Eternals is the first-ever movie in the Marvel Cinematic Universe with a "rotten" rating on Rotten Tomatoes. It's quite a feat for Marvel Studios considering it's the 26th movie in the series and the 25 previous movies are all rated "fresh." But that also means that the studio likely won't be quick to experiment with new directions for the foreseeable future.
The 2021 movie attempted to go in several directions that the universe had never gone in before, and for better or worse, it made for a very unique movie in the franchise. It was more of an experiment than anything, and while some of the choices that director Chloe Zhao made didn't land with audiences, there's still a lot that did. And in many ways, it doesn't deserve all that hate it gets.
The On-Location Shooting
Eternals looks a lot different from other movies in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. While most MCU movies are set on sound stages and shot in front of green screens, the 2021 movie is shot on location.
When there's a fight scene happening in Camden Lock in London, it's actually at Camden Lock. And when Sersi or any other character is standing on a mountain top with the wind blowing her hair, that isn't being caused by a fan in a studio. There's a very earthly aesthetic to the film, and that's because of how natural it looks thanks to the on-location shooting, and it's refreshing to see in a blockbuster movie.
Subverting Villain Expectations
There are so many tiers of villains in Eternals, and whether it's the Deviants or the Celestials, a lot is going on when it comes to Earth being under threat. However, nobody saw the biggest twist in the movie coming, which is that Ikaris fights against his team and remains loyal to Arishem, and because of that, he even has Ajak killed.
While the character of Ikaris is influenced by Man of Steel, he didn't exactly represent hope by the end of the movie. So many MCU movies follow a similar pattern in their third acts, but Eternals takes risks, and in this specific case it worked well.
How Imposing The Celestials Look
The Celestials don't have the biggest role in the movie, and based on the final scene, they're just set up to have a much bigger presence in the follow-up film. But that isn't to say that their presence isn't felt when they are on screen.
Between the ominous-sounding music that plays when one appears, their enormous stature, and the six red lights glowing from their cement block-looking heads, the Celestials' appearance is so imposing. Even though the narrative wastes them, audiences still feel a little uneasy whenever they're on screen and it's so cinematic.
The Digital Effects
Eternals is one of the best superhero movies directed by women, as Academy Award-winner Chloe Zhao was behind the camera on the 2021 movie. Zhao is one of the most exciting directors working today, and as her movies are so thought-provoking, everybody should be keeping an eye on what she does next.
However, her movies before Eternals tended to be very naturally-shot dramas where there are very few digital effects. But with her first major Hollywood movie, even the CGI somehow looks natural, and there's a sort of elegant beauty to the magic that the Eternals use, and that's why it stands out as being so unique in the MCU. As great as other movies in the universe are, the CGI sometimes comes off a little patchy, especially compared to Eternals.
The Diversity
Disney has often celebrated how diverse it is, regularly patting itself on the back because of it. And while that has often caused controversy, claiming that the studio isn't doing enough to warrant such self-congratulatory behavior, the cast of Eternals couldn't be more diverse.
The Eternals in the comic books are made up of mostly men, including Ajak, the leader of the superhero team, but in the movie, the character is portrayed by Salma Hayek. And instead of being a famous Japanese movie star like he is in the comics, Kingo is an Indian Bollywood actor, which is hugely unrepresented in Hollywood. The movie also stars deaf actor Lauren Ridloff in a prominent role, and Eternals is one of Ridloff's best movies.
Kumail Nanjiani As Kingo
While the character of Kingo was written brilliantly and the Bollywood star take on the character is a great spin on the comic book depiction of him, it was Kumail Nanjiani who really brought the character to life. Kingo isn't the most powerful Eternal, but he's by far the most entertaining, and that's partly thanks to Nanjiani's impeccable comedy acting.
However, with 10 different superheroes all fighting for screentime, Kingo unfortunately has the least amount of time on screen. It would have been so fun to live in his Bollywood world a little longer, but it's something that could be explored in the future.
Hollywood Heavyweights Sharing Screentime
While Kumail Nanjiani isn't the most seasoned Hollywood actor on board, Eternals sports two of the biggest stars Hollywood has ever seen, Salma Hayek and Angelina Jolie. Neither actor has led a major movie for years, especially Jolie, as she's now more of a director than an actor these days.
To see these iconic actors performing alongside each other and other promising up-and-coming actors like Lia McHugh and Brian Tyree Henry makes for some of the most engaging scenes in the MCU. Hayek lowkey had a great 2021, as she also starred in House of Gucci too.
The Clever Ways The Eternals Outsmart The Deviants
Many of the action sequences resemble Man of Steel without the destruction, with the superheroes whizzing around the screen at lightspeed and shooting lasers from their eyes. But there are other action scenes that are way more subtle and don't get the same amount of attention.
The way Sersi outsmarts the Deviants is so creative without needing to be action-packed. The character makes dozens of clones of herself and blends in with them so that the Deviant can't tell which one is her. All the Eternals have their own unique powers, but Sersi's is the best, as she can manipulate and transform matter, and it's adapted so well and creatively in the 2021 movie.
Very Few Forced Jokes
Being a part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, there will always be out-of-place jokes, whether they're pop culture references or ice cream debates. It's part of the universe's MO and they're unavoidable. But while there are so many cringey one-liners in the MCU, Eternals is refreshingly light on them.
There are still jokes here and there, such as the one-liner about Ikea tables, but they're few and far between, and Eternals has a much more serious tone than any MCU movie. And considering that, it's so jarring that Eternals and Shang-Chi are even in the same universe, especially as they were released just a few short months apart from each other.
The Mid-Credits Scene
Though Harry Styles showing up in the mid-credits scene as Eros is what got all of the attention and was easily the most talked-about moment of the whole movie, Pip the Troll should be getting more attention. Patton Oswalt plays Eros' assistant, an alcoholic troll, and it's about time a studio gave the comedy actor a role in one of these franchises.
Oswalt has often professed his love for the MCU, Parks and Recreation character is filibustering in court, he adlibs a Star Wars and Marvel crossover idea for seven full minutes. So it's probably just as exciting for Oswalt as it is for fans that he's in the MCU, even if it is as a troll.
