"Eternals" - Film Review
Part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe Phase Four, Eternals is the introduction of a new type of superhero. The Eternals are an alien race who were deployed to Earth to care for the planet, ensuring that another alien race, the Deviants, doesn’t destroy humanity. A hasty explanation as to where these wildly powerful aliens were during the potentially world-ending mayhem of previous MCU movies is given, but the film feels very removed from the rest of the universe.
What makes Eternals stand out among Marvel films is director Chloe Zhao’s insistence that practical sets and real-life locations be used whenever possible. It’s a far cry from the other Marvel movies, which sometimes use green screens for scenes as simple as the interior of a bar. What is the point of Disney’s massive budgets if not to use the natural beauty this world has to offer? There are times when green screens are unavoidable, such as when the Eternals commune with the massive Celestial Arishem (David Kaye), but filming the final fight scene on location in the Canary Islands adds a depth and beauty not found in the rest of the MCU.
Ajak (Salma Hayek) has been leading the Eternals since 5000 B.C.E, when their mission on Earth began. She is joined by Thena (Angelina Jolie), Gilgamesh (Don Lee), Druig (Barry Keoghan), Makkari (Lauren Ridloff), Phastos (Brian Tyree Henry), Sprite (Lia McHugh), Kingo (Kumail Nanjiani), Ikaris (Richard Madden), and Sersi (Gemma Chan). With that cast of characters, it should not come as a surprise to anyone that the movie feels crowded at times. After defeating the Deviants in 1521, the Eternals have spread out across the planet. There is a good balance between the previous missions with all of the Eternals working together to save the Earth and the lives each of the Eternals chose to lead once their job on Earth was finished. Kingo as a Bollywood superstar is particularly entertaining, and provides a fun way to add more brightly-colored costumes and liveliness in a single scene than many previous Marvel movies had in their entirety.
Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
Zhao clearly came to this project with a deep love for and understanding of the characters and storylines she wanted to explore. Her knowledge of the source material is extensive, and she was adamant in changing genders, sexualities, and ethnicities to make the characters more reflective of the people of Earth. Leading up to the release, much ado was made about the first sex scene of any kind and the first gay kiss in an MCU movie. Both pass without much fanfare, certainly not long enough for the drama they caused.
Ultimately, Eternals is a superhero movie for people who don’t like the usual superhero fare. It’s far more concerned with grand emotions and the thin line between hero and god than it is with quippy one-liners and over-the-top action. Despite the fact that it’s about the potential destruction of Earth, it’s also a family drama filled with complicated relationships. The movie may work better as a miniseries because some of the characters never get a fully-fleshed-out backstory, but it is a noble, bold effort in an otherwise bland genre.
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