Eternals movie review: A Uniquely Different Marvel Extravaganza

Eternals movie review: A Uniquely Different Marvel Extravaganza

 

What: Eternals the 26th film in the MCU directed by Oscar winner Chloe Zhao is a uniquely different super hero experience that ‘connects’ with its human emotions and ethnic culture coming with pleasant surprises and interesting few firsts.

Eternals movie synopsis

Eternals a unified and unique warrior soul lead by Ajak (Salma Hayek) have spent 7,000 years saving life on Earth.

The Eternals are a dignified team of great individual talents where they can shoot golden rays of light from eyes, extremely powerful having all the might to fly, fight and of course teleportation.

The Eternals are united and are royal servants of the Arishem – their creator – a six-eyed, red-armored God like force. Eternals have clear cut instructions from Arishem to never interfere with Earth’s matters, the conflicts between humans even if it leads to devastating destruction.

The job of the Eternals is to fight the Deviants and protect the earth from time to time.

We come to present day in London where Sersi (Gemma Chan) an empathetic Eternal with a strong connection to humans and the Earth and has the power to manipulate inanimate matter dating Dane Whitman (Black Knight).

Suddenly Deviants - the fast paced, dinosaurs inspired, scraping, monsters that can float, fly, throw light almost everything the Eternals can do but this time with an ability to heal their own wounds.

Why are the Deviants back? Will the Eternals reunite again? What is the reason behind Deviants becoming more powerful and at par with Eternals?

 

Eternals movie review

Marvel Studios

 

First of all, Eternal is not a routine factory super hero from a corporate giant. Marvel Studios in its 26th super hero movie ropes in Chloe Zhao the Oscar winner master woman filmmaker (Nomadland) to helm a 200-million-dollar franchise.

The first the first Asian to do so, the first indie filmmaker to do so, it’s an historic achievement.

Chloe Zhao the master does with a unique flair that comes with amazing effortlessness in making the audience feel the ‘connection’ between the diverse Eternals who are a unified force.

The diversity of the Eternals can be measured from the fact that out of the ten superheroes, four are white, three are Asian, two are Black, and one is Latina. And further from those 10, one is gay, one is deaf and one is a teenager forever.

Chloe Zhao scumbles to the demands of a standard super hero movie. Zhao does sticks to the template, but gives a unique edge when she infuses cultural identities, human emotions in the cosmic energy of Eternals. The age long debate on Good v/s Evil is refined by building myths around characters whose incredible powers are sometimes in conflict with their emotions.

The fictional world of Eternals by Chloe Zhao gradually starts tackling the ‘real’ emotions we feel nowadays regarding power, the conflict between humans and the growth of technology which is having its deadly effects.

The Eternals travels the human history of human civilisation in its episodes of Mesopotamia, Babylon and Hiroshima.

For the audience in India especially the mention of Gupta Dynasty, the spoofy influence of Bollywood, the showcase of Indian culture is an added bonus that is likely to appeal.

 

The Eternals who plays what and their performance

Marvel Studios

 

Gemma Chan as Sersi the empathetic Eternal with a strong connection to humans and the Earth is amazing.

Richard Madden as Ikaris the Eternal who can fly and project cosmic energy beams from his eyes is powerful.

Kumail Nanjiani as Kingo: An Eternal who can project cosmic energy projectiles from his hands. Is entertaining especially when he becomes a popular Bollywood film star to blend in on Earth.

Lia McHugh as Sprite: An Eternal who can project life-like illusions is fantastic.

Brian Tyree Henry as Phastos: An Eternal and an intelligent weapons and technology inventor. The first superhero to be depicted as gay in an MCU film is fabulous.

Lauren Ridloff as Makkari : An Eternal who possesses the power of super-speed leaves an impression as the first deaf superhero in MCU.

Barry Keoghan as Druig: An aloof Eternal who can manipulate the minds of others is quite good.

Don Lee as Gilgamesh: The strongest Eternal, with a deep connection to Thena and the first Korean superhero is marvellous.

Kit Harington as Dane Whitman: A human who works at the Natural History Museum in London and is dating Sersi.

Salma Hayek as Ajak: The wise and spiritual leader of the Eternals is classy.

Angelina Jolie as Thena: An elite warrior Eternal who can form any weapon out of cosmic energy, and develops a close bond with Gilgamesh over the centuries is sensuously terrific.

Apart from Eternals those who leave their mark are

Dane Whitman as Sersi love interest is charming and amusing

Harish Patel as Karun is a delight and gets some good screen presence as well.

 

Technicalities

Marvel Studios

Ben Davis camera is a poetry in motion. Eve Stewart’s production designing is superb. Sammy Sheldon Differ’s costumes are great. Ramin Djawadi’s music moves with the flow. Editors Craig Wood and Dylan Tichenor are smart in their job. Visual effects by Stephane Ceretti and Special effects supervisor Neil Corbould efforts are a treat to your eyes.

 

Final words

Marvel Studios

MCU Eternals by indie Oscar winner Chloe Zhao is a uniquely different marvel extravaganza that comes with an Indian connection as well.

 

Rating : 4/5

Director :
Production House :

About vishal verma

vishal verma

A child born from life & fed by cinema. A filmi keeda from child & a film journalist for the last fifteen years. a father, seeker, foodie who loves crooning bollywood melodies twitter.com/cineblues More By vishal verma

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