Marvel Studios has released yet another long-awaited movie, on November 5th, to the silver screen. With a star-studded cast, including Angeline Jolie, Kit Harrington, Salma Hayek, and many more, the Eternals usher in many new characters to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Staying true to Marvel’s style, the 157-minute movie was fairly long.

Created by the Celestials, powerful cosmic beings, and the creators of all existence, our ten Eternals have been instructed to fight vicious alien creatures called Deviants in order to protect the human race and keep them on the ‘correct’ evolutionary track for thousands of years.They then return to living an ordinary life on Earth, pretending to be human, waiting for the call to return home. Eventually, in the present day, havoc strikes, and the Deviants return, attempting to hunt down each Eternal.

Director Chloé Zhao comes together with cinematographer Ben Davis to bring the Eternals’ story to life. The casting was spot-on, with Angelina Jolie as Thena, the embodiment of the Greek goddess Athena, a fierce warrior struggling with a disease that wreaks havoc on her mind. Lauren Ridloff’s Makkari, an Eternal whose hearing impairment grants her a  superpower. The inclusivity of the movie pushes the envelope of Marvel’s phase 4, diversifying their cast and increasing the scope of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Naturally, this means that fans of all backgrounds are included and allows for a far more immersive story.

Salma Hayek’s Ajak and Gemma Chan’s Sersi, use their powers of self-healing and matter manipulation to lead the rest of the Eternals through their mission on Earth. Brian Tyree Henry’s Phastos, who is often seen as the weapons maker for The Eternals, is the first openly gay Marvel character to appear in a film, making incredible strides in inclusivity as discussed before.

Lia Mchugh’s Sprite, who can cast illusions, is seemingly the youngest-appearing Eternal and befriends Kumail Nanjiani’s Kingo, who can manipulate cosmic energy. Richard Madden as Ikaris created a lot of buzz surrounding this movie by becoming Marvel’s very own ‘Superman’. Barry Keoghan’s Druig, who can manipulate humans and control their minds, is the first Eternal to question their mission, contributing to the change of direction this movie takes. Last but certainly not least, Don Lee’s Gilgamesh, who provides kindness and care for Jolie’s Thena throughout the film, possesses brute strength. With the collection of all these characters and their unique powers, the Eternals had the potential to be a movie Marvel fans had yet to see.

The Verdict

Coming from a long-time Marvel fan, Eternals did not seem like the kind of Marvel movie viewers are used to seeing. With brief mentions to Thanos, the film feels like a stand-alone movie. I would give this movie three out of five stars. The first thirty minutes was backstory and the rest was split between flashbacks and fighting Deviants.