'Fantastic Four' Retro Futurism is Cool.. A Next-Gen MCU Hero Family Different from Deadpool [This Movie]

[Financial News] Released domestically on the 24th, 'Fantastic Four: A New Beginning' is a work that announces the debut of the next-generation superhero team that has officially joined the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). Especially with 'Avengers: Doomsday' set to be released next year, it is gaining attention as the first movie of MCU Phase 6.
‘Fantastic Four’ is the first superhero team in Marvel Comics history, an iconic work co-created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby in 1961. This team, which predates Iron Man, Captain America, and Spider-Man, was a signal for the birth of the Marvel Universe at the time. Although the film rights were owned by 20th Century Fox and independently produced, they were officially incorporated into the MCU universe when Disney acquired Fox, emerging as a next-generation leader of Marvel along with X-Men and Deadpool. It is also the fifth installment of the 'Fantastic Four' live-action film series. Marvel Studios head Kevin Feige previously expressed his special affection, saying, “For the first time in Marvel history, Marvel itself will be making ‘Fantastic Four’ into a movie.”

The movie unexpectedly begins with the team leader 'Reed Richards' (Mr. Fantastic) discovering that his wife Susan Storm (Invisible Woman) is pregnant. While Reed is happy about the pregnancy, he is worried about whether their child will have any biological issues. This is because they are a hero family who became superpowered after being exposed to cosmic radiation during a space expedition. Reed is a genius scientist with the ability to stretch his body like rubber. In the MCU universe, he is considered one of 'Marvel's greatest brains' alongside 'Iron Man' Tony Stark. Susan has the ability to become invisible and create 'force fields' for both defense and attack. Her younger brother Johnny Storm (Human Torch) can envelop his entire body in flames and fly through the sky. Their friend and colleague Ben Grimm (The Thing) boasts a rock-like exterior and superhuman strength.
‘Fantastic Four’ is expected to act as a key pillar of MCU Phase 6, beyond a simple reboot. This is because it is tasked with reorganizing the somewhat loosened central axis after 'Avengers', while also having a high possibility of introducing key characters like Silver Surfer and Galactus, which hint at a cosmic scale in the future.
Director Matt Shakman actively incorporated 1960s retro futurism and comic sensibilities to create a unique mise-en-scène. Major settings like Reed Richards' lab, Baxter Building, and Times Square were mostly filmed on real sets without CG, providing a more vivid sense of realism. Especially, the costumes, cityscapes, and architectural styles of the characters reflect the era when the original was first published in the 1960s. For example, a robot butler resembling a cassette tape and listening to mysterious messages from space on an LP record. Director Shakman explained, “I was inspired by the 60s comics created by Jack Kirby and Stan Lee,” and added, “Retro futurism will act as a unique charm.”
In fact, the biggest charm of this movie lies in its production design. The faithfully recreated appearances of key characters like the planet destroyer ‘Galactus’ and Silver Surfer amidst captivating sets, colors, and atmosphere are also delightful elements for fans. Director Shakman's sense, which previously showcased innovative direction by combining the superhero genre with sitcoms in the Disney+ series ‘WandaVision’, is fully reflected in this movie as well.
As expected from a Disney movie, the theme of family love is prominently displayed in the film. The value conflict between the couple Reed and Susan unfolds in conjunction with the crisis of Earth. Scenes such as calculating complex formulas to protect Earth while worrying about the fetus and inventing things, or fighting against alien threats while pregnant, are settings rarely seen in existing MCU films. 
As a result, the action scenes are generally fewer or tend to be concentrated in the latter half for an action hero movie. It's sometimes surprising that the entire fate of Earth rests on this family. Nevertheless, 'Fantastic Four' succeeds in showcasing a new sensibility and style compared to recent Marvel films that have been sluggish at the box office. It can be considered a meaningful starting point in showing the direction of the ‘next-generation MCU’ through its unique atmosphere, retro mise-en-scène, and increasingly charming characters.
jashin@fnnews.com Jina Shin