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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.