'Fantastic Four': Sue Storm's biggest power in Fantastic Four isn't what you'd expect

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3 days ago

Sue Storm's pregnancy and parenthood is the emotional core of this retro-futuristic Marvel movie
As we enter Phase 6 of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), The Fantastic Four: First Steps (in theatres July 25) puts the bond of a family at the centre of its storytelling. Starring Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Joseph Quinn, Ebon Moss-Bachrach and Julia Garner, it's the power of motherhood that becomes the greatest asset for these superheroes.
"It always seemed to me kind of revolutionary to have this mother at the centre of this family, but also be absolutely part of the team. Never left at home on her own," Kirby told reporters ahead of the film's release. "And then when I met [director Matt Shakman] and [president of Marvel Studios Kevin Feige] for the first time and started talking about Sue, I was already so passionate about her, but it was so exciting to me, this idea of having this pregnant superhero, this working mother, and even in the shooting of it, it was surreal.
"I was so included in everything. ... Matt and Kevin were such huge champions of having her be ... as complex and as fierce and as loving and warm and all the things they think feminine really is. ... It was very daunting. I really cared, and it's been a great honour to play her."
What is 'The Fantastic Four: First Steps' about?
In a stand-alone story in the MCU, Fantastic Four sets up the story of four astronauts who return from space with altered DNA due to a cosmic storm, leaving them with superpowers.
Reed Richards/Mister Fantastic (Pascal) can stretch to incredible lengths, while his wife Sue Storm/Invisible Woman (Kirby) can generate powerful force fields and has the ability to make herself invisible, as her name suggests. Sue's brother Johnny Storm/Human Torch (Quinn) can make himself engulfed in flames, fly and shoot out fire, while Ben Grimm/The Thing's (Moss-Bachrach) body transformed into rock form, giving him super strength.
Early in the film we see Sue tell Reed that she's pregnant, something that they've struggled to achieve for some time. But Reed, the supremely intelligent but anxious scientist that he is, not only wants to make the world as safe for his son as possible. He also has concerns about whether their superpowers will impact their child's DNA.
"The one thing that I found was kind of anchoring was that somebody that is this smart strangely makes him kind of an innocent when it comes to human interactions and relationships, and either saying the wrong thing or reading the room incorrectly, or finally finding a way to express the thing that burdens him," Pascal said. "And just sort of perplexed a little by the fact that people aren't catching up as quickly as he would, as his mind works."
"That was really, really fun to kind of create idiosyncratic behaviour around that. But really at the core for me ... is that he's an incredible codependent, and without them, he doesn't know how to function, and he's lost to his own brain. His identity is related utterly to his family and his position in the family, and protecting them and being protected by them."
The Fantastic Four family gets an unexpected visit from the Silver Surfer (Garner), who zooms down to Earth and announces in the middle of Times Square that the planet will be consumed by Galactus (Ralph Ineson). Interestingly, that was Garner's first day of work, and she was "terrified."
"It was probably the craziest first day I've ever had on a job," Garner said. "It was 30 feet in the air. There was a construction crane, at night, an earpiece, taking direction with Matt and hearing Vanessa's line. It was wild."
The Fantastic Four have to jump into action to try to stop Galactus, but the risk to Sue and Reed's infant son Franklin is something the family has to navigate.
New 'Fantastic Four' review: Family dramedy with more VFX than most
An appealing and refreshing take on a superhero story, Fantastic Four gives its characters time to sit in more intimate and emotional moments, and that's what makes the film compelling.
For Kirby and Pascal's characters, that largely has to do with personal discussions about being parents, balancing their parental responsibilities with, literally, saving Earth. For Ben Grimm, those intimate story elements come through with a flirtatious relationship he has with Rachel Rozman (Natasha Lyonne), a similar arc to Johnny's interactions with the Silver Surfer.
While Fantastic Four has all the spectacle of every other superhero movie, it's really a family dramedy with more visual effects than most.
But the strongest story element in the film is this focus on how, despite all their extraordinary powers, Sue is supreme as the biggest superpower is being a mom. She is fiercely protective of her child. It's absolutely a cliché, but one that lends itself to the more grounded, humanizing narrative of Fantastic Four.
The movie is a pleasing journey, an engaging ride that blends sarcastic humour with deeply emotional moments. The 1960s retro-future aesthetic is particularly appealing, and creates interesting dimensions with the heavy CGI that comes with a superhero film.
But while Fantastic Four is an enjoyable watch, it feels more like setup for more storytelling. It is in fact a film that you can watch on its own and have a great time with, but it lacks a bit of excitement because you feel like there is so much more story to tell.
Mid- and post-credit scenes in 'The Fantastic Four: First Steps'
While we won't spoil exactly what these scenes hold, we will advise that there is both a mid-credits scene and post-credits scene in The Fantastic Four: First Steps, and they are important, so make sure you stay until the end.