TEHRAN – American director Matt Shakman’s 2025 superhero film “Fantastic Four: First Steps” was screened on Wednesday at Arasbaran Cultural Center in Tehran.
Film critic Amir Qaderi attended the screening of the film and the subsequent review session.
Fantastic Four: First Steps introduces audiences to a new take on the Fantastic Four, set against a vibrant 1960s backdrop with a retro-futuristic aesthetic. The film stars an ensemble cast led by Pedro Pascal as Reed Richards, Vanessa Kirby as Sue Storm, Ebon Moss-Bachrach as Ben Grimm, and Joseph Quinn as Johnny Storm.
The film focuses on the evolution of the iconic superhero team from titular heroes to guardians of the universe. Set on Earth-828 in 1964, the story begins on the fourth anniversary of the team gaining superpowers in a cosmic ray experiment. Over the years, Reed Richards, Sue Storm, Ben Grimm, and Johnny Storm have become global icons, fighting bad guys and driving technological advancement through Reed’s inventions and Sue’s diplomacy through the Future Foundation. Their efforts are promoting peace around the world, and Sue is pregnant with her first child, but personal stakes add up as cosmic threats loom.
The plot changes when the Silver Surfer arrives on Earth and warns of an impending catastrophe: the arrival of Galactus, a planet-destroying being. Reed and Sue investigate the disappearance of the planet, see Galactus approaching, and decide to confront him in space. They travel to a distant planet just as Galactus’ ship destroys it. The team is captured and Galactus reveals his insatiable thirst for the planet. Galactus senses a powerful cosmic energy within Sue’s unborn child, Franklin, and offers to save the Earth if she will let go of the child. The team refuses and escape using the neutron star’s gravity, but Sue goes into labor on the way back. She gives birth to Franklin, but public opinion about their decision is divided.
Johnny Storm begins to decipher the Silver Surfer’s language and uncovers her tragic backstory as Shara Bal, a former resident of Zen-Ra who became a messenger of Galactus to save the world. As Galactus approaches, the team devises a bold plan. The idea is to build a giant teleportation bridge across the planet, allowing humanity to escape to another solar system. Sue leads efforts to coordinate global resources through the Future Foundation. However, Silver Surfer feels conflicted and remorseful and returns to destroy the bridge, revealing his true identity. She is Shalla Bal, a survivor forced into service to Galactus. The team attempts to trap Galactus in a portal in New York City using Franklin as bait. Sue pushes Galactus towards the portal with her powers, and Reed rescues Franklin. Johnny sacrifices himself to force Galactus into the portal, but Shalla-Bal sacrifices herself to close the portal and save Earth. Sue is injured, but is revived by Franklin.
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