- 1Movie Overview
- 2Direction & Cinematography
- 3Cast & Performances
- 4Character Psychology
- 5Themes & Emotional Depth
- 6Memorable Scenes & Dialogue
- 7The Ending — Does It Deliver?
- 8What Works
- 9Honest Criticism
- 10How It Compares
- 11Legacy & Cultural Impact
- 12Behind the Scenes
- 13Who Should Watch It?
- 14Final Verdict
- Genre: Science Fiction, Action, Adventure
- Director: Chloé Zhao
- Year: 2021
- Runtime: 2h 36m
- Language: English (EN)
- TMDB Rating: ⭐ 6.8/10
Movie Overview
A group of immortal beings, the Eternals, have secretly lived on Earth for 7,000 years. Sersi (Gemma Chan), the most empathetic of them, now works as a museum curator in London while her former lover Ikaris (Richard Madden) has been absent for centuries. When ancient enemies called Deviants resurface, the team must reunite — but their mission isn't what it seems. The film jumps across Mesopotamian battlefields, Aztec temples, and present-day London, revealing how each Eternal coped with their endless lifespan. That final twist about their true purpose? It changes everything.
Direction & Cinematography
Chloé Zhao brings her signature natural light aesthetic to the MCU, which gives the historical flashbacks an earthy realism rare for the franchise. The shot of the Eternals walking through a golden wheat field at dusk could be from Nomadland — until a spaceship ruins the composition. But the action scenes feel oddly flat, lacking the kinetic energy of other Marvel directors. I'll admit I didn't expect Zhao's contemplative style to clash so badly with the mandatory third-act CGI fest. What stayed with me are the quiet moments: Angelina Jolie's Thena practicing tai chi on a cliff edge at dawn, or Kumail Nanjiani's Kingo watching his own silent films.
Cast & Performances
Gemma Chan makes Sersi's kindness feel like a superpower — watch how she gently touches objects before transforming them, as if asking permission. Richard Madden plays Ikaris with unsettling stillness; his smile never reaches his eyes, which works perfectly for the reveal. Angelina Jolie struggles more, her Thena alternating between vacant stares and sudden rage without enough connective tissue. The surprise is Barry Keoghan's Druig — his scene refusing to help during the Spanish Conquest crackles with moral ambiguity the film needed more of.
Character Psychology
Sersi wants to protect humanity because she genuinely loves them — a radical stance among her teammates. What she needs is to question whether she's been programmed to feel that way. The film's most interesting tension comes from characters realizing their free will might be an illusion. Ikaris' arc suffers because we don't see enough of his internal struggle before the big choice.
Themes & Emotional Depth
Eternals is about breaking from toxic family systems — the Celestials created these beings, but is loyalty to creators justified when they demand atrocities? The Babylon sequence shows this best: Makkari (Lauren Ridloff) signs 'We're not their weapons' mid-battle, a moment that should've been the film's core. It's also about immigrants who outlive their homelands — Kingo's Bollywood career is his way of belonging to a culture that wasn't his to start with.
Memorable Scenes & Dialogue
1) Thena's breakdown in Babylon: Jolie suddenly attacks her teammates mid-sentence, her sword work terrifyingly precise. The way Zhao holds on the other Eternals' shocked faces makes it clear this is their first real failure. 2) Druig's village: A single tracking shot reveals his hidden community of mind-controlled humans living in harmony — unsettling and beautiful at once. 3) Phastos' Hiroshima reaction: When Brian Tyree Henry's inventor sees his technology used for mass destruction, his silent scream carries more weight than any monologue could.
The Ending — Does It Deliver?
The final battle tries to have it both ways — massive cosmic stakes and intimate character drama — and doesn't fully succeed at either. What surprised me most was Sersi's solution, which feels genuinely clever for a Marvel finale. That last shot of the team separated across the universe? It's the first time the film truly commits to consequences.
What Works
The historical flashbacks give the MCU real texture for once — particularly the Babylonian battle where Gilgamesh (Don Lee) fights with a giant stone wheel. Kumail Nanjiani's comedic timing as Kingo saves several scenes from ponderousness. The idea that eternal life is more curse than gift comes through strongest in Sprite's (Lia McHugh) bitter jealousy of humans who get to grow up.
Honest Criticism
The Deviants are generic CGI monsters until one suddenly develops personality way too late. The romantic subplot between Sersi and Dane (Kit Harington) feels tacked on to set up future films. Worst is the inconsistent power scaling — why can Ikaris laser through mountains but struggle against basic Deviants?
How It Compares
Compared to Guardians of the Galaxy, Eternals lacks humor to balance its grandeur. Against Zack Snyder's DC films, its mythology feels more cohesive but less visually daring. The closest match might be The Old Guard — another immortal team story that handled centuries-spanning relationships better in half the runtime.
Legacy & Cultural Impact
Eternals became the first MCU film to score 'rotten' on Rotten Tomatoes (47%), though it earned $402 million worldwide. It scored an Oscar nod for Visual Effects but lost to Dune. The conversation it started — about Marvel allowing director voices vs. house style — matters more than the film itself.
Behind the Scenes
- Pip the Troll was fully cut after test audiences found him jarring. 2) Thena's sword-fighting style was based on Jolie's Wanted training. 3) The Bollywood dance sequence took 4 days to shoot but almost got axed for runtime.
Who Should Watch It?
MCU completists will find enough lore here to satisfy, and arthouse fans curious about Zhao's blockbuster turn should see it once. Those who prefer Marvel's quippy, fast-paced formula may check their watches.
Final Verdict
Eternals gets a 6.5 for ambition over execution. It's worth watching for the moments where Zhao's vision shines through the franchise machinery — particularly the haunting flashbacks. But I can't blame anyone who waits for Disney+. That post-credit scene? It's the most exciting part.
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