2020-2029, Film Review

The Fantastic Four: First Steps (2025)

Posted on July 26, 2025August 19, 2025 by Martin: Through the Silver Screen

The Fantastic Four: First Steps – Film Review

Cast: Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Ebon Moss-Bachrach, Joseph Quinn, Julia Garner, Natasha Lyonne, Paul Walter Hauser, Ralph Ineson

Director: Matt Shakman

Synopsis: On a retro-futuristic parallel Earth, the Fantastic Four must defend the world against the sinister planet-eating threat known as Galactus…

Review: In such a golden age for superhero storytelling as the one we’re currently experiencing, we have seen all manner of comic book characters successfully adapted for both the big and small screens, from the massive ensemble team-up films to the most obscure characters, who have since become household names. Yet despite numerous attempts, the Fantastic Four has never achieved such success. We have seen the fun but flawed movies of the noughties to the unmitigated disaster that was Fant4stic. You would have been forgiven for thinking that someone had placed a curse on Marvel’s First Family, that they would never get an adaptation that would do them justice. After having done such wonderful work with the first (and you could make the argument for the best) TV show in WandaVision, enter Matt Shakman to well and truly ~~break~~ clobber that curse.

In a futuristic parallel world separate from the main Marvel timeline (Earth-828 to be exact) filled with advanced technology like flying cars and cool personal robot companions like H.E.R.B.I.E (an adorable scene-stealer), we learn through a series of newsreels it has been four years since our titular heroes blasted off into space on a mission where they were exposed to cosmic rays, which granted each of them superhuman powers. The supersmart Reed Richards (Pascal), who can stretch any part of his body, his brilliant wife Sue (Kirby) who can create force fields and turn invisible, Reed’s loyal best friend Ben Grimm (Moss-Bachrach) whose skin has been transformed into orange rock that grants him superstrength and durability. Last but certainly by no means least, Sue’s hot-headed brother Johnny (Quinn) can control fire and fly.

They are the planet’s sole protectors, and through their heroism, they have become celebrities whose ingenuity has enabled advances in technology and brought stability and peace to the world. With Reed and Sue preparing for the life-changing milestone that is parenthood, the four of them must deal with the arrival of the Herald, the Silver Surfer (Garner) who tells them their planet is “marked for death” with the impending arrival of the planet-eater Galactus (Ineson).

After a Phase Five that had some high points and arguably the lowest of the lows for the franchise (looking at you Quantumania), it makes sense to begin Phase Six with something of a reset and to establish Marvel’s first family in their own universe before their world collides with the main timeline as we know it. The script by Josh Friedman, Jeff Kaplan, Eric Pearson and Ian Springer keeps things focused squarely on the quartet and their dynamic, with no chance of any other superhero crashing into this world. There will be plenty of time for that in future Phase Six films. Having seen the origin story done before in the Fox era films, the decision to quickly bypass this allows the film time to explore Reed and Sue’s loving relationship, the camaraderie/playful banter between Johnny and Ben, and indeed, the togetherness and warm family embrace between the entire team is sincere and genuine.

With such pitch-perfect chemistry between the team, it’s a credit to the casting director that they absolutely nailed each casting choice (hurrah that the Oscars will at long last be giving these people their dues in next year’s ceremony). Pascal, continuing his bid for cinematic domination, expertly balances Reed’s intelligence and scientific nous while preparing for the enhanced responsibility of becoming a father. Moss-Bachrach’s Ben, despite his hard-as-rock exterior, comes off as very kind and gentle, particularly when demonstrating his strength to a group of schoolchildren. Quinn as Johnny exudes charm and charisma in flaming abundance. However, the MVP of the team is unquestionably Kirby’s Sue. A woman balancing impending motherhood, a heroic feat of endurance in itself, but all while leading diplomatic efforts on the international stage. This, combined with the true power she possesses, means she is a force to be reckoned with.

Speaking of forces to be reckoned with, while she doesn’t get a vast amount of screentime, the Silver Surfer remains a mysterious presence that Johnny cannot help himself be drawn to. Perhaps in this alternate universe, flames are attracted to metal, or beings with metallic skin? The Surfer, or Shalla-Bal to give her name, gives the team plenty to worry about. Yet, it is the gargantuan cosmic entity Galactus who poses an even greater threat. 2007’s Rise of the Silver Surfer reduced him to a cosmic cloud that feasts on planets. This iteration very much retains his desire to feast on worlds, but through an effective combination of practical costumes, CGI and Ineson’s imposing voice, the menacing factor is turned to the maximum and does justice to a fan favourite.

