Gemma Chan | Kevin Barrett's Blog

Posts Tagged ‘Gemma Chan’

When You Love Something, You Protect It

Posted in General Comments, Movie Review, Movies, Reviews, tagged Ajak, Angelina Jolie, Barry Keoghan, Bollywood, Brian Tyree Henry, Celestials, Chloé Zhao, Deviants, Don Lee, Druig, Eternals (2021) — movie review, Gemma Chan, Gilgamesh, High Moderate to Low Good Recommendation, Ikaris, Jack Kirby, Kingo, Kumail Nanjiani, Lauren Ridloff, Lia McHugh, London, Makkari, Marvel Comic Universe, MCU, Movie Reviews, Phastos, Reviews, Richard Madden, Sersi, Sprite, Thena on February 1, 2026| Leave a Comment »

“Eternals” (2021) — movie review
Today’s review is for “Eternals” (2021), which stars Gemma Chan as Sersi; Richard Madden as Ikaris; Angelina Jolie as Thena; Salma Hayek as Ajak; Kumail Nanjiani as Kingo; Brian Tyree Henry as Phastos; Lauren Ridloff as Makkari; Barry Keoghan as Druig; Lia McHugh as Sprite; and Don Lee as Gilgamesh. They play immortal beings sent to Earth thousands of years ago to guide humanity and fight off creatures called Deviants. The cast has to balance the superhero action with the long-term family arguments of a group that’s been together for centuries.

Background: This is my second viewing of this film. I believe I first watched it in 2023 (or thereabouts) and wasn’t impressed much. It looked good, but I really couldn’t figure out what it was about – other than super-“creatures” with super-powers. It required this second, more attentive viewing to “get it”. Released in 2021 and directed by Chloé Zhao, “Eternals” is part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe and adapts characters created by Jack Kirby. It runs just over two-and-a-half hours and cost over $200 million to make, while earning about $402 million worldwide. It didn’t win any Academy Awards and isn’t historically significant in any “real” sense, but it is notable for being one of Marvel’s biggest attempts at a myth-heavy story with ten main characters. Zhao also used more real locations and natural light than most MCU films, which gives it a different look.

Plot: The “Eternals” arrive on Earth in ancient times (pre-history) to protect humans from the Deviants. Deviants are artificial lifeforms created by the Celestials to eliminate a planet’s top predator so that other species (developing humanoids) can develop. Celestial “seeds” are planted on these planets and are “fed” by the life-force given off by intelligent species (humans). They are “born” when the species reaches a critical volume, and in birth, the new Celestial destroys the planet they are hatched on / in. Through an error in their programming, the Deviants “evolve” an instinct for self-preservation and instead of only targeting the top predator, they begin to kill all non-Deviants to keep a planet’s total population in check. The Eternals are told not to interfere in human conflicts, only to stop the monsters (Deviants). Over thousands of years, they help civilizations grow, they argue among themselves, and they (the Eternals) eventually split up to live separate lives. In the present day, Sersi is living in London with Sprite nearby. A Deviant attack forces them to reconnect with Ikaris, who shows up after years away. The three of them start tracking down the others: Kingo in his Bollywood career, Thena and Gilgamesh living quietly in isolation, Phastos raising a family, Makkari hiding out in their old ship, and Druig running a small community in the jungle. As they regroup, they learn the real reason they were sent to Earth: humanity’s growth is feeding a Celestial that will destroy the planet when it emerges. Ajak knew this and kept it from the others. The team splits over what to do — save Earth or follow their original orders. Ikaris sides with the mission, while Sersi tries to stop the destruction. The final act is the group trying to hold off both Ikaris and the Celestial long enough to save the planet.

So, is this movie any good? How’s the acting? The filming / FX? Any problems? And, did I enjoy the film? Short answers: Mostly; strong ensemble; uneven but often impressive; crowded and overstuffed; yes, more than I expected.

Any good? “Eternals” is uneven, but it’s not the “disaster / horrific flop” some people made it out to be. It tries to tell a much bigger story than the usual Marvel single film formula, and even when it stumbles, the ambition helps. The movie has long stretches that work well and a few that drag, but overall (IMHO) it’s more solid than its reputation or “professional” reviews. Watching this film reminded me of my childhood days of reading the “Annual Special” edition of a comic where, for twice the price, you got double the normal comic-book pages with an expanded story arc which wasn’t necessarily part of the comic series “real” story arc. Sometimes they (the arcs) were pure filler and sometimes they allowed for a bunch of “extra” characters to be thrown into the mix. LoL.

