The Eternals

[Magic Feather]

I liked it :shrug:

I personally found it better than Black Widow. Having come in with the expectation that it somewhat breaks the Marvel formula, but no expectation of the "Chloe Zhao" formula (I still haven't gotten around to watching Nomadland).

I found its twist to actually be a sufficient twist.

I found its LGBT representation to be satisfactory (not something easily removed like most recent TWDC rep).

I found its cinematography to be stunning, especially for a Marvel film. That said, screensaver the movie is a fair description, there was a scene or two where I genuinely thought it looked like a screensaver I had seen before.

While I see where some were coming from, I didn't feel as overwhelmed by the quantity of main characters as I expected to be.

Spoiler: Slightly More Specific

That said, the fast running girl and mind control guy should have been cut from the film completely. Other than the speed coming in handy in some fights and mind-control offering the commentary on human conflict, they were largely not needed for the plot.

While used sparingly by Marvel standards, the CGI wasn't nearly as bad as the trailers made it out to be (although I could help but laugh when the fire filter came over Richard Madden's face as Ikaris flew into the sun).

I'm genuinely shocked Thena didn't die. She was #1 on my list for who would end up dying in the film, that said, Hayek's Ajak was an unsurprising choice.

Also, I found myself oddly spoiled by the fact that DL's face characters for the Eternals consisted of Sersi, Kumail Nanjiani's character and the inventor character (too many names to be honest) in terms of knowing that they'd be left alive and Ikaris being suspiciously absent (I expected a sacrifice as opposed to what actually happened though).

 

[Nick]

I liked it :shrug:

I personally found it better than Black Widow. Having come in with the expectation that it somewhat breaks the Marvel formula, but no expectation of the "Chloe Zhao" formula (I still haven't gotten around to watching Nomadland).

I found its twist to actually be a sufficient twist.

I found its LGBT representation to be satisfactory (not something easily removed like most recent TWDC rep).

I found its cinematography to be stunning, especially for a Marvel film. That said, screensaver the movie is a fair description, there was a scene or two where I genuinely thought it looked like a screensaver I had seen before.

While I see where some were coming from, I didn't feel as overwhelmed by the quantity of main characters as I expected to be.

Spoiler: Slightly More Specific

That said, the fast running girl and mind control guy should have been cut from the film completely. Other than the speed coming in handy in some fights and mind-control offering the commentary on human conflict, they were largely not needed for the plot.

While used sparingly by Marvel standards, the CGI wasn't nearly as bad as the trailers made it out to be (although I could help but laugh when the fire filter came over Richard Madden's face as Ikaris flew into the sun).

I'm genuinely shocked Thena didn't die. She was #1 on my list for who would end up dying in the film, that said, Hayek's Ajak was an unsurprising choice.

Also, I found myself oddly spoiled by the fact that DL's face characters for the Eternals consisted of Sersi, Kumail Nanjiani's character and the inventor character (too many names to be honest) in terms of knowing that they'd be left alive and Ikaris being suspiciously absent (I expected a sacrifice as opposed to what actually happened though).

I need to see the movie again to just give it another chance. I'm actually going on a Disney Cruise next week, so i'll likely check it out in the movie theater on the ship at some point. Second time watching Black Widow I actually really liked it. Although I should say I came away from BW on first viewing with a much more positive experience than from Eternals.

 

[rageofthegods]

Didn't like it. There are some cool ideas but mostly it's a movie that thinks it's profound and wastes our time trying to convince us so.

 

[Nick]

Didn't like it. There are some cool ideas but mostly it's a movie that thinks it's profound and wastes our time trying to convince us so.

The movie is supremely overstuffed. Had they cut the fat off this movie, it may have been palatable.

 

[AlexanderMBush]

So, gonna separate this into two bits, one non-spoiler and the other spoiled.

