Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Ebon Moss-Bachrach, Joseph Quinn play the titular quartet. Even though it’s called “first steps,” this is not an origin story. They’re already the heroes of Earth-828, a 1960s-inspired, retro-futuristic world that’s the film’s best asset. Also setting this apart: They’re all from the same family, giving them a familiarity and affection. As for plot, they venture into space to encounter the villain who will eventually threaten their planet. The requisite action scenes are fast without being especially thrilling. Director Matt Shakman has focused on the relationships and actually minimized the big fight sequences. While there’s a cool look and appealing characters, this still doesn’t get much credit as a great new Marvel experience. 
(2.5 / 5)
