The best thing about First Steps is the aesthetic. It’s far and away my favorite part of this film, and that’s a problem because as much as I do enjoy a solid retrofuturistic aesthetic, it’s not enough to make a mediocre movie worth watching. This is all style over substance.

"First Steps" promises to push the MCU out of its comfort zone, but the movie quickly retreats into a tired version of the same old story.

Critics seem to at least agree that Fantastic Four is a visual feast and way better than the first three movies Fox made. As someone burnt out on the MCU since Thor: Love and Thunder, I’ll take clearing the low bar over getting walloped in the face by one higher up. Here’s what other reviewers are saying:

The Fantastic Four: First Steps opens in theaters Friday, July 25.

First Steps is the 37th theatrical release in Marvel Studios' billion-dollar franchise, the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and it's coming at a bit of a low point. Marvel has struggled in recent years to reach the heights of their initial run of films,

Here's who that mysterious figure was in the credits scene of "The Fantastic Four: First Steps" and how it sets up Doomsday.