There’s an old idiom that says, “Third time’s the charm.”

This appears to be the case for Marvel Studios’ recent foray into adapting Marvel’s first family onto the big screen. The early 2000s and the spectacular failure of the 2015 reboot had the Fantastic Four on pause until Disney bought 20th Century Fox in 2019, and the rights were reverted to the same studio that made “Iron Man” and “The Avengers” commercial and critical successes.

The new entry “The Fantastic Four: First Steps” takes a wholly different approach from its predecessors. Rather than shying away from the retro-futuristic inspirations of artist Jack Kirby and writer Stan Lee, it completely embraces them to provide the appeal of these classic characters.

Rounding out the famous characters are Pedro Pascal as Reed Richards/Mr. Fantastic, Vanessa Kirby as Susan Storm/Invisible Woman, Ebon Moss-Bachrach as Ben Grimm/The Thing and Joseph Quinn as Johnny Storm/Human Torch. The chemistry is undeniable between them, and the rigorous audition process that boiled down to these selections ensured the core four would pair perfectly on screen.

The larger-than-life villain Galactus is voiced by Ralph Ineson, who also performed the motion capture to bring the city-sized cosmic being to life. Rising star Julia Garner is his herald, the Shalla-Bal version of the Silver Surfer who leads Galactus to new planets for him to consume.

Thankfully, audiences are spared the origin story, instead jumping into a universe where the Fantastic Four have operated for four years and are universally lauded for their contributions and protection of society. Once the Silver Surfer appears to warn them of Galactus’ intentions to feed on Earth, the stakes are pushed to their limits.

Richards is not only a superhero but a super genius who scrambles to think of alternatives to save the planet. Susan is an established diplomat who uses her position to get the rest of the Earth to align themselves and assist one another to ensure everyone’s survival. Meanwhile, Johnny is a multi-layered character who, on the surface, is somewhat childish but finds his purpose while being discounted by the rest of the team.

There are several massive and beautiful sequences throughout “The Fantastic Four: First Steps,” and there is no one better than composer Michael Giacchino to bring the heat with the score. The theme for the Fantastic Four is an instant classic, and each note heightens the sense of danger and urgency in the visual spectacle.

The CGI in this film is incredible, which is even more impressive due to the various settings — space, a technologically advanced New York City, a spaceship interior and an underground city dubbed Subterranea. The Thing is a combination of a practical costume with digital enhancements that effectively convey his emotions. Human Torch lights up, literally and figuratively, to emphasize Johnny’s adrenaline-seeking antics of chasing the speedy Silver Surfer. But the true feature has to be Galactus and the scale of his presence on the screen. The film commits to comic accuracy and makes him as large as skyscrapers, and he is an appropriate threat for the Fantastic Four, who have never tasted defeat before meeting him.

The performances from the leads are all, well, fantastic. Kirby understands the multiple roles of Susan as a mother, wife, sister and protector, and stands out among the titular characters. Pascal is convincingly Richards as he tries to “solve everything” and allows his anxieties to get to him. Quinn is great as Johnny, who understands his place on the team and is more than just a handsome face and fast talker. Unfortunately, The Thing is the least developed and explored member, but Moss-Bachrach embodies the warmth and cohesive nature of Grimm through his relationship with the other three.

“The Fantastic Four: First Steps” is a nice change of pace from Marvel Studios, less formulaic than their standard fare. It’s also the only film from them until “Spider-Man: Brand New Day” hits theaters next July, as a preamble to the highly anticipated “Avengers: Doomsday” ensemble that brings the Fantastic Four in contact with the rest of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Marvin Goines is a film/TV critic who has been writing reviews on various types of multimedia since 2021. His work can be found on websites such as ‘The Cosmic Circus’ and ‘Movies We Texted About.’