be honest. It sounds like there was a lot of stuff that got paired down. And yeah, nice to have them here. Definitely very slight inclusions, though. to your next question. Just will the aforementioned side characters return in future movie? Probably, maybe.

They do. That'd be awesome. I don't know if they hopperuses. I don't know. Hope they get more screen time if they do. Yeah. Would you think of these very prominent characters, Tara? Oh, I would just say, you know, with Natasha Leon's character,

it has to do, obviously, yes. It does seem as though those parts where she's interacting with Grim that stuff ended up on the cutting floor. but the moment where he goes and he walks in and he says, I just wanted to see you. It did make us feel something, but that is a rom-com moment that when you write that part in there,

there is supposed to be more foundation in the story that sets it up. When he walks in and he says, I just wanted to see you that the audience freaking like melts, you really feel something instead of just being like, oh, that's cute. I'm like, yeah, that's freaking cute, but we had like three words with her before.

And he's like, I'll bring cookies. there wasn't enough there. I think that's the that's the theme. Like if I was a kid this would probably be blast because this is very like breezy and action oriented. But yeah, like these doesn't waste time. Yeah. You got your you got your

shrewd critic hat on today. I know, I do. I do. I just don't have time. I still like this film, but it's like come on, man. Never enough time. Awesome Joe. I was one of those who would have loved John Krasinski and Emily Blunt to take on the roles. But obviously I didn't happen here.

uh so my question to you is this besides the ones that i have already mentioned who would you have picked to play the invisible woman and mr fantastic for me i would have gone with steve carrell and christian wing that's interesting thank you for your response keep on living the dream and as always stay awesome you stay awesome everything is awesome remember that awesome joe sue storm natasha leone mr fantastic paul walter hauser there we go you know if he were still alive you know who i think would have made a great johnny storm Paul Walker. I can see that for sure. Yeah, he's got that charm. He's got that charisma. I really could have seen him playing that role. Okay. Although I did really like Joseph Quinn,

but in terms of who I could have seen playing, I like Patriottskyl and I like Vanessa Kirby. I don't have an answer right now. Sorry, but I think John Grisinski and Emily Blunk could have done great too. I'm glad we at least got to see him one time and was a multiverse of madness, right? Yeah.

So that was cool. It wasn't the best moment for the character But I thought it was great seeing him And what could have been And he was also supposed to be captain He was close to being Captain America And Emily Blunt did get cast as Black Widow If he wasn't Dr. Strange, Benedict Cumberbatch maybe

Oh, that's a good one. Mr. Fantastic. Oh, I could see that. He's someone who can be charming, but also who can be like condescending But who could also be like closed off. What's the name of the girl that had the TV show With the priest

And they're juicing it at the very first scene? Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, freaking fleabag. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. It's Phoebe Waller Bridge. I would love that. I would love it. Yes. Phoebe Waller Bridge.

You know who else? And then you can get hot priest to be Mr. Fantastic. I would die. I would die. You know who else I could see is Mr. Fantastic? Joaquin Phoenix. That would be probably a pain for everyone on set, but he could do it. Yeah.

Pain for everyone on. Vegan food only. Well, that's the least of people's problems. That would be his method. Leave us your cat. Lasting choices down below, people. Andrew Nickerson, you finally got to see it. Okay, so let's talk about that baby.

I think this movie is gorgeous, and I love the story, but that baby was the worst CGI baby I have seen since Twilight. Not The Flash? Why do you think the CGI babies are so hard to get right? I'm surprised he said Twilight and not The Flash, because Tara has an epically creepy-looking CG baby. Do not speak until you've seen it. I've seen the Flash.

Taryn I have to see it. That babies is freaky. Tara and I still have to see Twilight, apparently, but I'm not going to speak on Twilight. I'm just going to speak on what we saw in the Flash. My goodness, is all I'll say. I guess maybe I had my mold man blinders on, and I didn't notice. I'll have to rewatch it. I didn't notice the bad CGI, but...