Having worked wonders with the MCU’s first (and arguably best) TV show, WandaVision, Shakman brings that quirky vision to this universe through some brilliant worldbuilding. The sets of this alternative 1960s New York feel lived-in, and the technological advancements on display are so wonderfully realised, it is almost enough to make you green with envy that such a world doesn’t actually exist. With another fantastic score by Michael Giacchino (seriously, does this man ever miss?) Marvel’s first family have taken their first steps into the MCU, and at long last, have been given their well-deserved moment in the spotlight. Now, all roads lead to Doomsday. Set your countdown clocks accordingly.

With pitch-perfect chemistry between its leads and the perfect retro-futuristic setting to introduce them in, Marvel’s first family’s foray into the wider MCU is a roaring and flaming success!

2020-2029, Film Review

Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning (2023)

Posted on July 6, 2023May 26, 2025 by Martin: Through the Silver Screen

**© Paramount Pictures, Skydance and TC Productions**

Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning – Film Review

Cast: Tom Cruise, Rebecca Ferguson, Simon Pegg, Ving Rhames, Hayley Atwell, Vanessa Kirby, Henry Czerny, Pom Klementieff, Esai Morales

Director: Christopher McQuarrie

Synopsis: Ethan Hunt and the IMF find themselves in a race against time to prevent a new weapon from being utilised by a powerful enemy…

Review: Ever since making his first screen appearance as secret agent Ethan Hunt in 1996, the unparalleled commitment of Thomas Cruise Mapother IV to pull some truly insane and incredible stunts has made him practically unrivalled in terms of an out-and-out movie star. Here’s a man who has across nearly three decades of this franchise, among other things, climbed the tallest building in the world, hung off a plane in mid-air, performed a HALO jump and flown a helicopter for a pulsating tense chase sequence, all in the name of entertaining the audience. The success of last year’s Top Gun: Maverick, which was filled with some of the best aerial combat sequences ever captured on film, reinforced Cruise’s status as a box office draw. Now after a long and arduous journey to get to the big screen thanks to the Covid pandemic, Cruise once again suits up as Ethan Hunt for another nail-biting mission.

As the trailers kept the plot shrouded in secrecy, it would be impolite to go into massive amounts of detail about the plot. Suffice it to say, given the extraordinary amount of conversations which have been generated by the subject in question, it is extremely timely, packs what you’d normally expect from an MI adventure, and ensures the stakes for this seventh instalment somehow feel even bigger than its previous entries. When Ethan Hunt and the IMF learn of the existence of a new threat which would unleash global chaos if it fell into the wrong hands, Hunt along with trusted associates Benji (Pegg) and Luther (Rhames) and Ilsa (Ferguson) must set off another global mission to retrieve an artefact which could lead to this mysterious new weapon, while being pursued by an array of other forces who have also taken an interest in this weapon, which includes Vanessa Kirby’s Alanna Mitsopolis AKA the White Widow.

Given the remarkable longevity with which he has played this character, it will not come as a shock to learn that Cruise is once again terrific and there is genuinely no one else in the world who could possibly take on this role at this point. He continues to prove that age is just a number as despite now being into his sixties, he remains as committed as ever to throwing everything he has at the stunts this franchise has become so well known whether that be a crazy car chase, an exhilarating chase sequence or actually driving a motorbike off a cliff. While none of his IMF colleagues are involved with such extraordinary stunts, as is the case with Cruise, they have embodied these characters for so long now, they’re on reliably good form. As for new characters, the most noteworthy is Hayley Atwell’s Grace, a mysterious character who gets entangled with the IMF’s hunt for this mysterious weapon. With Sean Harris’s Solomon Lane now out of the picture, the latest villain to pose problems for the IMF comes in the form of Esai Morales’s Gabriel. While he is not the most well-developed villain in the franchise, he nevertheless proves to be a methodical antagonist who poses a substantial threat to give Ethan and the IMF a substantial headache, along with Paris (no, not the city), but instead, a sword-wielding assassin played with evil glee by Pom Klementieff.

