ETERNALS Review - Yet another success for Marvel on a groundbreaking level
The moment it was revealed that oscar winner Chloé Zhao would be delivering Eternals to the huge screen, we knew we were in for something unique from the Marvel Cinematic Universe's "state quo." Furthermore, considering how the MCU Phase 4 film is jam-packed with flexibility in terms of its skilled cast, as a direct reaction to criticisms the studio has gotten over the decades for a shortage thereof, it has left fans truly interested in what to anticipate. But did Chloé's unorthodox loyalty to Marvel Studios pay off? Let's see what we can find about!
The eternal civilization known as the Eternals, Celestials' origin, has been humankind's redeeming feature against their wicked equivalents, Deviants, for seven millennia. Chloé's lavish, natural scenery, as seen in her masterpieces like Nomadland and The Rider, is also highly present in Eternals, as is the strong pull of emotional responses hidden within the supernatural beings. After successfully wiping out all Deviants, the Eternals split off, some in two directions.
However, they are forced to rejoin with the Deviants in the current day, years after Thanos' snap and the restoration of 50 percent of the population, who are now much more strong, with the Eternals as their target. Eternals' commander Ajax (Salma Hayek) is in charge of the gathering, and she is in full contact with Arishem, Celestial Judge (David Kaye), who is hiding a mystery (no revelations from us!) that could devastate Eternals' once-united force.
Eternals may appear to have too many protagonists from the start, as all 21 previous movies before Avengers: Endgame were rolled into one with a 156-minute running time. Given the mythos of the Eternals, the nearly infinite space and time addressed are geometrically enlarged, and the verbiage can get a little over your head until you see it again like I did. Particularly the Star Wars-style background of the Eternals prologue!
As a fan of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Eternals is unlike any other film in the series. And it's mostly due to Chloé's exquisite, uncompromising storytelling approach, in which even the action is choreographed according to the natural elements and intertwined with the Eternals' various mental states of mind, which fluctuate in shades of grey. This is most evident in the finale moment, which is befuddling with massive aspects but still seems intimate.
Eternals isn't likely to be everybody's cup of tea, which is acceptable given that it was created with a specific goal in mind: to broaden our perspectives on the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
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