By Diego Bobadilla

Prepare yourself for a Marvel Studio film that has never been done before. People call the Eternals gods. Some call them superheroes, but who are the Eternals? The Eternals are 10 warriors that are mostly immortal. Each one can live forever with unique superpowers that they can hide because they live among the human. They must come together to stop the universe from ending.

Eternals sears on a score of 48% on rotten tomatoes making it the worst-reviewed movie for Marvel Studios Thor: The Dark World was holding the title with 66%. Why are critics so tough on the film?

Academy Award Winner Director Chloe Zhao creates a story that is mature and delivers emotion. You can see Zhao attempts to create a new universe of warriors that is very distinguished . Zhao does not fail in that aspect. For the first time in the marvel universe, we get an LGBTQ+ character, a deaf warrior, and the introduction to Bollywood to the mainstream. Zhao does a great job making these new characters get the spotlight with a good story that many people will relate to and retain.

The film is quite long with a running time of 2h 37m. With a movie so long, Zhao struggles to connect the audience with some characters. Some characters are slightly introduced but cause confusion as to why we must trust them to save the world. Some viewers might have questions about their abilities, their origin story, and why he/she is the one that will save the day. Also, the film can get confusing as flashbacks seem to come out of nowhere. There is no smooth transition. The story is good and easy to follow as information is given to you to understand, but you might find yourself asking for more. With 2h 37 minutes, the story is a bit messy and misses the target to have a smooth story. The film does not miss the mark with action though. Wow! Some of the fighting segments will blow your mind away. Marvel Studios never misses the mark with their action sequences. Once again, they are vivid with color and beautifully choreographed.

Some memorable characters include Phastos Played by Brian Tyree Henry, Makkari Played by Lauren Ridloff, Thena played by Angelina Jolie, Ajak by Salma Hayek, and Kingo Played by Kumail Nanjiani.

Henry does a phenomenal job portraiting the first LGTBQ+ character in the marvel universe. He is what fans have been asking for. No six-pack, a simple man pursuing happiness with his family and with a great power. Henry doesn’t disapoint. Ridloff does a great job as a supporting warrior. Her power is so cool. Makkari is the “fastest woman in the universe,” Marvel says. Her reactions to the action is authentic and better than other characters who have a voice and can speak. A thumbs up!

Jolie is pure magic on the screen. Jolie returns to her Lara Croft days in this film. This is one of the characters I wish Zhao developed more. Her character is very interesting and I found myself caring for her. Her name on its own calls for more explanation. She is the Greek goddess of war. according to Marvel. See the video below to learn more about her. I would want marvel studios to do an origin story of Thena. Her story is very intriguing. I wanted more!

I am glad to see Hayek get work in Hollywood. Hayek as Ajak is charming. You will have empathy for. Lastly, Nanjiani brings laughter to the film. Some of his scenes were some of the best in the film, making the story fresh and entertaining. Nanjiani looks his best too!

The Eternals is its own identity. I think this is why critics were so harsh on the film. Its not a bad film, but it’s not Marvel’s best. The film tries to connect what happened within Thanos and the Avengers, but then never revisit the topic. I think fans want that information. I know, I do. Overall, I appreciate the important themes in the film such as sexuality, mental health, climate crisis, and religion. I wanted more!

Thank you Chloe for opening the MCU to be very diverse. Stay until the VERY end as the film has two post-end credit scenes that will leave you in shock. B+

The Eternals is playing in movie theaters now.