While the stunts in this latest instalment continue to push the boundaries for what action cinema is capable of, it does come at a cost. In this entry of the franchise, more than any other which has been helmed by McQuarrie, it is noticeable that while the filmmakers go all out in terms of the action and the mind-bogglingly impressive level of stuntwork which must go into bringing them to life, McQuarrie and Erik Jendresen’s script stutters as a result. In this instalment, more so than any other film helmed by McQuarrie, it is apparent the screenplay is worked around the stunts and the unintended consequence of that is the events in the first act are a little convoluted and messy in its first act as it establishes the groundwork for what this mysterious weapon is and why it is so heavily sought after.

Once these wrinkles have been ironed out, the film kicks firmly into gear and its 163-minute run time flies by as quickly as its lead star can run. While it might not scale the heights of its predecessors (it will seriously be hard to beat that Burj Khalifa climb, the HALO jump or the jaw-dropping helicopter sequences), the intensity of the third act will have you in its grip for the entirety and will not let go until the credits have begun to roll. Time will tell just how long this franchise will have legs for, but so long as its star is willing to keep on running and pulling off more insane stunts, and its director remains committed to making them, it’s unlikely to run out of road or missions any time soon.

Following the pulsating highs of Fallout was always going to be a mission not even the IMF could accomplish. Nevertheless, the unwavering star power of Cruise and his commitment to delivering adrenaline-fuelled entertainment ensure that coming back for Part Two will be a mission audiences will be more than willing to accept.

2020-2029, Film Review

Pieces of a Woman (2020)

Posted on January 9, 2021 by Martin: Through the Silver Screen

Pieces of a Woman – Film Review

Cast: Vanessa Kirby, Shia LaBoeuf, Ellen Burstyn, Molly Parker, Sarah Snook, Iliza Shlesinger, Benny Safdie, Jimmie Fails

Director: Kornél Mundruczó

Synopsis: After a young couple experience unimaginable tragedy following a home birth, the devastation and grief of their loss begins to fracture their own relationship, as well as the relationship between their friends and family, in the days and months afterwards…

Review: There are no two ways about it, pregnancy is an incredible, yet simultaneously lengthy and arduous process, especially for the pregnant woman who is heroically bearing the heaviest of burdens. If everything has proceeded as expected after nine months, there will be brand new life at the end of it. Yet, sometimes tragedy can strike, and devastating heartbreak for the couple and their families ensues. For all the trauma that would follow in these particular circumstances, it seems incomprehensible that there’s a stigma/taboo that comes with such unimaginable heartache and tragedy, yet as two high profile examples from last year demonstrate, that stigma is very much apparent.

Therefore, it is to the great credit of writer Kata Wéber, and her partner Kornél Mundruczó, that they’ve made a film that shines a light on this difficult subject that is rarely touched upon in film. Martha (Kirby) and Sean (LaBoeuf) are an expectant couple, eagerly excited about becoming parents for the very first time. Within the first few establishing shots of the film, it’s established that Martha is heavily pregnant, expecting to give birth at any given moment. When the time comes for Martha to go into labour, the couple are dismayed when their midwife is unavailable, but are comforted when an assured and professional replacement midwife arrives. All appears to be going well for the couple, until the joy that they’re experiencing soon turns to devastation and unbearable sorrow.

Playing the woman at the centre of this devastating drama, Vanessa Kirby’s performance is nothing short of absolutely phenomenal. She embodies the incomprehensible feeling of anguish that continues to linger even many months after what was meant to be one of the best days of her life, but ultimately ended in devastating heartbreak. Initially, as she tries to return to her day-to-day life, Martha finds herself completely shut off and detached from her family and co-workers, and the relationship between her and her partner Sean (LaBeouf) is no exception. Yet as the months go by, the feelings of loss and anguish are just as raw, but the difference is that Martha is no longer cold and grief-stricken. Instead, she channels that heartache into fury against certain family members that try to goad her into things she has absolutely zero interest in wanting to be a part of.

LaBoeuf’s Sean, self-described as “boorish”, is definitely not the most likeable of presences. Like Martha, he finds himself stricken by the agony that his character finds himself in. Despite some questionable life choices in the aftermath of the tragedy, it is hard to not feel sympathetic towards his character in this situation. Through everything that’s going on, the presence of Martha’s domineering mother Elizabeth (Burstyn) looms over them both. The dynamic between mother and daughter in this situation is a crucial aspect of the film in the months following the tragedy, and alongside Kirby’s stunning work, Burstyn’s performance is equally phenomenal.

