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Eternals (2021) Review

Imperfect Beauty

SCORE: 70/100

Directed by: Chloe Zhao
Starring: Richard Madden, Gemma Chan, Angelina Jolie

Synopsis: The saga of the Eternals, a race of immortal beings who lived on Earth and shaped its history and civilizations.


****BEWARE POTENTIAL SPOILERS AHEAD****


REVIEW:

I think it's incredible that this film has a low critic score. It really doesn't deserve a 53 on Metacritic. That being said, it's not a perfect film, and certainly wasn't as good as I was hoping it would be.

There's a lot of good here, so let's talk that first. Chloe Zhao has brought us another beautiful film that is unlike any other in the MCU. It's bold some moments, and more reserved in others, she clearly knows how to balance the mundane with the spectacle. She clearly had a vision for this film, and it shows. 

The acting here is also great across the board, with the standouts being Gemma Chan, Kumail Nanjiani, Bryan Tyree Henry, and Lauren Ridloff. This isn't to diminish anyone else's performance, but they were the ones that made the movie for me. In these actors and their performances, we also get a lot of Marvel firsts. We have the first deaf superhero with Ridloff's Makkari. We have the first openly gay hero with Henry's Phastos, who's also married and has a child. There's also Marvel's first heterosexual sex scene, which isn't really that inappropriate and fits the moment. 

Something you'll hear a lot about is how different this movie feels to the rest of the MCU, and that's a good thing. When a film that's a part of a long-running franchise tries to break out and be different, it should be celebrated. However, while the film tries to be different in its first two acts, the third act is where it reverts back to the usual Marvel formula. Now don't get me wrong, I love the Marvel formula. If it ain't broke, don't fix it. What happens here is a film that tries to be different sacrifices what could've been a more emotional climax as opposed to what we get. 

My other major critique has to be the story. While it starts strong, there's a development that happens toward the end that I wasn't expecting and that I did not enjoy. It shattered my expectation for what was going to happen in the wrong way, and I was left wanting. In addition, the film is marketed as "It'll change the Marvel universe forever." when in fact it feels kind of inconsequential. However, I will have to wait until more of my Marvel friends see it to discuss that fact.

As with Shang-Chi, I don't want to discuss any more due to any spoilers so I'll leave it at that. It's still a good movie, but it doesn't quite hit the heights that I was expecting it to. 

Conclusion: While not as bad as my fellow critics say, Eternals stumbles in its final act after an incredible first one, and has beautiful visuals and acting. 

Score: 70/100

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