The Eternals

 

The Eternals was a creation of Jack Kirby, having its first publication in July of 1976.  The story(s) history and various volumes since its conception is as long to cover as it would be to somehow to summarize in a few sentences, the genealogy though not too complex, is meaningless because the comic book never had a broad general audience.  The film’s success would be heir apparent to its own source material as was the hopes of Marvel Studios.

I, this blog writer have heard of The Eternals, and of it’s existence from the 70’s comic book series, but know absolutely nothing about it, and many or if not  all of my contemporaries who read comics or was into some genre of comics did not either.  As the characters did not associated or appear in any other comic books, but their own title, which gets explained why in the cinematic movie.

Critiques who discount marvel movies, have pointed out that the films are heavy on CGI , and stories are formulaic and repetitive.  Chloe Zhao the academy award winning director, and Marvel studios ensured to point out that this film the 26^th Marvel cinematic movie is distinguished as the film is very much shot practically in real world settings. The film wrapped principle shooting in 2019, just before the pandemic hit, and the Director used physical locations and natural lighting as many of the films set pieces.  The fight sequences and choreography is mostly practical with added in CGI to work alongside with the actor in post.  Chloe Zhao who wrote and director the film was extremely well versed with Jack Kirby’s work, and continues to be an avid comic book reader.  Nomadland was shot and completed before production began with Eternals but during that process Zhao had already pitched the idea to Kevin Feige and his team at Marvel Studios and they were sold on her vision.  Instrumental by taking part in casting to include a culturally diverse cast, to make inclusion and representation a priority, swapping genders with some key characters Zhao placed her own signature to this film, a sentiment expressed by Kevin Feige while doing press for the film.  Post production was spent during quarantine months Chloe Zhao was heavily involved with the editing.  So success and failure of the 200 Million Dollar movie can rest squarely on her shoulders, as how it was presented in the promotion of the film; marqueeing it's visionary direction.

The Eternals begins with an opening graphic to set up the film, this read through tells how the audience can expect the story to begin and foreshadow how what will be revealed to us.  We are to assume or know ahead that the film takes place after the events of the infinity war.  …  Here are spoilers ahead…

Eros is the god of love & sex in historic literature, in marvel comics he is an Eternal also known as Starfox the mid post credit scene introduces the character played by Harry Styles. Who looks the part 100%; going by comic book lore as source material he can affect your emotions as one of his gift. Originating from the moon of Titan, he is brother to Thanos, which automatically makes Thanos an Eternal with that revelation.  Their  father

A’lars has a brother Zuras whose daughter is Thena  making Angelina Jolie’s character and Eros 1^st cousins, and his comment to her “you are as beautiful as legends say” sort of inappropriate.   Having his own device which links him to his own celestial like  Sersi/Ajak  had with Arishem  the judge; Starfox has knowledge of the sudden turn of events befallen  Sersi, Kingo and Phastos.  This by its design also suggests other Eternals similar to Ajak are aware of their true nature and disagreed with the celestials.  And thus Giving Thanos an additional layer, Thanos viewed himself as a hero, his own action defies all Celestials across the universe by delaying an Emergence on all chosen Sentient life planets.  

100 deviants were created to eliminate planetary Apex predators who would delay and stall a planetary Emergence once a celestial seed was placed.  Unfortunately deviants evolved and became Apex predators themselves, so powerful beings known as The Eternals were created 100 to be exact to battle the Apex predators deviants.  To ensure the growth of sentient life; The distinction of these celestial creations is on- one-hand Eternals do not evolve, and initially cannot pro-create with humans or other species, deviants can absorb and evolve from sentient life, Eternals exist in their current form for multiple millennia as disgruntle Sprite can attest to. In the source comic book material - children can be created with their own kind as sons of Eros & Thanos are products of.  Making questionable “how” if their form is immortal; in the movie their true creation is revealed in the final act as something completely different.

