"The Fantastic Four:First Steps" is a solid start to Phase Six.

After dabbling in the world of episodic television for the last two decades, director Matt Shakman brings his creative eye to the Marvel Cinematic Universe in "The Fantastic Four: First Steps" from Walt Disney Pictures. Josh Friedman, Eric Pearson, Jeff Kaplan, and Ian Springer pen the film's screenplay, which kicks off Phase Six.

Set against the vibrant backdrop of a 1960s-inspired, retro-futuristic world, "The Fantastic Four: First Steps" introduces Marvel's First Family—Reed Richards/Mister Fantastic (Pedro Pascal), Sue Storm/Invisible Woman (Vanessa Kirby), Ben Grimm/The Thing (Ebon Moss-Bachrach) and Johnny Storm/Human Torch (Joseph Quinn) as they face their most daunting challenge yet.

Forced to balance their roles as heroes with the strength of their family bond, they must defend Earth from a ravenous space god called Galactus (Ralph Ineson) and his enigmatic Herald, Silver Surfer (Julia Garner). When Galactus plans to devour the entire planet and everyone on it, things take a more personal turn when Sue discovers she is pregnant and learns that Galactus wants her baby.

I remember Roger Corman's attempt to bring Marvel's first family, the Fantastic Four, to the big screen back in 1994, as well as Tim Story's versions in 2005 and 2007. Surprisingly, I appreciated Josh Trank's vision in 2015 before the studio intervened. While I'm not a devoted Fantastic Four reader and can't recall every detail about Galactus or Reed Richards' patents, I do know that the essence of the story lies in family. "The Fantastic Four: First Steps" succeeds thanks to director Matt Shakman, who returns to the MCU after *WandaVision*. He efficiently presents a lively montage of highlights, featuring classic villains, the Fantasticar, and H.E.R.B.I.E., the robot, without overwhelming the audience with fan service. It feels well-earned and enjoyable.

The film's greatest strength, however, is its solid cast. Pascal, again nailing the nerdy charm for Reed. Kirby, quietly solid as Sue and Ebon Moss-Bachrach make Ben Grimm as sardonic and soulful as one could ask for. My one major gripe is the lack of pizzazz from Joseph Quinn's portrayal of the Human Torch. He has the one-liners but a definite lack of warmth and heat. Not to say that Quinn is bad per se, just a little underutilized.

Ralph Ineson gives a powerful voice to Galactus, who appears grand, but the world-ending stakes feel rushed. Sue finally gets a moment to shine in the battle, yet we can't fully appreciate the cosmic grandeur. Julia Garner's Silver Surfer is adequate but lacks depth.

However, the most enjoyable surprise was Paul Walter Hauser as the Mole Man. Unfortunately, John Malkovich was cut from the film as the Red Ghost; his cameo would have been a great addition, even if the director felt that the film was overcrowded.

More than anything, I am pleased that fans of the comic have something to smile about. I do see mainstream audiences taking it, but die-hard action enthusiasts may not fully appreciate this straightforward approach or the lack of memorable fight scenes.

Nevertheless, "The Fantastic Four: The First Steps" is a strong start to Phase Six.

Final Grade: B

"The Fantastic Four: The First Steps" opens in theaters this Thursday.