Marvel's Eternals has potentially been one of the most talked about MCU entries in recent memory. It’s a movie based on charters that don’t have quite the same built-in fan base as many Marvel heroes, and the movie itself has looked to be something a bit different than the traditional fare we get from Marvel Studios. Many have now seen the film, and that opinion seems to be born out. Eternals is something else.
Whether that is good or bad is a bit more difficult to tell. While the response by those that have seen the film is positive, that is overwhelmingly true. There are clearly some with at least some reservations. CinemaBlend’s own Eric Eisenberg was among those lucky enough to see Eternals and thinks the movie was good, but tried to do a lot.
Eternals is a cool movie. Narratively speaking, it bites off a bit more than it can chew, but there are also some interesting and deep philosophical questions breached; it sports a fun, engaging ensemble; and the visuals are gorgeous. A very different Marvel Studios production. pic.twitter.com/lZfdJ6MVnjOctober 19, 2021
The sentiment that Eternals is just a really big movie is shared by most of the people currently talking about it. At the same time, the thing that really sets the film apart in the eyes of some may be the way it feels like it’s much smaller. What does seem clear is that Eternals is something very different for the MCU.
#Eternals is the most different entry in the MCU filmography. The film focuses more on relationships between the characters rather than action scenes which is refreshing. Chloe Zhao’s vision and style really comes through.October 19, 2021
One can at least theoretically see that some audiences might be looking for a traditional MCU story, and thus maybe something so different at this would be a turn off. But for others, seeing Marvel do something so fresh and unique has been seen as a welcome change of pace.
Marvel’s #Eternals is spectacularly weird & rich w/ a new MCU mythology that makes it feel separate from everything else. It’s honestly refreshing. There’s a bittersweetness to the film that you feel in its sunset shots - a definite Chloé Zhao touch. It is soulful & thoughtful pic.twitter.com/pIAFAyhJ4DOctober 19, 2021
A great deal of the difference in Eternals is clearly in the direction of Chloe Zhao. Many are complimenting the look of the film, and complementing both the director and cinematographer Ben Davis for making something that just looks amazing on the screen.
#Eternals is amazing! Chloé Zhao & company turn in an evocative, emotional, extraordinarily epic superhero film. The ensemble have great chemistry & all get big Movie Moments to showcase their prowess. The naturalism of Ben Davis’ cinematography spotlights characters’ humanity. pic.twitter.com/MjZ2VheJ56October 19, 2021
Even this close to release, it’s difficult to even know exactly what Eternals is even all about. The trailers have shown very little of the actual plot and done little to introduce the various characters, but whatever the story actually is, it seems to largely have worked for the audience.
Just got out of #Eternals. I've never been so invested in a story. It was cinematically beautiful. I was engaged the entire time. There's a lot to ingest but they do such a great job to process it all. This feels so different from the MCU, like it's own universe. I loved it.October 19, 2021
On the whole, it seems that Eternals is a big and bold movie, something a little different for the Marvel Cinematic Universe. For many, it was a refreshing change of pace. The fact that the movie premiered more than two weeks before it was actually released indicates Marvel knew they had something special and wanted the buzz to get out early.