Acting: The cast does the heavy lifting. Gemma Chan carries the emotional center without overplaying it. Richard Madden leans into Ikaris’ rigid, soldier-like personality, which fits the character even if it makes him feel cold. Angelina Jolie and Don Lee have a believable bond in their smaller arc. Kumail Nanjiani brings humor without turning the movie into a joke. Brian Tyree Henry and Lauren Ridloff make strong impressions in limited time. With ten leads, nobody gets as much room as they probably needed, but the performances are mostly steady across the board.

Filming / FX: The use of real locations helps the movie feel less artificial than most MCU entries. Some of the creature effects look good, while others look rubbery or unfinished. The Celestial designs are impressive in scale and give the story a sense of size. Many of the battles, particularly the final battle, slips back into the usual (super-hero) CGI overload. The globe-hopping structure and long runtime stretch the pacing more than necessary.

Problems: There are simply too many characters and too much backstory to cover in one movie. The constant time jumps slow things down. The Deviants feel like an afterthought, and the movie doesn’t seem sure what to do with them. The Ikaris twist is predictable. The humor sometimes clashes with the heavier material. It’s a movie that needed either fewer characters or more time to let them breathe.

Did I enjoy the film? Yes. Even with the flaws, I appreciated that it was trying to be about something — loyalty, purpose, and what you owe to the world you live in. It’s messy, but it’s sincere, and that counts for something (IMHO). I liked it more than I expected to.

Final Recommendation: High Moderate to Low Good recommendation. “Eternals” is a mixed bag, but it’s worth watching if you’re interested in a Marvel movie that doesn’t follow the usual pattern. The cast is strong, the scope is huge, and the story has more emotional weight than most superhero entries. It’s not a top-tier MCU film, but it’s better than its reputation and has enough ideas to make it stand out. I’d call it a high moderate to low strong recommendation, especially for viewers who like ensemble stories and big-picture world-building. Ultimately, this is a “watch, don’t think” movie. Enjoy the visuals, because the plot doesn’t hold true to its own internal logic.

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Click here (1 February) to see the posts of prior years. I started this blog in late 2009. Daily posting began in late January 2011. Not all of the days in the early years (2009-2010) will have posts.

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Comfortable Behind The Opulence

Posted in General Comments, Movie Review, Movies, Reviews, tagged Araminta Lee, Astrid Leong Teo, Awkwafina, Chris Pang, Cinderella, Colin Khoo, Constance Wu, Crazy Rich Asians (2018) -- movie review, Eddie Murphy, Eleanor Young, Gemma Chan, General Comments, Goh Peik Lin, Goh Wye Mun, Hallmark, Henry Golding, High to Very Highly Recommended Movie, Ken Jeong, Lisa Lu, Michelle Yeoh, Movie Reviews, Nick Young, Nico Santos, Nouveau Riche, Oliver T'sien, Rachel Chu, Reviews, Robin Williams, Shang Su Yi, Singapore, Sonoya Mizuno, YouTube on August 22, 2025| 2 Comments »

“Crazy Rich Asians” (2018) — movie review
Today’s review is for the Asian rom-com “Crazy Rich Asians” (2018), starring Constance Wu as Rachel Chu (an intelligent and down-to-earth Chinese-American NYU economics professor, who finds herself thrust into a world of immense wealth while navigating elite Singaporean society), Henry Golding as Nick Young (a charming and handsome heir to a massive Singaporean fortune, who has kept his family’s wealth a secret from Rachel), Michelle Yeoh as Eleanor Young (Nick’s formidable and stoic mother; gatekeeper of family tradition, she is a powerful matriarch and a major obstacle for Rachel), Gemma Chan as Astrid Leong Teo (Nick’s cousin; elegant socialite with a troubled marriage), Lisa Lu as Shang Su Yi (Nick’s grandmother; matriarch of the Young family), Awkwafina as Goh Peik Lin (Rachel’s vibrant and eccentric college friend; comic relief in the film, support for her friend and guide to Singapore’s nouveau riche), Ken Jeong as Goh Wye Mun (Peik Lin’s flashy father; warm and welcoming to Rachel), Sonoya Mizuno as Araminta Lee (Bride-to-be; social media influencer and extravagantly wealthy), Chris Pang as Colin Khoo (Nick’s best friend and the groom at the wedding, he provides emotional support and perspective to Nick), and Nico Santos as Oliver T’sien (Nick’s second cousin, part of the extended T’sien branch of the family, which — while not quite as wealthy as the Young’s — is still fabulously rich by any normal standard).

