Eternals moves the MCU into a massively different direction that some may not enjoy and some might really appreciate. I happen to be on the side of the camp that really appreciates this new vision. Eternals is a bold and fresh take. There is more world building and character development that shows us it’s not all about the action it’s about how we are going to care about these characters going forward. You can tell the story is massive and can turn into something truly special and we just witnessed the first installment of many cool things to come.
Eternals still delivers some thrilling action sequences, but with a director like Chloe Zhao at the helm – coming off a best picture Oscar win for Nomadland – there is a certain care and beauty that looms over this film. Zhao is able to take creative freedoms that deliver stunning visuals and storytelling that feels elevated for a Marvel film. While yes, not all of our questions about the Eternals are answered, those answers will most likely be saved for a sequel.
Some are complaining about a confusing origin to the Eternals or plot holes that are ruining the story. To me this shows a lack of attention to the movie or even to the characters. Everything is laid out plain and simple and I was able to fully understand each one of the eternals’ powers, motives, and where they came from fully.
My only complaint about the film would be that we were just told the origins and reasons behind the Eternals. I would have loved to actually see this unfold on the screen with stunning visuals we know Zhao could pull off.
This movie is massively misunderstood and pulls off something I wasn’t sure the MCU would ever do. A superhero origin story where ALL the characters are sympathetic and I see myself begging for more. This is a unique set of characters and a new take on the genre. Eternals provides us with a dramatic take on superheroes.
Eternals is not always the happy go lucky superhero movie we expect. The idea that these beings have the ability to eradicate everything wrong in a world, but need to let people make those mistakes throughout history is a devastating reality to have loom over all of them. We see all this tragedy unfold – and so do the Eternals – and how it takes a toll on each character mentally is devastating.
Throughout the movie there are so many themes discussed about the world and the people living here. It may seem like too much to absorb, but in reality it’s strategically placed to set up an arena that is asking questions about morality and humanity. Marvel has only ever danced around ideas like this, but with Chloe Zhao and her Eternals they dive deep into some important ideas. They aren’t fully fleshed out, but I’m okay with that, because I know that if they are able to keep going they will continue to explore and peel back those layers of the deeper meaning of life and how we choose to live.
Eternals provides us with a stellar cast and stellar direction that some may not understand or like. Eternals at its heart stars a group of superheroes that everyone can relate to and care about. While currently it may be misunderstood, I feel going forward Eternals will have a massive impact on the MCU and how superhero movies are made and presented to the public.
I give Eternals an A
