Chloe Zhao’s ‘Eternals’ Makes Great Strides in Inclusivity But Lacks Focus
Written by Rachel Shin
There are a million reasons why I was hyped to see Eternals, the first being that it’s Chloé Zhao’s MCU directing debut following her Oscar sweep (Nomadland). After fellow-indie-filmmaker-turned-Oscar-winner Taika Waititi (Jojo Rabbit, Thor: Ragnarok) was adopted into the MCU family, I was thrilled to watch Zhao put her own majestic stamp on Marvel, which she did. Alongside what has to be the most diverse and inclusive cast in Marvel history, I was also particularly excited to see the hilarious actor-writer Kumail Nanjiani (The Big Sick) who I’ve loved since Silicon Valley. While it’s not your typical blockbuster Marvel flick, Eternals is an inspiring adventure into new territory for MCU both on and off screen.
Although I’m not sure where Eternals will land in the Marvel canon, I applaud this collaboration and the strides taken towards inclusivity.
Eternals tells a modern tale of ancient superheroes (the Eternals) who’ve protected the world from evil since the dawn of time and who once again must unite to save humanity. One of the more philosophical films in the MCU canon, Eternals touches on war, morality, theology, and sociology all in the first ten minutes. The movie also features MCU’s first ever sex scene, or I should say “lovemaking” scene, as it felt incredibly intimate and like nothing you’d expect from Marvel. Zhao brought a tangible vulnerability to Eternals, keeping love at the heart of the film.
The greatest feature of Eternals is its groundbreaking inclusivity. With Salma Hayek (Frida) and Gemma Chan (Crazy Rich Asians) at the helm, it’s a cast that’s diverse in more ways than one. Eternals features Lauren Ridloff, a deaf actress who plays Makkari, the first deaf superhero in Marvel history. Additionally, Eternals features a plethora of multicultural couples including MCU’s first gay romance. For many Marvel fans waiting to see themselves on screen, their time has finally come.
In true Marvel form, the graphics, costumes and overall wow-factor were fantastic. But sadly, some of Zhao’s subtle, stunning choices were drowned out by CGI and rough editing. While Eternals isn’t lackluster, the storyline and dialogue were in dire need of clarity to support time-hopping action sequences and philosophical quandaries. Instead, we were given what felt like a buffet of half-baked scenes with no main dish. Thankfully, that didn’t stop the cast from delivering strong performances across the board, particularly Richard Madden (Bodyguard) and Nanjiani, who was the highlight of Eternals in my opinion.
Although I’m not sure where Eternals will land in the Marvel canon, I applaud this collaboration and the strides taken towards inclusivity. Zhao continues to stretch herself as a director and I’m excited to see what project she’ll take on next.
As for Marvel, all I can say about Eternals’ post-credits teaser trailer is… winter is coming.
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