Eternals Review: Chloe Zhao’s Epic And Divine Cinecomic Marvel Churns Out A New Class

Star Cast: Gemma Chan, Richard Madden, Kumail Nanjiani, Lia McHugh, Brian Tyree Henry, Lauren Ridloff, Barry Keoghan, Don Lee, Salma Hayek, Angelina Jolie, Harish Patel, Kit Harrington

Director: Chloé Zhao

Ratings: 4/5 (four star) [yasr_overall_rating size=”large”]

In the beginning there were the Celestials. The first of their lineage, Arishem the Judge sent a group of champions – the Eternals – to Earth to fight a cosmic threat that no one else could defeat: the Deviants. The immortal warriors of the cosmos were absolutely forbidden to intervene in mortal affairs, leaving the human race to face their own battles and learn from their mistakes. But their job would also be to inspire humanity and help it progress, at least until the aberrant creatures from outer space were defeated forever.

The Eternals by Marvel Studios carries upon itself a great load of responsibility, just like the saving burden that rests on the shoulders of its protagonists: the twenty-fifth film of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, directed by an Academy Award-winning director (Chloe Zhao) as well as the first major cinematic transposition of the heroes comics created by Jack Kirby.

Eternals Review: The Plot

The Eternals are a group of superheroes tasked with defending the Earth and the human race. In the years to come they fought and definitively defeated the Deviants a monstrous race that instead tries to exterminate man. The Eternals have human features, each of them has a superpower that makes them unique from the others. From supersonic speed, to telekinesis, from unstoppable punches to blazing blades. After defeating any threat to the Earth, the Eternals begin to adapt and integrate into society as real human beings. The difference is that they are in fact eternal and do not undergo any aging process.

Coming to the present there are therefore those who have undertaken an acting career, those who got married and started a family, those who live on the edge of the civilized world. But suddenly something forces them to get back into action. In fact, the Deviants seem to have returned to the game again and the Eternals cannot escape the reason they are still on Earth, which is to protect it. But soon they will discover quite another truth behind their lives, a reality that will completely upset their perspectives on their own lives.

Eternals Review and Analysis

Time, adaptation and evolution these are the three key concepts of The Eternals by Chloé Zhao, a director from independent cinema who found himself shooting a blockbuster for Marvel. The introduction with the beautiful Time by Pink Floyd introduces us to the importance of the time dimension in the story of the film. And Eternals draws heavily on the time factor since the protagonists have an almost millennial existence. The story continually bounces between past and present in order to give us a complete perspective of the entire time frame that interests us. The narrative therefore moves continuously over time allowing us to become better acquainted with the characters and their historical background. But it is thanks to this narrative device that the fundamental twists of the plot are also revealed.

At the base of everything there is therefore time, then the concept of adaptation and evolution of species. We obviously speak of humanity and the changes it undergoes over the years. But the Eternals themselves in turn evolve by adapting to the world of humans. In this sense we are dealing with extremely humanized superheroes: between those who want to have a family, those who want to make a career. All told by a splendid and careful director. Not to mention the action scenes, frenetic, immersive, engaging and really well thought out. The use of computer graphics is another of the positive aspects of Chloé Zhao’s film especially when it comes to panning and fighting. Last but not least, the stenographic aspect, especially when dealing with the breathtaking views taken.

Eternals Review: The Characters

The characters certainly deserve a few more words. Sorry about the fan service but this time Kit Harington is playing a very marginal role. The former King of the North represents humanity, no superpower. Obviously why he was enrolled in the cast anyway. The fate is different for his companion in adventures Richard Madden (formerly Rob Stark) who instead plays the role of a true protagonist. But what are the Eternals essentially and what differentiates them from their “fellow Marvel”? We are essentially dealing with superheroes even if they are extremely humanized. The different characterization obviously starts from the superpowers, certainly not innovative taken individually, even if on the whole they work wonderfully. But the thing that surprised us most is how each character can make unpredictable choices how different they are in reality from each other especially in weaknesses.

It is precisely their weaknesses that make them fragile and unpredictable, that make them angry and fall in love, that set them against them and make choices that no one would expect. We are not facing the classic Superman or Spiderman in short, there are many more unpredictable nuances in the way of acting and thinking in some of the protagonists. The humanization of the Eternals is a consequence of their adaptation to the human race after millennia of coexistence. We are therefore not faced with robots programmed to perform only what is commanded to them. They are living beings capable of feeling and animated by desires like everyone else. In addition to this, the fact that each superhero has a characteristic power and color has allowed us to better characterize the characters, which also allows us to easily distinguish them without getting confused.

The Final Words

The Marvel universe is enriched with new superheroes, new stories and possibly a brand-new franchise. Chloé Zhao has ventured into a field diametrically opposed to her way of making films. But let’s say that essentially his direction brought a bit of freshness to the superhero film universe. There is something strongly authorial in his shots such as the numerous panoramas of landscapes and the use of different light conditions. What struck us most about Eternal sit’s the way the story unfolds. A story that seems banal but then, also thanks to a continuous reference between present and past, acquires depth and interest. Everything evolves in a new perspective that goes far beyond the threat of planet Earth due to the bad guy on duty.

But above all it is the characters who evolve and sometimes even make unexpected choices. Despite the minutes, the film runs really well. The pace is fast, there are no parts that slow down or bore the viewer. You want the fun and spectacular action scenes to see, you also want the plot branching out, in the end we were always glued to the screen. A possible future new saga based on the Eternals is therefore welcome with this first film that clearly lays the foundations for something in the future. Chloé Zhao seems to have brought a breath of fresh air to a cinema that is now too repetitive and predictable, albeit always successful. We recommend everyone to watch the film, even those who are not fond of the genre.

Positive Sides

• Plot and characters
• Direction and scenography
• Rhythm, special effects

Negative Sides

• Some characters are superfluous
• The representation of enemies