I know one of the biggest complaints with superhero movies lately, especially Marvel, is that you have to watch a ton of movies to get anything from the newest one. There are sequels, connected stories, TV shows, multiverses... It's a lot if you haven't been watching since the beginning.
Enter The Fantastic 4. While, yes, it will eventually connect to the rest of the MCU (Marvel Cinematic Universe), the movie alone is a story of it's own. It's set in a different universe than every other Marvel movie (the previously mentioned multiverses). But even if you have no interest in continuing on to see how it connects, it's a fun movie with a pretty set story.
There have been previous tries at getting Marvel's First Family on the big screen. There was a never released version made in 1994. The most well-known previous adaptation was the duology from 2005. Fans of the comics were mostly unhappy with the adaptation of the story and the characters. And, in my opinion, worst of all, the 2015 reboot Fant4stic. Despite having a great cast, it was a boring superhero movie that didn't really want to be a superhero movie. To say most fans were nervous with yet another reboot would be an understatement.
I was excited first after seeing the cast, and then seeing the stylization of the film. It was retro-futuristic. It had Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Joseph Quinn, and Ebon Moss-Bachrach. Luckily, the excitement ended up being justified.
Each character was cast fantastically. Pedro plays Reed Richards as the highly intelligent man who loves his wife that fans know. He's intelligent but can come across as cold and gets so focused on potential outcomes and working things out he doesn't always think of other's feelings.
Ebon, as Reed's best friend Ben Grimm/The Thing, is loyal and has a strong sense of family and commitment. There's introspection on his changes after becoming The Thing, how he can look scary and making a point to be kind-hearted and cordial to strangers. To show a playful side with neighborhood kids to contrast his looks.
One of the most surprising portrayals is Joseph Quinn as Johnny Storm. Previously, we see Johnny as womanizing and a sort of stereotypical popular jock architype. While Quinn's version is still very confident and has some level of self-importance, he is more self-aware and less callous. He uses his smarts (there's a reason he was on the mission that led to their gaining superpowers) and has an impact on the outcome of the story.
And my favorite (yes, even more than Pedro): Vanessa as Sue Storm. The entire heart of the movie. The one who holds everything together and keeps her husband grounded and encourages her brother. She leads with emotional intelligence and a love for her family and the people of her world.
The story is also engaging. It takes place 4 years after the fateful mission that created The Fantastic Four. We learn that Reed and Sue are expecting their first child. With this comes the anxiety of whether or not the baby will also be superpowered.
As Sue is reaching the end of her pregnancy, the world is visited by a mysterious silver being that heralds the distruction of the world via planet-devouring cosmic being, Galactus. And don't worry, if you've seen Rise of the Silver Surfer, he's not a random cloud. You see him as he is in the comics. And he's played menacingly by Ralph Ineson.
As the movie continues, you see the team working to prevent the destruction of their planet. And you meet Franklin Richards, who is wanted by Galactus.
The story focuses on family, I'd say more so than previous iterations. Each member serves a purpose on the team. While Reed is the sort of de facto leader of the team, the movie does a great job at portraying Sue as the true heart and soul of the team. She keeps everyone and everything together. She does whatever it takes to keep everyone safe and is often steps ahead of even her highly intelligent husband. The final battle, for me, is a love story to the powers of mothers and what they're willing to do for their family.
If you're wanting a superhero movie you don't need years of dedication to previous movies to get into, I highly recommend The Fantastic Four: First Steps. It's fun, has beautiful style, an amazing cast, and a ton of heart.