'Eternals' film review: Chloé Zhao's sweeping, introspective superhero take defies superhero formula
Thematically ambitious & grand in scale, the sweeping comic book adventure 'Eternals' (opening in theaters nationwide Nov. 5) is a ponderous Marvel flick that challenges the Marvel template.
In short: Immortal beings who lived on Earth since the early days of human civilization race to prevent a catastrophe that could destroy the planet they have protected for thousands of years. Gemma Chan, Richard Madden, Kumail Nanjiani, Salma Hayek and Angelina Jolie star.
The true ambition of 'Eternals' finds the humanity of these god-like Eternals and roots the drama in their varying philosophical stances. Although they all arrived on Earth with the same marching orders (ostensibly to guide humanity's development), time and human history has affected their outlooks on humanity and their overall mission. Each Eternal has a specific outlook on history & purpose - with some choosing to live among humans and others opting to isolate themselves from the outside world. Yes there's a 'defeat the monster to save the world' plot driver that keeps the film moving along, but the real conflict here isn't the Eternals trying to save the world - an ideological conflict of purpose versus compassion is the story's real core.
Weighing in at 157 minutes of runtime, 'Eternals' is the second-longest MCU film so far - only 'Avengers: Endgame' has a longer runtime. And despite this lengthy runtime, it could be argued 'Eternals' still isn't long enough: this sprawling story spanning millennia and a large ensemble cast could have been a prime candidate for the Disney+ miniseries treatment. 'Eternals' could have greatly benefited from seeing how centuries and historic events informed each Eternal's individual stance before the plot driver kicks in.
The fact that 'Eternals' is a Marvel movie is what holds it back from its potential - and, unfortunately, what could sour some Marvel fans on 'Eternals.' For as fun and heartfelt as these films can be, Marvel films all have the same trappings: big action sequences, great character development and lots of quips. For a movie that's more than two-and-a-half hours long, 'Eternals' really only has a small handful of big action sequences - a battle against monsters in London at the start and an epic final battle to close out the movie. Pretty much everything between these two bookends follows the Eternals as they travel across the globe getting the band back together. While not completely bone dry, 'Eternals' lacks all the little quips and one-liners usually packed into the quieter moments of Marvel movies. And due to the sheer size of the ensemble cast, 'Eternals' doesn't get a chance to spend as much time with each character as it probably should.
This rushed character development is the weakest aspect of 'Eternals' - and the fact that this character-centric drama is so rooted in its nearly all-powerful characters is its ambition. Marvel fans have been trained to expect a lot of crazy battles with a ton of CGI and big explosions - these fans will be disappointed. And aside from Eternal-turned-Bollywood star Kingo (played by comedian Kumail Nanjiani) and his manager ('Eternals' breakout star Harish Patel), this film is very light on witty banter. In many ways 'Eternals' inverts the Marvel formula and basic hero story, with previous Marvel flicks featuring characters rising to the occasion to do "what's right" or defeat a powerful enemy. 'Eternals' finds its characters internally conflicted as to whether they should "save the day" ... or if humanity is even worth fighting for.
More than two dozen movies into the Marvel Cinematic Universe, just following the standard Marvel movie playbook is how the entire franchise gets stale. ‘WandaVision’ blew up the playbook entirely and ‘Eternals’ similarly colors outside the lines. With its visually stunning backdrops and elegantly crafted cinematography, ‘Eternals’ is the MCU movie that looks most like a dramatic arthouse film, rather than the CGI-saturated typical Marvel fare. ‘Eternals’ is a movie with actual notions on the very concept of being a “superhero.” This is the storytelling next step the MCU needs to evolve from the basic “wouldn’t it be cool to have (X) superpower?” to “if you were nearly all-powerful … would you save the world?” ‘Eternals’ is how the MCU avoids MCU fatigue.
Final verdict: The real antagonist for the 'Eternals' will be fan expectations - and since this movie deviates from the typical Marvel template, its bold and admirable risks will be lost on fans just wanting to see superheroes in tights punch bad guys.
Score: 4/5
'Eternals' opens in theaters Nov. 5. This comic book drama has a runtime of 157 minutes is rated PG-13 for fantasy violence and action, some language and brief sexuality.