I didn't say much, but every time the baby was around, I was sitting there going, what are we... I was just in adorable land that I wasn't noticing. Did they... I kept this in there trying to figure out what few men... methods they used every time the baby. There was like one or two shots where I was like, I think that's 100% a baby. And then there are multiple other shots where I was like

the head space around his head's all blurry. Maybe because his head looks like a bobblehead or like the body looks CG but the head looks real. Now the head looks CG but the body was... Yeah, it's a tricky one. There's an uncanny valley there. You know, nothing moves or acts like a baby. And we all kind of have that human,

just it's in your subconscious. You just know what babies are supposed to look like and you also people are always touching them you know they're always being held it's like it's hard you got a comp around body language and actual contact of stuff it's a tricky effect i think yeah i i think that the only cg i that was actually that i very much notice is when it's in the crib and they have to do in the middle of time square close the thing that's a full cgia baby and obviously when we're in front of galactus the rest of it they did use a practical baby a decent amount of the time so it didn't it really didn't bug me that much because

It didn't bug me that much. I'll be honest. I think because Tara and I literally just watched the Flash a few days back, like if anything past that is going to be an improvement, so maybe that's why it didn't bother us that much. This Flash baby. I'm just saying. That was like on another level.

All right. We've got to see what is that, the freaking with Bradley Cooper and he's a sniper, and that baby's supposed to be very fake. The American sniper? That's the one. I haven't seen it. Michael Medina. Let's get a clean clap on that.

There we go. Michael Medina Katuria. We're near in the end. Marvel Comics, Marvel movies, have a longstanding issue when it comes to minimizing highly powerful female characters, Terra. Storm is a great example. An omega-level mutant that is always a side character in the films and easily taken out. How did you feel about seeing Sue Storm express her full potential from a power perspective, especially after they made Jessica Alba version

seem so weak power-wise. Oh, it's the best. I always have a problem with that in a lot of movies, even in horror movies. Like, you'll constantly see me complaining about it with Roxy that I'm like, the girls are always like, I don't know what to do. And they like, don't grab a weapon.

And I hate all of it. So I think them actually making Storm where she comes in and I did not expect her to overtake him. And the fact of that it's also mixed up with like a mother's love is great because it's like when you know the saying it's like oh if if a baby stuck under a car mom could lift lift a car or something like it has to do with all of that but i'm we're not as the audience thinking that we're thinking yes she is that powerful but she also has like her kid

behind her giving her that motivation to like get this fucker out of here yeah i think it goes back to that saying like love will prevail love takes you to another level and it's just such a provocative motivator so I agree and also too I gotta say that was one of my favorite moments in the film not only because it was just an amazing moment but hearing Tara just said you go girl like that was awesome and like some of my

girls get it done some of my favorite characters in film are Sarah Connor and Ellen Ripley not because they're female they're just fad ass cool characters and I don't even give a shit what what their gender is so I love awesomely written characters and I love

characters where again I understand perspective and their motivations, but they're also badasses at the same time. And I think Sue Storm was really done well in this film. I think Vanessa Kirby gave a very emotional performance

and I really liked the way Sue was executed in the film a lot more than the previous ones. So yeah. Yeah, I really like that she brought a natural sense of grace and just steady. It's like she's the backbone of the team.

She's the glue of the team. And I believed her poise in that position. And also when it came, came time to do the actual physical, you know, fighting and stuff. I like the way they portrayed her power here. I like that it's not just, yeah, she turns invisible. Hey.

What else can we do? You know, the light refracting and light as energy, I think, is really cool. And so, yeah, to see her both be this grounding force for the movie emotionally, but also then rising to being the one person who can, you know, get the ball over the line into the end zone, to borrow metaphor. I thought that was really cool. and it didn't need to break and go, girls get it done,

you know, it didn't have to do that. Right, right, right. And again, that just goes to support, again, if this was my movie, I would have made her like the lead lead.

For sure. She kind of, but yeah, yeah, I liked that she, you know, naturally rose to that power, made the sacrifice

and everybody else gathers around her and has to cry her back to life. That was a great burger reference you just made in the end zone and also, too, I will say the scene of her also giving birth to the child while also still,

doing her power thing showed like what she was willing to do for her child and for the world that was freaking awesome great job Vanessa Kirby and what a great superhero she is yes Maurice Gray Jr., the thing thank you for chiming in by the way, was rendered more comic book accurate

than all of the previous movies how did that work for you and did you like the Ben Johnny friendship in this version I loved the bed oh I thought he Ibn Mosbacherat what he said I thought he did a great job I definitely would have liked a little bit more I think the first film with Michael Chickles.