The Eternals is a movie. I'll actually go through my negatives, as it is two major ones, ones already brought up but I want to emphasize out of the gate:

• That Runtime: This is a film that unconventionally unbuckles itself for a good bit of the movie, going for a slow burn. My problem with it, relies on that with that slow burn, things become repetitive real quick, and it begs the question to if they should've trimmed the movie down by atleast 10 to 12 minutes. Moments of the film draaaagggg on, and it's not funny.
• Lighting Composition: Man did they make this film too dark to watch in a big screen. It's part of Chloe Zhao's style, i get it, but a bit of the film needed to be brighter than they were having it. This feels like a fix that would also be simple to do, and I hope if Eternals 2 happens, this is on the prioirty.

Those are my major problems. There are some nitpicky aspects here and there, but that's more so with the sake of this being something that could hopefully be fixed with a sequel. But for now, atleast: 3.5/5. Rather good, but it needs work.

...Now the proper bits.

Spoiler

So, Ikarus. He is one of my favorite characters so-far in the MCU. Out of the whole ensemble, his arc throughout the film was spot-on and flawless. Stellar work from Richard Madden, really hoping he comes out of the sun and interacts more with MCU going forward. As for Gemma Chan's Cersi, she works well but I think a bit more time should've been given to her.

Sprite, Gilgamesh, and Phastos also shined, as did Thena. Sprite and the actress playing them (Lia) was fantastic and had a really good arc alongside Ikarus. Wish we got more of Gilgamesh, but glad Phastos is still around. Thena's arc with a near PTSD like aspect towards her memories, is a great touch. And it's one I hope continues for a sequel.

Hope Druig and Makkari get their time in the spotlight, especially Makkari as she felt like a leftover (the use of SL is great though).

...That said, none of them are my favorite characters of the film overall (Yes, even you Ikarus). It's Arisham. From nearly like 6-8 minutes, Arisham and the actor who plays him, steals the show by just how damn intimidating and terrifying the celestial is. Especially with the ending sequence of Cersi, Phastos, and Kingo getting physically yeeted out of earth. Can't wait to see how the other celestials and Galactus is written going forward.

 

[Jerroddragon]

I think like most people I liked the Themes and Idea's but they had too many characters in this

Literally one character is in this film just to be a set up for a future film, the CGI Villain is a cool idea but literally by the end is just bad to be something someone fights.

I for sure liked it more then Black Widow but think Shang Chi is much better than this. I think if you took out a few characters and focus on the main characters that we need to get to know the film would work much better but for sure this film just wanted to check box stuff off. We have a sex scene....do the two characters have any kinda chemistry? Well no but we have a sex scene

Lots of check boxes so they can saw he did this first or this is the first character to X...but if they wanted to have this big of cast it needed to be a show.

 

[Nick]

So while on my Disney Cruise over the weekend I watched this again since I was tired the first time I watched it. I like it overall, but I won't be watching it again anytime soon.

The problem is not that the film is more serious overall because the film does have a loose version of the MCU formula that it follows. The problem is that unlike most Marvel origin stories, this had a huge cast and it literally takes an hour and a half to bring present day Phastos into the mix and finally get to his house. It shouldn't have taken that long to round up the group.

Also, the film does have jokes or quips you would hear in other Marvel movies, but they are either poorly written or poorly directed and the tone seems off. The movie takes itself very serious most of the time and then you throw in the "Fall Collection. Ikea" joke. It's just not as natural/seamless as it should be. All you have to do is look at Shang-Chi for an example of how you can have comedy, but also have serious moments. Awkwafina walks that line brilliantly in Shang-Chi and would've filled Kumail Nanjiani's comedic relief role well here. When Nanjiani was delivering the lines he was given, it felt so forced and i'm not sure if that's on him or if it's the writing.

This is about at the Captain Marvel Tier of my MCU movies. I'll only be coming back to it if I absolutely have to, although I certainly have interest in seeing some of these characters in the future.

 

[Nick]

 

[Nick]

Just watched Eternals on Disney+ and first of all, this is a great movie to be able to stop and pause since there's just so much going on and the pacing is a bit wonky (along with being exposition heavy).

I still like this movie for the most part, however as I was watching the movie tonight it hit me that they really should have made this a two-part movie to give the movies more room to breath and to allow us to get more invested in these characters. A smaller cast in part one allowing the movie to focus more and then introducing the rest of the Eternals in part two could've been an interesting way to go.

