The Marvel Cinematic Universe is a film franchise of over 20 films that have been largely successful since 2008. But when the time came for Jack Kirby's Eternals to get its shot at the big screen, audiences were unsure what to expect from such a unique property. The additions of Nomadland's Chloé Zhao in the director's chair and a star-studded cast helped to ease those concerns, but now, a week before the film's North American release, it's been receiving mixed reviews from critics.
The Eternals is one of the Marvel Universe's most unique creations. The brainchild of Jack Kirby, they represent one of the three races of humanity. But outside of humanity and the Eternals, the Deviants seek to enslave and destroy humanity, and to stop them, the immortal Eternals use their cosmic abilities to fend off the threat.
The Eternals film follows the same premise as Kirby's original creation. However, instead of just introducing the Eternals in their prime, the film jumps from the past to the modern-day to showcase how the team operated as a unite and where they've been since they separated. In that time, events like the Infinity Saga have reshaped the world and inadvertently brought the Deviants back from the depths of the Earth. And to combat them, the Eternals must rejoin forces to fend off their longtime enemies.
Before Eternals, the lowest scored MCU film on Rotten Tomatoes was Thor: The Dark World, with a rating of 66 percent. However, as reviews came rolling in for Eternals, the film took the sequel's place, earning a critic's score of 59 percent. The cause for The Dark World's low rating had to do with the disjointed tone of humor mixed with fantasy elements. But while Eternals appears to have its own issues with humor, its apparent faults are a lot deeper.
The consensus, so far, is that Zhao's vision has the scale and visuals expected from those that know her work but seems to suffer from a couple of plot points that weigh it down. The stakes and impact of the film occasionally take a backseat, hurting its connection to the audience. Another factor that has caused a mixed response is the film's tone. Choosing such a unique director to helm an already very creative story results in something unheard of in the superhero genre, and while this will likely appease fans looking for something different in the genre, it may be too different for general audience members.
Eternals is shaping up to be a divisive film due to its stellar visuals, uniqueness and weighty story. But in reality, Jack Kirby's creations have always been niche and not for everyone. Considering most critics don't believe the film is "bad," it's possible that the film will evoke a similar response to the comics, from both moviegoers and critics.
To see if the critics hit the mark, Eternals arrives in theaters on Nov. 5.