Eternals

I think this movie got such a trash review because people thought it was too "woke" with casting. Which is nonsense by the way. That is how the real world is. It does have its flaws but it's not nearly as bad as people rate it. These 2 & 3 ratings are nonsense. Those people who wrote those might want to try watching movies from a long ways back were they did put out some good movies but also put out tons of trash. This is most certainly not trash. It's pretty good. Decent humor, good action and a good story. Pacing and some of the dialogue is subpar. I will Also say that its run time is a bit much. I actually enjoyed this movie though and I'm very much not disappointed or think that it was a waste of time. It's a very unique take on the internals. I will say that Sercy and Icarus chemistry could've been better. It has its flaws but if you want to sit back and watch a unique interpretation of a comic book Then give it a shot.

I went in knowing nothing about the source material and not watching a single trailer. I had no expectations for this movie. After watching it, I feel like it had the potential to be incredible. But it wasn't. It wasn't even good. I'm legitimately sad while writing this.

I see this as the MCU homage to Watchmen. It feels very "adult" in so many ways. But in others, it's childish. The story is a complete mess. So many useless subplots. The characters feel flat, especially the protagonist. Some uncharacteristically bad casting choices (while also criminally under utilizing Angelina Jolie, a beast of an actress, should have been the main character). So much of this movie doesn't feel natural, something always feels a bit off.

There's a lot I enjoyed. I watched some of the coolest things I've ever seen on screen. So many parts are visually stunning. Some of the action was good, some wasn't. An enormous step down in that department after Shang-Chi. The deep philosophical themes are interesting but poorly executed.

Sigh. I'll probably watch it again to see if it grows on me. But this might be the worst MCU movie. I hope the bad reception doesn't discourage them from being ambitious in the future. I'm afraid they might stick to playing it safe to avoid another underperformer.

Edit: I watched it again, in IMAX of course. I enjoyed it a lot more the second time. All of my initial flaws are still there. But I focused on all of the good, and tried to ignore the bad. It made for a much better experience, especially after moving past the initial disappointment of how truly amazing it could have been.

I think the reason I found the protagonist so underwhelming is because she doesn't drive the plot. Her character is always reactive. Things happen to her. She's generally likeable, but a weak character. And one thing that was impossible to ignore even when I tried, Salma Hayek was a terrible choice.

My favorite character is Druig, with a great performance by Barry Keoghan. I really like most of the other characters and wish I could have seen more from them. Kumail Nanjiani is awesome, except when they give him random "insert joke here" lines. I'm curious to see more from most of the characters.

This movie is still very flawed. And I absolutely hated how certain character conflicts were resolved after major decisions were made. But if you can move past the bad, you can enjoy the action, visuals, and ambition. Rating updated from 4 stars to 5 stars.

(3 viewings, opening night IMAX 11/4/2021, IMAX 11/17/2021, 4/30/2023)

Chloé Zhao's direction gives Marvel Cinematic Universe a much needed breath of fresh air, but 'Eternals' doesn't quite come together. Despite the fact the film claims to have a far more thought-provoking theme and a plethora of philosophical concepts, it fails to elaborate on them sufficiently to create a more compelling experience. The movie is still magnificent to look but it's pretty much lifeless with boring actors playing boring characters.

The 26th instalment in the Marvel Cinematic Universe marks the arrival of a new brand of superheroes into their ever-growing family and further expands the horizons of its shared universe with its grand scope. However, being one of the lesser-known properties the way Guardians was back in 2014, Eternals needed to create an intrigue & curiosity to make us care & invest in its mythic world but the film as a whole simply falls flat at it.

Co-written & directed by Chloé Zhao (The Rider & Nomadland), her latest effort opts for a slightly different path that at times avoids or escapes the familiar trappings of a standard Marvel fare but then its attempts to forge its own identity is executed with such blandness that there is no life to it. The film is devoid of the fun & fascinating qualities of its studio's finest works and neither its storytelling nor its ensemble compel us enough to give a damn.

It is an ambitious undertaking no doubt that intends to explore a few interesting ideas but Zhao goes for it without working out the fundamentals first. She aims for the intimacy with surface-level digging into these superpowered beings but with there being no incentive for us to even bother, the emotions & warmth don't shine through. Add to that, the story is needlessly overlong, tediously paced, and is filled with characters without camaraderie with one another.

Overall, Eternals is a dull, lifeless & forgettable addition to Marvel Studios canon and also happens to be one of their rarest gambles that doesn't pay off the desired dividends. While the diverse ensemble is a welcome move from the inclusivity standpoint, the actors are more or less wasted in their roles and aren't given anything interesting to leave their imprint upon. It remains to be seen how this chapter plays out in Marvel's Phase 4 plan but as a standalone entry, Eternals is mediocre at best.

I had a good time watching Eternals. It wasn't the best film I've seen, but I have a lot of respect for the effort to make this.

Eternals has the humor, top-notch special effects, and references that make it an MCU movie.

The notes that worked in this film are the humor, VFX, stunning visuals, and fight scenes. The notes I think need improvement are the character development, the runtime, and understanding of character motivations.