New Heroes rise for The MCU

in Eternals

The one problem that has plagued Marvel films is a lack of story development over time. Too often, movies have relied too heavily on special effects and not enough on humanity. In the Eternals, director Chloe Zhao turns the entire formula on its head. Pink Floyd's Time is used so effectively to begin this new chapter in the Marvel Universe. This isn't your typical Marvel movie. This is a more complicated story about our newest heroes.

The beginning of the Eternals is not a smooth ride. We learn that our new friends have been keeping an eye on humanity for over seven thousand years. We lose some focus in telling the audience how they came to be because of the lengthy history lesson. Once that portion of the journey is told, we get into the crux of the film.

We learn that our new friends have been keeping an eye on humanity for over seven thousand years. Zhao created the script with Patrick Burleigh and Ryan Firpo. Ajak (Salma Hayek) leads the Eternals and ensures that they follow the rules. One of them is not interfering with human growth. Rounding out the team are Sersi (Gemma Chan), Ikaris (Richard Madden), Makkari (Lauren Ridloff), Druig (Barry Keoghan), Gilgamesh (Ma Dong-Seok), Thena (Angelia Jolie), Phastos (Brian Tyree Henry), and Sprite (Lisa McHugh). Their mission is to help humanity develop into being better beings and hence creating a more peaceful world. In theory it’s a great idea but as we know human beings are complex and aren’t always collaborators.

The wonderful thing about our new spiritual guides is that they are beginning to develop feelings for humans. It can be difficult to sit back and watch humans succumb to their demons at times. Unfortunately, our new friends discover that not everything is as it appears. Many of them have built lives and become attached to those they were sent to protect while living among humans. This section of the film is what distinguishes the Eternals from their other super friends. It also provides a satisfying twist and aids in the film's action.

Zhao does an excellent job of allowing each hero to shine. We get to see each Eternal in his or her natural habitat. One surprise is that Hayek is leading the troupe rather than Jolie, who is more in the background. What's more, Hayek passes the baton to Chan's Sersi, who is the most Intune Eternal. She, more than the others, has formed the strongest bonds with humans.

The best surprise is Brian Tyree Henry as Phastos. He's the Eternals' creator and technician, and he's also openly gay. He's the hero we're rooting for not because he's the strongest or fastest, but because he's the most resilient. He also serves as the film's comedic relief.

Many people who have never been fans of the MCU will enjoy these new heroes and the direction this film takes. It's a complete 180-degree turn from what they're used to. Eternals is far from perfect, but when you hire a director like Chloe Zhao, you're stating unequivocally that you're open to innovative ideas, and in the end, it's up to the audience to decide whether or not those ideas work.