The second is the post credit scene which introduces Dane Whitmore the black knight whose family history dates back to King Arthur and his knights.  The Ebony blade which is mentioned in conversation between Sprite and Thena (In a scene where Thena wields Excalibur).The Ebony is a dark soul entity that corrupts the wielder. The more powerful the wielder the more the blade corrupts them.  The material made of from the Ebony blade is what cut off the head of “Knowhere” a giant celestial which now floats as a mining colony planet in deep space. One rumor is Dane Whitmore’s sword however is speculated not to be the true ebony blade, but some soul sword with connections to Dracula or vampires, which is why Blade was the voice speaking to Dane off camera.  Director Chloe Zhao in an interview confirmed that, Mahershala Ali’s Blade was the voice heard addressing Dane Whitmore as he was about to touch the sword.

With a very quick cameo appearance of the Living Tribunal showing up in Loki, a strong speculation that Sersi and her team are about to be judged on a cosmic court; that visual should have promise.  As the closing credits indicate “The Eternals shall return”.  Here is the problem that’s reflective upon general audience scores, according to rotten tomatoes.  The film was good and rich and complex, but did not connect fully with its audience.  The movie is more dialogue than action and relied on flashbacks, and 25 % of the movie had action while the remaining three quarters of the film was strictly dialogue.  This told a difficult story, of why they split up, and why no one knows about them.  This is also the case regarding the killing of Tiamut.  The audience has absolutely no reason or need to connect or empathize with any Eternals, The only shared desire is final result of not destroying the Earth.  Ikaris, Druid, Gingo , Sprite, and Thena are characters if they were to perish there would be no outcome, nor would audience cared if they faded back into obscurity.  For the most part the Eternals have no Arc like other characters.  For example Stark being a weapon’s builder looking to make amends for his deeds that made him  rich, Steve Rogers a man out of time trying to find his place in the world, or a Peter Parker an unassuming teen given an extraordinary gift which burdens him while hold him accountable for his gift.  Eternals are supermen born that way and disconnected with humanity and all life events unless deviant harms humanity…  Full stop … nothing else.. the attack on New York, an avenger may have passed an Eternal and not know it and since they won’t die, and the casualties of war does not affect them.

Phastos is Marvel Studio’s first openly gay character; on screen progressively shown displaying an onscreen kiss performed with sincerity and nodes of the drama which is called for under the circumstances and stakes given in that scene.  The lesser known actors have the most screen time and established stars like Salma Hayek and Angelina Jolie are given very little screen time,  Sprite is reminiscent to Kirsten Dunst Character ‘Claudia’ in interview with a vampire, as a cursed  immortal viewed forever as child, and harbors great resentment for her  appearance; ironic since her power is illusion.  At the end of the movie Druid remains untrusting of humanity, Phastos disassociates with humanity on a macro level, Sprite is on her own self fulfilling journey, Gingo who disguised himself as four generations of himself recorded the adventure for self profiting means and remains superficial , and is also disconnected to humanity, he just parodies it.  Makkari – we absolutely know nothing about, and still no nothing, as she is living inside a space ship for hundreds of years and continues to do so. Thena struggles with mental health, and remains locked away in solitude either in remote part of the country or in deep space aboard their ship.  And Ikarus has no connection to humanity at all and lives up to his mythology. Sersi is the audience surrogate in this world and serves strictly as a plot device, similar to Edward Scissorhands she can’t touch or be part of humanity and hides from it, she serves as romantic love interest for Dane and Ikarus , but that is only to serve to introduce Dane as what will be the Black Knight Character ; and in the final act, a revelation in the movie when Ikarus reveals the film’s final twist. So in the end we know nothing of these 10 heroes, no one else within the Marvel Universe will know of these characters even after the events of Emergence which largely impacted humanity on a global scale. We as an audience are given representation of a minority with heroes of color, of gender equality as lead by women, and the inclusion of LGBTQ community which are all commendable and should rightfully be displayed as common place in these stories, but the film doesn’t provide a fulfilling story, as it opens up a new world of heroes, it does not stick the superhero landing for us to care. We can expect a division amongst characters like Druid, Sprite, Ikarus, and very likely Thena being villainous with self interested ways, but no interaction from an invisible war makes the film moot and an the audience lethargic.