DIRECTOR: Chole Zhao
PRODUCERS: Kevin Feige & Nate Moore
WRITERS: Ryan Firpo & Katz Firpo (story/screenplay) & Chloe Zhao & Patrick Burleigh (screenplay by)
PERFORMERS: Gemma Chan Richard Madden Kumail Nanjiani Lia McHugh
Bryan Tyree Henry Lauren Ridloff Barry Keoghan Don Lee with Kit Harrington Salma Hayek
and Angelina Jolie
This was a brand new addition to the MCU, but I found myself asking this question: was it worth it? Needless to say, I was heavily excited for this when I saw the trailer for it for the first time. All the hype leading up to it was what kept me in the know about it. Everything from the cast to it's affiliation with the MCU was what kept me interested. Because the MCU films are the hottest thing out right now... I thought 'why not?'
Eternals tells the story of a group of powerful beings who guard and watch the world as it goes on and on. They are unable to interfere with it's events and as it happens... they even knew about the events from the last two Avengers films (which blew my mind away at one point). In the following five years since the events of those unforgettable moments, these beings observed everything behind the scenes and we never saw them, until now. The fact that this is even true either excites you or leaves you with more questions like: 'if you guys saw all this happening, why didn't you do anything?' things of that nature. Simple, because even Gods have rules like no tampering with events. Remember in past films like Back to the Future when Doc Brown always advised against future knowledge and the disastrous potentials behind them? Same scenario right here. One of them even does just that and what follows is of course disastrous results. Like looking at 'so this is what happens when you use your power for personal gain' No wonder we never see them do that anymore.
Let's talk about the cast, absolutely stellar! So much diversity in that cast, I couldn't have been more blown away by it than I was. I only wish that Salma Hayek (who played the spiritual leader of the group) got more screen time because it's been such a long time since I seen her on screen. Angelina Jolie... Hadn't seen her in anything this good since Mr. & Mrs. Smith. She really brings forth a presence you hadn't seen in a while. Whenever she does roles like this, you're with her all the way and here, you don't know what's going to happen next until... Boom! The unity between these ten main leads is what keeps you glued to the story, especially as they round up again after so much time apart and like The Avengers, when assembled you get goosebumps. The chemistry is spot on, there's very little time for comedic moments between them and it's all serious, as is the story itself. Going into that aspect... not bad, but not necessarily that great either. The way these guys were fleshed out was a bit questionable like why was one of the characters made out to be like Superman? Or one of them longing for actual youth when it was already made available? One thing that surprised me was the love making scene between two of the leads. Was that really necessary? Because I don't ever remember a time when things like that were included in a Marvel comic book. I read enough comic books to know that this was never included nor mentioned in them so why this? Why now? But I think the whole unity aspect of the story was what made up for all of that.
The pros of this film were the action sequences and the effects that made them hard to turn away from. If anything, they were the film's saving grace. If I had to pick one good thing about this movie, it would be the action and effects behind them. They didn't run the story or tell it, but they made it convincing enough to stay interested, at least for me anyway. While the heroes were fighting the entities threating the world, you thought you were looking at a real thing you did not want to be 5 feet near unless you were an eternal, let alone an avenger. The effects weren't cheesy, they weren't fake and they weren't trying to hard to deliver. I always had chills coming down my spine whenever one of the Eternals would do something magical as self defense or something else (specifically the one who designs weapon ideas through his magic). I found myself wanting to have one of their powers and using it as a contributing factor to the group as far as strategy and planning (ISAIAH 32:8).
I don't know if the diversity amongst the cast or the genders presented in the film is right or wrong, but I know that this was very heavy on subject matter. I'm betting because of the way this was presented, there are many different viewpoints that will be seen upon this piece for many years to come. How do I know? Because it was a very layered film with so much difference in it, and we all know how we react to what's different; especially when we don't understand it. I understood the difference between these characters, some were Asian, others were American or even Latin, but we were all made in God's eyes so what's to be so bent out of shape about? (GENESIS 1:26-27 NKJV). While Eternals wasn't a perfect Marvel movie, it certainly was enjoyable for what it was. Almost everything about this film was outstanding. Once again Marvel outdoes itself in a time where superheroes are so irrelevant to today's times who knows how our world would be if we had them today. For anyone who's personally interested in this, see for yourself and judge for yourselves later, that's my take on this one. Nonetheless, I give this one a decent effort on Marvel's part.
MY RATING: 3.5 out of 5