The film’s crowning directorial achievement however, is unquestionably, the birth sequence. Taking place in one, uninterrupted 24 minute take, the scene is undeniably tense, and extremely harrowing to watch, especially for anyone who will have found themselves in this situation. The camerawork, Mundruczó’s direction are both exceptional. Through the extraordinary performances of the three actors involved, the sequence captures the range of emotions that these characters experience throughout. As this is undoubtedly the most tense scene in the film, the film struggles to maintain the momentum that is built during the opening sequence, and as such, the rest of the film’s pacing does suffer at a handful of moments.

Yet, it is a credit to all concerned that a film exists that has taken on these topics with unflinching honesty. No matter how many months or years pass, the pain for those that have been through this situation will never subside. The couples that experience this go through unspeakable trauma, and they do not for one moment deserve stigma and or abuse. Hopefully, through films like this, we can as a society initiate a conversation with the goal of hopefully one day ensuring that that the frankly ridiculous stigma that surrounds miscarriage and child loss is eradicated once and for all.

Presenting its heavy subject matter with raw honesty, Pieces of a Woman is a powerful and unflinching analysis of unbearable grief and loss, anchored by an exceptional leading performance from Vanessa Kirby.

2010-2019, Film Review

Mission: Impossible – Fallout (2018)

Posted on July 28, 2018April 6, 2025 by Martin: Through the Silver Screen

**Image is property of Paramount, Bad Robot Productions and Skydance Media**

Mission: Impossible – Fallout – Film Review

Cast: Tom Cruise, Rebecca Ferguson, Simon Pegg, Alec Baldwin, Ving Rhames, Vanessa Kirby Michelle Monaghan, Henry Cavill, Sean Harris, Angela Bassett

Director: Christopher McQuarrie

Synopsis: When the IMF learns of an organisation in possession of some deadly nuclear weapons, they face a race against time in order to prevent global catastrophe…

Review: Though the word Impossible is in the title, the Mission Impossible franchise continues to prove that nothing is impossible when it comes to creating mind boggling stunts, and combining that with very well crafted and compelling stories. The remarkable stunts however are in no small part down to the incredible work of Tom Cruise who goes all out in terms of giving the audience the perfect, adrenaline fuelled thrill ride. And with each new entry into this franchise, it continues to offer that, and in jaw-dropping and spectacular fashion.

With this being the sixth entry into the franchise, this can be the point where things start to run out of steam, but this can definitely not be said for Mr Cruise who is showing no signs of slowing down even well into his fifties, and long may that continue. In the wake of the events of Rogue Nation, after a mission goes awry, a sinister group threatens to unleash global nuclear catastrophe. Consequently, the IMF once again finds itself in a desperate mission to save the world once more. However, it wouldn’t be a MI film if there weren’t some solid characters, a bunch of agendas flying around, people being double-crossed, and some people with some sinister motivations.

Cruise, as he has been across all 6 films, is once again terrific as Ethan Hunt, likewise for his IMF companions in Luther (Rhames) and the tech wizard Benji (Pegg). Though the absence of Jeremy Renner’s Brandt is never really explained. Also making her return is Ilsa (Ferguson), mysterious as ever, and out on her own mission that threatens to get in the way of Hunt’s. This in turn drags Sean Harris’s nefarious Solomon Lane back into the picture, which isn’t really good news for anyone. As for the newbies, Henry Cavill, and his well publicised moustache, certainly gives Hunt another headache that he could really do without. Fresh from her work on The Crown, Vanessa Kirby’s mysterious role was an interesting one, but sadly she is somewhat underused as is Angela Bassett as the new director of the CIA.

For each new entry into the franchise, a new director accepted the mission to helm the project. However, this time McQuarrie is once again writing and directing. Given the slick style of action that he brought to the table, it is a welcome one to see him return. This film has almost every action set piece you can think of, and it’s just absolutely glorious to watch. There are some necessary breathers, which is helpful because by the time we reach the final action set piece, it really goes up a notch. The word tense REALLY just doesn’t do it justice, especially if you are afraid of heights. Sometimes you do wonder how on earth they accomplished what they did, this is action film-making at its absolute best.

The franchise has certainly seen absolutely batshit stunts like the thrilling Burj Khalifa scene in Ghost Protocol, but here Cruise might have just outdone himself with some of the stunts that are on show here, particularly in that enthralling final action scene. With each entry, this franchise just continues to just be a source of spectacular and electrifying entertainment, and arguably getting better with each instalment. The fallout of the film-making brilliance that you see on screen here means that should anyone choose to accept the mission to direct any future instalments, that itself is going to be its very own impossible mission. Good luck to whomever decides to take that challenge on.