Michael Chickles and Chris Evans had a lot of good, like, time to beat buds. Their banter was so good in the first movie that by the time they resolved their banter, it was like such a well-emotional arc between the two of them and like a, I guess, rekindling of their family friendship, whatever you want to say. That's right. But I still liked it a lot in this film. And also, I like how close and endearing the friendship and family dynamic of him and Ben. like Ben holds himself guilty and feels responsible

and holds himself accountable for not only what Ben has become but what, you know, them all having all these powers are. Reed holds himself responsible. Excuse me, read, excuse me. And but I still love that, you know, there's that dynamic from Ben of saying like, hey, dude, it's all good. Like we're one.

We are a part of each other and I don't hold you responsible. We're the fantastic one. Yes, we're the fantastic one, exactly. So I did appreciate that, but I still would have liked a little more fleshed out of his character for sure. I still, there was more I wanted, but I thought the performance was great, Tara.

The only friendship that I got really was at the beginning when Ben goes, he goes, you're going to make the perfect mother, and then he goes, or I'm sorry, Johnny says to her, you're going to be the perfect mother, and then he goes to Ben and he's like, you need more time, not sure about you. You're like,

ha, ha, ha, okay, we're building on the banter, we're building on, we're giving each other shit, because the people that I love the most, you know, you give them shit. Because they're there for it. that was the only time. Like literally, maybe it happened one more time, but I'm going to tell you that that is the relationship

that you need to add more of. Yeah, I could, I got, it's in the performances in the history. It's like I get the sense they had a really fun friendship off screen in the scenes that we weren't necessarily being privy to during the actual. Yeah, we wanted more. So it's like, yeah, I'm glad that it felt like they're, these guys are chums, but I think the real avuncular friendship could have been better highlighted and illustrated here and i think that johnny could have felt more like sue's

brother because uh the brother's sister thing is real easy to forget about here um so yeah i mean like i really love the look of thing i thought the thing looked great i really liked the comic accurate just shape yes and the beard thing was great and the effect looked really good loved the little sound effects and flourishes and that stuff so yeah uh i like the idea of their friendship and I just wish that there was more, and it left off the screen more. I'm going to call it Fantastic Moore. Jay Rushton. What up, Jay? Last question of the day.

Here we go. Think hard. Think wisely because we need to find out what character in this movie are you most like. Can I do multiple characters, please? Go ahead. You can be all the friends. We don't have all day. You're all the friends.

I'm going to go with Reed Richards and Herbie. I'm going to go with Reed Richards because I'm socially awkward. I don't always read the room. and I lack emotional intelligence. I'm going to go with Herbie because I like to cook things in the kitchen. Go ahead, Tara. Was that fast enough for you? I would just say that I would probably be the most like Johnny.

I don't know. I think he's like, he's too, he's funny. He gives people shit. I like that. Tara's a bit of a hot head. Go ahead, John. And I'm a bit of a Ben Grimm. So there we go.

You know, I'm a bit. Fantastic. Drey right here. Tell me. Hey, there you go. Tell me, buddy. Go. There you go.

Oh, gang. Any stray thoughts before we zip on over to. to a different alternate universe dimension. Give me 30 minutes here because Tara's not going to strangle it. I'm good. I still like this movie. Obviously, I critiqued it a bunch. It was a good time.

You're very much welcome for this 50-minute review that we are giving to Fantastic 4 because we love you. Tara, stop screaming. I know. I'm just kidding. scream away. I want you to be you, Tara, because we're a family and we embrace each other. Our flaws and our strengths, but that's not a flaw. this was very fun this was pretty solid there are some obvious ways it could have been better but for marvel i think this is a solid step and i'm happy to see matt shackman and crew do some more stuff in this world and i'm excited to see this ensemble return and i'm glad we got to share this all together i really enjoyed it too you know some some some summertime anticipation so gang leave us your thoughts on the fantastic four first steps should have said that up at the top i think i just called it fantastic four wow where will we do what is anyway

I wonder if they knew what movie you were talking about because he didn't head the first steps. Thank you guys for joining us and we'll catch you on the next one. Be well, people. The tiny community of Peale is situated deep in the woods of northern Wisconsin. It's so small that it's easy to miss on a map, just scattered homes, gravel roads, and dense, silent forest. It's a place where people choose for the quiet, the isolation in the distance, a place where life moves. moves at a very slow pace and secrets can stay hidden for a long time. On the morning of Sunday, the 8th of March 2015, the stillness of Peel was interrupted.

At the Oneida County Emergency Dispatch Centre, the phone began to ring. Before the operator could answer, the caller hung up. It happened again and then again. Three calls, all from the same number. Then came a fourth call. And then finally, there was a voice. It was a little girl. She grabbed the knife that was on the shelf, and she came after me with it.

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