Since early 2018, Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige stated that a film based on the Marvel Comics “The Eternals” was actively in development. Later that year, a shortlist of potential directors resulted on Academy Award Winning Director Chloé Zhao being chosen for the project. Known for her films such as Songs My Brother Taught Me and Nomadland, Zhao’s partnership with Marvel resulted in one of the most diverse, complex, and visually stunning films to date in the MCU.

Due to the COVID pandemic, the film was delayed a year, similar to other movies at its time. Now, with a Nov. 2021 release date, Marvel Studios’ ETERNALS was finally shown to audiences worldwide, receiving diverse reception, with praise for its mature themes, production values, and visuals; the film’s exposition, pacing, and lack of character development have been criticized. It is also Marvel’s first film to receive a rotten score (48%) from Rotten Tomatoes. The official synopsis reads, “The Eternals, a race of immortal beings with superhuman powers who have secretly lived on Earth for thousands of years, reunite to battle the evil Deviants.”

Despite being the second longest MCU movie so far, with a runtime of 2 hours 37 minutes, the characters can feel less than the sum of their ensemble. Although, the film delivers its promise on introducing a diverse cast of superheroes, with characters from different backgrounds, cultures and representations, such as Marvel’s first deaf speedster and gay, black superhero. This is also Marvel’s first movie to be filmed mostly on-location, with areas and dozens of set-pieces placed in England, the Canary Islands, and La Solapa Beach in Fuerteventura. These production aspects added to the grand scale of the film, even if audiences haven’t grasped its narrative effect in the MCU’s future. Though not the most successful project in Marvel’s new phase four, ETERNALS has certainly made an impact that may leave fans feeling uncanny and confounded.

RATING: 3.5/5 stars

(Credit: Marvel Studios)