Rating of
3/4
Eternals Assemble!
Chris Kavan - wrote on 11/20/21
Going into Eternals, the only thing most people were talking about was how this was the first "Rotten" MCU film and how audiences were likewise a bit letdown. And while the film isn't at the top of my favorite MCU film, it is also far from the worst. With a knock-out cast and a look into the history of mankind, this is a sprawling epic that, yes, is a bit heavy on the talking and explanation of things - but is also full of plenty of action, humor and emotional baggage. Director Chloé Zhao also gives this a more personal touch as the film goes a bit deeper than a typical hero film does.
Eternals, as the titles suggests, follows a group of nigh-immortal cosmic beings. They are sent far and wide to planets across the galaxy to cultivate life while also defending that life against creatures known as Deviants. Earth is one such planet and we find it defended with a group of eclectic heroes: Ajak (Salma Hayek), the leader of the group who can heal any wound; Ikaris (Richard Madden) - the MCU version of Superman with the power of flight, laser beam eyes and enhanced strength; Sersi (Gemma Chan) - who can transform one type of matter into another (rock into water, etc. etc.); Thena (Angelina Jolie) - the strongest warrior of the bunch who can create energy weapons at will; Kingo (Kumail Nanjiani) - who can shoot energy blasts and even power them up ala Dragonball Z (I was waiting for him to shout "Kamehameha"... but he never did); Druig (Barry Keoghan) - who can control the mind of any human; Makkari (Lauren Ridloff) - a deaf hero with the power of super speed; Sprite (Lia McHugh) - forever childlike, she can create illusions at will; Phastos (Brian Tyree Henry) - he can invent pretty much anything on the fly; and finally Gilgamesh (
Ma Dong-seok aka Don Lee) - the man with the iron fists - he can punch real good. We also learn that the Celestials - beings of great power - are responsible for sending out Eternals to each planet - the one known as Arishem is their leader and only Ajak has the power to speak with him.
The film does an excellent job of showing our heroes throughout history from Mesopotamia to Babylon to conquistadors to the bombing of Hiroshima. While Eternals protect mankind from Deviants, they are not allowed to intervene in any other way (a convenient way to show why they never helped with Ultron or Thanos) - and while they help humanity evolve and grow, they don't get involved with politics or war. But as the centuries pass, some question their role and when Thena begins to show signs of Mahd Wy'ry (Mad Weary as it sounds) - a madness that causes them to lash out an attack - the group finally goes their separate ways. Even though the Deviant threat appears to be eliminated, they are not called back to their homeworld yet.
We pick back up in the current-day MCU where Sersi is a teacher who also lives with Sprite. She is dating Dane Whitman (Kit Harrington) after having previously been attached with Ikaris. While things have been calm for centuries, a new Deviant suddenly appears - along with Ikaris. The trio then sets out to get the band back together, but make a stunning discovery on recruiting their old leader, Ajak - in that she is already dead. Remembering that the Deviant they fought healed itself, the three realize this Deviant can absorb their powers - something that has never happened before.
Their globe-trotting journey takes them to India, where Kingo is now a Bollywood star - and royalty (his immortality has made both his "father" and "grandfather" stars as well) and joins the group, along with his loyal butler (and documentarian), Karun (Harish Patel). Next stop is the Australian outback where Gilgamesh (now a great cook) has been watching over Thena - who still has good and bad days - as her memories threaten to overwhelm her. Then the Amazon, where Druig has assembled a group of humans for the perfect society. Another Deviant attack takes down Gilgamesh, and after absorbing him the monstrous Deviant turns almost human. The group next visits Chicago where Phastos has a family with his husband (yes, the first truly major LGBTQ representation in MCU history) and son - and while reluctant to join he does so to save the life he has built. After retrieving their ship they find Makkari on board - having amassed a hoard of history in her fast-moving time on Earth. With the gang back together, Sersi, who has been granted the power by Ajak to communicate with Arishem - is given a stunning revelation. Celestials plant a seed in each planet they protect and as life grows and evolves - the seed grows until The Emergence - where a new celestial is born - at the price of destroying said planet in the process and starting the process over again and again. This divides the group as to what is best - save humanity (and the planet) or obey Arishem and let things play out as they should.
With a 10-person cast, there is a lot going on at all times, yet I think Zhao does a good job of giving each character their own story and motivations in the allotted time. And while the film is a bit talky, it never feels too drawn out and the bits of humor (mostly from Nanjiani, bless his toned-abs soul) is welcome with such a heavy story going on. The fights also feel pretty visceral, despite laser eyes and flaming balls being tossed about - there is a lot of heavy hits and desperate moments as well and the film is not afraid to take out characters. A lot of people have talked about both end credit scenes (and they set up some pretty big future revelations) but the film before it is just as impressive.
I choose not to focus on the negative. This is not The Avengers or Guardians of the Galaxy or Winter Soldier - but like all those films, it takes its own path and I think that's for the better. The film sure sets up some future adventures, I just hope Zhao is kept around to give us more despite the undeserved negativity. This is the MCU a bit more grown up but not too much and I like where things are going.
