Following the recent success of Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings and the reputation Marvel has built, Eternals has high standards to live up to. Introducing a brand new group of 10 to the MCU, the newest film has a lot to accomplish in its two-and-a-half-hour runtime. Unfortunately, the newest Marvel addition doesn't seem to be striking the mark with many critics.
Hailing from the direction of Academy Award winner Chloé Zhao, Eternals has a lot of things going for it. Comprised with a cast that includes Gemma Chan, Salma Hayek, Angelina Jolie, Richard Madden, and Kumail Nanjiani to name a few, Eternals has all the makings to shake up the standard MCU formula. Critics have proved that they aren't a fan of Zhao's way of doing so, and it suggests that maybe Marvel viewers aren't ready for change. Marvel fans may have grown too accustomed to what they should expect from a Marvel film that when something differs from its typical action-heavy plot, it becomes bland and unloved.
An issue Eternals is running into already is that early reviews are impacting the way people feel about the film. Those who were excited have begun to doubt what it may offer, while others remain firm that critics have just gotten it wrong. Within Eternals' criticism, there are people who have begun to downscale the film merely because of what it contains. Setting out to break barriers, Eternals includes the first deaf hero and Marvel's first official LGBTQ+ couple (and kiss). For some who haven't seen the film, the inclusion of an LGBTQ+ couple has led them to criticize the movie and rate it low purposefully to harm the film's reputation. Critics that have mentioned it have praised it, while others have spent more time drawing out the countless issues they have found Eternals to have.
To avoid being "just another Marvel movie," Eternals has to take steps outside of what people consider the Marvel norm. Typically, Marvel films are action-packed, comedic, and family-oriented. They are filled with CGI and high effects that catapult their audience into the realm of a mystical superhero universe. Eternals still utilizes some of these traditional Marvel ploys, but they are not the driving force of the film. Instead, Zhao takes progressive steps to focus on the humane side of these heroes and the relationships they have formed with one another and the world they have lived in for thousands of years. Some critics found that if Eternals wasn't forced to be a superhero film, that the worldly themes Zhao introduces within it could have been explored much further, creating a stronger film. The core question still remains: If the MCU wishes to change its formula and Zhao's way of doing so isn't the right fit, is there a proper way to do it to satisfy all parties?
Following the recent release of Denis Villeneuve's Dune, critics have begun to make comparisons to Eternals, especially in terms of CGI. Any attempts to compare Dune to Eternals will only leave the latter coming out scarred because both films set out to accomplish very different things. A more fitting comparison for Eternals would be Guardians of the Galaxy. Dealing with twice the amount of characters of Guardians of the Galaxy, Zhao's Eternals can't get away with introducing the history of its characters through dialogue. Considering these are heroes who have existed for thousands of years and were absent during some of the most crucial MCU moments, there are layers that must be uncovered within this film. To do so, Zhao has to explore the core of each character, the history and beliefs of the celestials, and how that ties into the larger picture. With 10 characters, that doesn't leave much time to offer minor fights that build up to a monstrous climactic battle that MCU fans are expecting to see. It's the entire point. Eternals is meant to shake up the formula.
Eternals backlash may sound familiar. After its release, many complained thatThe Falcon and the Winter Soldier fell flat in comparison to WandaVision and Loki. In six episodes, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier managed to show a different and somewhat mundane side of both Sam Wilson and Bucky Barnes. The series weaved their own shortcomings with a morally complex group of villains and a quest to uncover the truth of their identities. Some complained that the series introduced too many villains and counteracted the mantra some characters had. Despite the criticism the series received, many were able to find value in the series' ability to blend action, comedy, drama, all while incorporating meaningful commentary on systematic and historical issues. Eternals attempts to do the same thing, just on a larger scale with a much bigger group of characters.
Is Eternals ambitious? Absolutely. With the new characters it introduces, some of whom are equipped with powers the MCU has never seen, or fit into a mold that differs from the Marvel norm, Eternals does have a lot on its plate. A lot of Eternals criticism stems from how the film's content is presented because it doesn't have the same grandeur that Marvel films have. Eternals relies more on its characters and their relationships with both one another and the world as opposed to action to drive the story forward. For Marvel, that's something that's only been tested with The Falcon and the Winter Soldier which was lost amidst the excitement of WandaVision and Loki's involvement with the Multiverse. Slating Eternals between Shang-Chi and the highly anticipated Spider-Man: No Way Home, puts it in the same position as The Falcon and the Winter Soldier. The reaction to both proves that when clouded with what a typical Marvel film will entail, anything that strays from it dulls in comparison. Due to that, it's easy to lose sight of how transformative Eternals truly is.
Eternals will debut in theaters on November 5, 2021.