 

[AlexanderMBush]

Just watched Eternals on Disney+ and first of all, this is a great movie to be able to stop and pause since there's just so much going on and the pacing is a bit wonky (along with being exposition heavy).

I still like this movie for the most part, however as I was watching the movie tonight it hit me that they really should have made this a two-part movie to give the movies more room to breath and to allow us to get more invested in these characters. A smaller cast in part one allowing the movie to focus more and then introducing the rest of the Eternals in part two could've been an interesting way to go.

It's a weird film for me. I like it, I actually have it higher in my Phase 4 list following the rewatch, but I can't help but feel this and either Falcon and The Winter Soldier or Hawkeye should've been moved to being a theatrical film, and this being a Disney+ Event Series.

Outside of my issues with lighting composition; I think Zhao would've highly benefitted had this show taken a miniseries approach, with the same level of impact and effect that the film tries to do. Doing so could've allowed it to be more properly expanded, and giving characters more time to develop over a longer form of time. It's a situation that I hope is the case for when they tackle Eternals again, as I can't see them leaving Angie and Harry Styles with nothing. Especially as we get more possibilities for the cosmic future of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

 

[Nick]

I think Zhao would've highly benefitted had this show taken a miniseries approach, with the same level of impact and effect that the film tries to do. Doing so could've allowed it to be more properly expanded, and giving characters more time to develop over a longer form of time.

I think having a movie was fine, but I wish Zhao was given a miniseries to tell story of the Eternals leading up to present day so people would been interested in these characters going into the movie and then there wouldn't have needed to be so much exposition and backstory in the movie. They could've just focused on Present Day.

 

[Legacy]

The vibe reminds of Justice League. The scale, the tone, the visuals, everything just feels like “Marvel’s Justice League.”

I don’t mean that as a compliment. It’s easily my least favorite Marvel film.

 

[HalfGlass]

The vibe reminds of Justice League. The scale, the tone, the visuals, everything just feels like “Marvel’s Justice League.”

I don’t mean that as a compliment. It’s easily my least favorite Marvel film.

Probably the most apt description. And I’d still argue Justice League is more fun than this (either the Whedon or Snyder cut despite what messes each are).

The biggest sin outside of the lousy exposition and lackluster action is the simple fact that almost none of the copious characters they introduce are people we want to spend time with. Some of that can be attributed to what you all said above which is lack of screentime, but I think it is the writing as well and I don’t know if making this a miniseries with the same creative staff would make it any less painful.

This is easily my least favorite MCU film.

 

[Nick]

Probably the most apt description. And I’d still argue Justice League is more fun than this (either the Whedon or Snyder cut despite what messes each are).

The biggest sin outside of the lousy exposition and lackluster action is the simple fact that almost none of the copious characters they introduce are people we want to spend time with. Some of that can be attributed to what you all said above which is lack of screentime, but I think it is the writing as well and I don’t know if making this a miniseries with the same creative staff would make it any less painful.

This is easily my least favorite MCU film.

Ironically, the character i'm most looking forward to seeing again is Dane Whitman/Black Knight and we saw all of about 10 minutes of him in the film. The characters within the Eternals are VERY DC. So much, it feels like a DC ripoff at points between the parallels of Ikaris/Superman, Makkari/Flash, Thena/Wonder Woman, etc.

And of course the Marvel/DC parallels will only grow in a few months with Moon Knight/Batman (both releasing around the same time, too) and Namor/Aquaman in Wakanda Forerver, which also both come out around the same time.

 

[quinnmac000]

The vibe reminds of Justice League. The scale, the tone, the visuals, everything just feels like “Marvel’s Justice League.”

I don’t mean that as a compliment. It’s easily my least favorite Marvel film.

Zhao said she was inspired by DC when creating this film so....makes sense.

 

[randompixel]

Watched it on Sunday. The plot was a bit obvious, but overall I thought it was alright. Would place it above Black Widow + Falcon/Winter Soldier for Phase 4 stuff.

 

[Nick]

Patton Oswalt seems to have confirmed an Eternals 2 and Chloe Zhao coming back to direct. Possibly a Phase Six announcement.