Sean Singh

After much hype since it’s continued delayed release, Eternals had high expectations to shine as a stellar addition to Marvel’s Cinematic Universe, but unfortunately it meets those expectations with pure brash and a dull thud. Despite being beautifully shot with utterly breathtaking visual effects and attention-to-detail, the story is ultimately let down by Chloe Zao’s inability to stick to a less-is-more formula, that anyone who saw Nomadland would be able to attest. The film has its twists and turns and tells an overall compelling story but it just goes on… and on… and on… there’s really no reason it needs to be as long as it is. There are a lot of characters, and whilst each does get some breathing space to develop, the sheer number meant that there wasn’t much time to connect with each individual. And despite a very extended run time, some plot points seemed to simply appear and disappear in formulaic deus ex machina. Indeed, the story appeared told to allow for stunning cinematography and effects over creating a relationship with the characters. The highlights of the film were Angelina Jolie’s stoic-but-warm-hearted warrior take on Thena, who had a damaged charisma worth relating to, and Kumal Nanjiani’s welcome comedy relief in an otherwise emotion-driven cast. Marvel is known for its post-credit teases of future films, and indeed, Eternals has two - however, the film does not deliver a satisfying end, instead choosing to act as a set up for future stories. Overall, Eternals was a breathtaking watch but despite its cinematic scale, felt inconsequential and a whimper in Marvel’s catalogue of relative excellence. Is it a bad movie? No. Is it Marvel’s best? Far from it. Will you check your watch and wonder how long more to go? Yes. Several times.