A brutally honest review of the new Fantastic Four movie.

I'm going to make this statement quietly, lest I anger the universe and it all goes away, but… are we tiptoeing back into the golden age of comic book-fuelled blockbusters?

I think we might be.

For a while there, things on the big screen felt a little bleak. Stories felt recycled, and even the most diehard superhero fans started to feel weary of the churn of movies being swung their way.

Then just this month, DC and James Gunn delivered us the crowd-pleasing Superman, a film that felt like a joyous return to the formerly tired genre we still wanted to love.

Now, Marvel Studios has followed suit with The Fantastic Four: First Steps, a compelling, character-driven blockbuster that manages to be visually stunning with an array of superb action sequences, and full of the original comics' heart and humour.

Basically, it's a heartfelt family drama with some space exploration attached.

Fantastic Four also cleverly skips too much of the group's origin story (which we've seen play out on the big screen twice before) and instead picks up four years after genius Reed Richards (Pedro Pascal) led a space expedition with his wife, Sue Storm (Vanessa Kirby), her brother, Johnny (Joseph Quinn), and his best friend Ben Grimm (Ebon Moss-Bachrach) that ended with them accidently travelling through a cosmic storm. The event permanently altered their DNA, leaving them with individual superpowers that led them to become Earth's beloved defenders.

Watch: 'The Fantastic Four: First Steps' Pedro Pascal & Vanessa Kirby Get Emotional | The Spill

Four years on from their space exploration, the foursome have mastered their powers and are closer than ever. In fact, they're eagerly awaiting the birth of Reed and Sue's first child. Their safety bubble quickly bursts, however, with the arrival of the Silver Surfer (Julia Garner), who informs the citizens of Earth that their planet is about to be destroyed by a cosmic entity named Galactus.

This threat drives the Fantastic Four back into space to learn more about the power of Galactus, who, upon meeting the heroes, offers them a deal.

He will spare Earth in exchange for Sue and Reed's child.

When it comes to the delicate balance between action and storytelling, The Fantastic Four: First Steps is firing on all cylinders.

The action sequences are expertly crafted and perfectly paced, and the scene where the Silver Surfer gives chase while Sue is giving birth in a spaceship is a standout sequence, as is the final throwdown battle with Galactus.

Listen to the author's interview with The Fantastic Four: First Steps.

First Steps is also a film that gives its lead characters real stakes to contend with, forcing them into a dangerous situation when it comes to the request for the baby's life. It leaves them to grapple with the impossible task of telling the world that they are, in some way, protecting one life over millions.

When it came to rebooting the Fantastic Four for another big-screen outing, director Matt Shakman and the writers focused on the character complexities and narratives, with the actors all telling Mamamia that the characters' thrilling superpowers are not the most interesting parts of their stories.

"There's something quite aspirational about Johnny," Joseph Quinn told Mamamia about his character." There's a kind of longing he has and a fascination with space that makes you think he's looking for answers in some way. He's also very kind and loyal, and I think that loyalty is shown in the film.

"Ben also has a strong sense of loyalty, and that is something I've really latched on to with him," Ebon Moss-Bachrach told Mamamia about his character Ben Grimm. "So much of his internal state is because of what's happened to him. So it's hard to separate those things out, but there's a patience there in his character."

When it comes to longtime fans of Marvel comics and the Fantastic Four, both Quinn and Moss-Bachrach said that everyone involved in the making of the film had the fans in mind as they brought this story to life.

"There's certainly a reverence for their time and a gratitude for their support for the film," Quinn said of interacting with fans on the press tour. "You do feel responsible, and you've got to be careful with people's enthusiasm and their investment."

"I 100 per cent feel responsible for the fans, and I don't take any of that excitement personally," Moss-Bachrach said. That's not about me. That's about Marvel's first family, who have been around since 1961, and people have this relationship with them. I honour that moment so much, and I try to meet the fans there, and join hands with them, to share in the excitement."

Marvel Studio's THE FANTASTIC FOUR: FIRST STEPS releases in Australia on July 24.

Laura Brodnik is Mamamia's Head of Entertainment and host of The Spill podcast. You can follow her on Instagram here for more entertainment news and recommendations.