Movie Breakdown: Eternals
Pre-Screening Stance:
The early word on Eternals was mixed, and the latest reviews have been downright poor. So, is it actually bad? Or does it just not fit in the usual Marvel mold? I’m ready to find out.
Post-Screening Ramble:
Eternals is a lot. For some, it will likely feel like a bold new direction for the MCU. For others, it’s likely going to come across as a chore. The story follows a group of folks (called the Eternals, of course) who get sent to Earth by a celestial being known as Arishem. Their goal is a bit hazy. Essentially, they’re instructed to not interfere with humans unless they’re being attacked by man-eating creatures known as Deviants. This, to me, is still interfering, but I guess it’s the only way to excuse their absence during the whole Thanos affair. In any case, once the Deviants are all defeated, the super team retreats to different areas of the planet to wait on Arishem to call them home. Flash forward to present day, and the Eternals must reassemble in order to face a world-ending event called the Emergence.
As you can likely tell by that summary, Eternals is a sprawling film that takes place over thousands of years. This, again, means that the movie is a lot. There are 10 Eternals + Arishem that you have to be introduced to, then there’s the MCU lore to plow through, various moments in history to touch on, present day updates, and the world’s new-found threat to diagnose and solve. I feel like director Chloé Zhao did her best to jam all of these elements into the film and to plot them out in a way that isn’t confusing, but the result is something that feels more like a check-list being feverishly scratched off and less like an entertaining, engaging story. Why Marvel didn’t make this a series on Disney+ will always puzzle me.
In regards to the rest of Eternals, it’s pretty much what you’ve come to expect from Marvel – the action is fun and the humor is dialed in. There’s also two post-credits scenes that – regardless of how you feel about what you’ve just watched – will get you amped for whatever is next. Eternals will hit theaters this Friday, November 5. Expect a legit “your mileage may vary” experience.
One Last Thought:
It’s funny to me that Kumail Nanjiani got all ripped for Eternals but it was for the part of a fully-shirted guy who shoots energy blasts out of his fingers.
