Review: Eternals

Marvel is reaching for the stars with Eternals hoping audiences can connect with a new ensemble in just one film. Can you fit 7,000 years worth of history into one 2 hour and 37-minute movie? Yes. Should you? No. 

The latest film in the franchise introduces a team of superheroes put on Earth to protect it from creatures called Deviants. That is their only purpose. After they eradicate the Deviants, they live “normal” mundane lives. 

The Eternals cannot help fight wars, save the planet from aliens, or stop Thanos from snapping his fingers. Honestly, the explanation of why is pretty weak, but hey, we need to introduce these characters that will most definitely come into play later in the MCU. 

Over the years, the group separated, but when a Deviant shows up in London, the band gets back together. Now the Eternals must fight these creatures again and save Earth from destruction. 

The Eternals tries to pack a lot into one film. The three major plot points have little time to breathe. Things shake up so quickly that you end up forgetting what the original goal of the movie is. That being said, it’s a great premise; it just needed to be told through multiple films. 

For many, this may be a whirlwind of information. The Avengers were set up through multiple movies; each sprinkled in through a cameo or two. This helped the audience fall in love with the characters. The Eternals tries to do the same in one film, and it just doesn’t land.

That being said, the scale of this film is breathtaking. This is probably one of the most elegant Marvel films I’ve had the pleasure to watch. Director Chloe Zhao made a visual masterpiece that’s a feast for the eyes. There were only a few times when the CGI looked like a video game, but that was forgiven because of how beautiful every frame looked. 

To her credit, Zhao attempted to give every character a chance to shine but struggled with the amount of story mixed with the large ensemble. This leads to some characters taking a backseat, like Thena (Angelina Jolie), which is unfortunate. Jolie maybe had ten major lines in the film, but her eyes spoke volumes, proving it’s not about how much screen time you have but what you do with it. 

In the end, Eternals may not have the same impact as other films in the MCU, but it’s an essential piece to a puzzle that’s forming. It’s long with a lot of story, but it’s stunning to look at. There are a few great “Marvel moments” that will leave you in stitches and Easter eggs sprinkled throughout. There are two major end credit scenes, so don’t leave the theater early.