Background: Way back in the 00s, I worked at a company which would hire a majority of our coders as H1-B’s from India and Asia. That’s a work / residence status which more or less indentured foreigners to the company for the duration of employment. I spoke with one who was from Malaysia about his experience in the U.S. He said he came for the education and decided to stay for a couple of years of work experience. He said he had a job waiting for him back home, but he wanted some work experience without family pressure. I asked what he meant and he said his family was wealthy and he just wanted to see if he could make it on his own. He still allowed the family to pay for his rent and expenses – his own pay was used just for “fun”. I don’t know if he was telling the truth or not but he sure made it sound like he was. He said living in the U.S. took getting used to because back home he had servants for everything. Again, he said it in such an off-hand way, I had to believe him. …All this brings me to say, I say a YouTube clip where the lead female asks her boyfriend if he’s rich and he says his family is “comfortable”. Her reply, “That’s what all rich people say.” And that’s how this film piqued my curiosity and I decided to check it out…

Plot Summary: Rachel Chu, a brilliant NYU economics professor specializing in “game theory”, travels to Singapore with her boyfriend Nick Young for his best friend’s (Colin) wedding. What she doesn’t know is that Nick belongs to one of Asia’s wealthiest and most influential families. As Rachel is thrust into a world of unimaginable luxury, she faces scrutiny from jealous socialites and Nick’s disapproving mother, Eleanor. Navigating opulent parties, family traditions, and vicious gossip, Rachel must decide whether love is worth the cost of joining the family. Meanwhile, Astrid, Nick’s “perfect” cousin, grapples with her own marital crisis (husband’s infidelity), revealing an emotional toll to privilege. The film peaks with a lavish wedding and Nick’s proposal to Rachel on a jet as she tries to return to the U.S. without him.

So, how’s the acting? The filming / FX? Any problems? And, did I like the film? Short answers: Good to very good and a couple of greats; good; only minor problems; and, yes – I enjoyed this film a lot!

Acting: “Cinderella” genre movies – rom-com or otherwise – always come down to chemistry between the leads and whether the “baddies” can be sufficiently “bad” / “cruel”. Both are on point in this film. There is pretty good chemistry and the future mother-in-law and the jealous “other” ladies carry their parts believably. I need to give a shout-out to Nico Santos as Oliver T’sien and to Awkwafina. He is over-the-top great! His one-liners are worth the price of admission. A chubby combination of Robin Williams and Eddie Murphy. One zinger after another! Awkwafina is “almost” as great in her role as Rachel’s college friend.

Special Effects: While not a visual effects-heavy film, the film uses subtle CGI enhancements to elevate its grandeur – mainly the residences and their contents. The funniest effect is one of the relatives shooting fireworks off of a ship he’s rented for the bachelor party. He’s using what appears to be a military grade bazooka / anti-tank rocket launcher and he asks one of the bikini-clad women partyers to stand behind him and “watch this!” She does, and the back-blast sends her flying about 20 feet through the air. The scene happens so fast (and mostly unexpectedly) that if you blink, you’ll miss it.

Problems: There are only two minor problems I had with this film: 1) there was nothing distinctly cultural about the film. It could have been about any ethnic, racial, national or religious group – minority or majority. And, 2) The only “suspension of belief” moment I had was: you have a highly educated economics professor dating (over a year) a “business” person who won’t tell you what he does and you can’t be bothered to Google him? Stretches credulity, but okay… Like I said, minor problems.

And did I like / enjoy this film: Yes! Very much! Even though it is “just” a rom-com, it is both a tear jerker and a outright laugher of a film.

Final Recommendation: High to very highly recommended film! Having made the comparison, I’ll extend it… As a “romantic” movie, this film is better than 90% of all the Hallmark movies I’ve viewed. As a comedy, it is better than 90% of the non-straight up comedies I’ve viewed. It is not a slap-stick or farcical comedy, which makes it even more appealing. It’s about poking fun at a society with multiple generations so wealthy they have little to no concept of the value of money for the average person. It’s over the top, but so are most of these “Hallmark / almost Hallmark” rom-com movies about royalty (rich) marrying a commoner (poor). They are less about a belief in the plot as much as there either is “chemistry” between the leads or there isn’t. In this film, there is – so the unrealistic plot didn’t matter to me.

Final note: Given there is a post-credit scene, I guess there are plans for some kind of a sequel – movie or TV series. I did Google it and it’s kind of up in the air as of this date.

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Click here (22 August) to see the posts of prior years. I started this blog in late 2009. Daily posting began in late January 2011. Not all of the days in the early years (2009-2010) will have posts.