Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) is set to open a new chapter this week with the reboot of one of its most popular films, The Fantastic Four. The First Steps, starring Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Joseph Quinn and Ebon Moss-Bachrach, is set in the 1960s, but in a different timeline. The upcoming film follows an earlier 2015 version that did not do well in theatres and received negative reviews not just from fans but critics too. But this time, things have changed for good. Critics are praising the movie by calling it one of the best Marvel films in years. Many feel it offers a fresh beginning and adds new energy to the MCU after some recent disappointments. According to Variety review, the latest MCU film “succeeds where earlier attempts have faltered.” Hinting at the previous MCU films, the reviewer feels that “there’s relief to be had from a Marvel movie in which you needn’t have carefully studied multiple other movies to make sense of what’s happening.” Reportedly, First Steps is fun and light enough for kids to enjoy, but it doesn’t make fun of itself or go overboard with the jokes. The Guardian mentioned that The Fantastic Four: First Steps is set “In a retro futurist version of early 1960s New York, Mr Fantastic and Sue Storm are living together as a dysfunctional family with the Human Torch and the Thing – with a baby on the way. The result hangs together as an entertaining spectacle in its own innocent self-enclosed universe of fantasy wackiness, where real people actually read the comic books that have made mythic legends of the real Four.” While the majority have praised the movie, according to the BBC review, “this retro vision of the future from Marvel doesn’t have enough suspense.” The review added that “it benefits greatly from a cast that is believable in unbelievable situations, especially Pedro Pascal as the brilliant scientist Reed Richards and Ebon Moss-Bachrach as his best friend, Ben, aka The Thing, a giant man made of rocks. As per the writer, First Steps is colourful, fun and light, much like a ride or show at a Disney park, but not very deep or serious. Empire admiring The Fantastic Four: First Steps mentioned that “For the first time in what for many viewers will feel like a lifetime, there is no movie/TV show cross-referencing required to fully appreciate this Marvel joint.” The reviewer shared that placing the movie in a world without the Avengers makes the film feel fresh and easy to watch. It’s not heavy or too serious, and that gives it a refreshing tone compared to recent Marvel films. The Fantastic Four: First Steps, scheduled to release on July 25, also stars Paul Walter Hauser, John Malkovich, Natasha Lyonne and Sarah Niles.