[PRE-RELEASE] Relax, it’s only the end of the world – “Eternals” movie review

The Goddess Mother loves her children

Since the dawn of time, people have been accompanied by both apocalyptic visions and messianic images of protective beings who, by contrast, would bring salvation. In the latest movie from the Marvel Cinematic Universe series, these creatures literally descend from heaven to live among people, watch them, silently support them and increase the growth of new civilizations. There are ten of them: the all-powerful Ikaris (Richard Madden), the sensitive Sersi (Gemma Chan), the vain Kingo (Kumail Nanjiani), the super-fast Makkari (Lauren Ridloff), the brave Thena (Angelina Jolie), the mighty Gilgamesh (Don Lee), the eternally young Sprite ( Lia McHugh), the retired Druig (Barry Keoghan), the architect of Phastos (Brian Tyree Henry) and the group leader, soulful Ajak (Salma Hayek). The team goes to Earth at the dawn of the Sumerian civilization, thousands of years BC, where he immediately shows his great powers, saving the fishing village from the attack of cosmic predators – Deviants. Their main task is to guarantee optimal conditions for the development of humanity and its protection through the gradual elimination of dangerous creatures. However, they are limited by one categorical prohibition: they must not interfere in the conflicts and wars that people wage among themselves. And, as the heroes will soon find out, their charges do not shy away from them.

Hero’s melancholy

Chloé Zhao dominated last season of industry awards with her previous creation, Nomadland. The production received over 100 awards, including the Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival and three Oscars: for Best Director, Best Film and Best Actress (for Frances McDormand). Viewers, critics and jurors were seduced by the author’s poetic story and style, inspired by the works of Werner Herzog, Ang Lee and Wong Karwai. The same subtlety and humanistic sensitivity of the Beijing-born director tried to transplant into the MCU. From the picture – and from the semi-divine heroes – there is a sincere sympathy and love for the bald monkeys inhabiting the Earth. We follow the story in two ways: the main action taking place in the present is interspersed with glimpses from the past, showing the strengthening bond with the inhabitants of the blue planet and the changing dynamics of relations within the group of heroes.

Zhao also allows himself to smuggle in some experimental motives: he questions the status of the Marvel hero as a hero by definition a positive one, questions about the perspective of the narrative and the psychological condition of a passive witness burdened with all the horrors of human nature. It is precisely those fragments of the film that resonate most strongly, in which immortal observers face the consequences of their decisions and their own powerlessness in the face of history.

Like a fish without water

The original style of Zhao is far from the standard formula of superhero cinema signed with the Marvel logo. The contrast is perfectly visible when the sensitive, humanistic narrative gives way to the clamor of genre standards; in the end they dominate, allowing the director only flashes of originality. Despite the large size – the film lasts over two and a half hours – you can feel a constant rush, by no means related to the pressing issue of the impending cataclysm, but rather a monstrous overload of content. Eternalsintroduces as many as ten (eleven, if we include the role of Kit Harrington in the background) completely new characters to the film universe, which in itself requires a certain brevity. The characters, while appearing to be interesting, are depicted rather superficially and reduced to single traits and motivations, using only a small fraction of the potential of a charismatic cast. The actors themselves do not try to play with the expectations of the audience, remaining in their own comfort zone: Nanjiani jokes (wonders what percentage of humorous interjections is the work of a comedian known for improvisation), Keoghan arouses anxiety, Jolie – respect, but all oscillate in safe proximity your image.

It is difficult to say whether it is Zhao who does not quite fit into the superhero formula , or rather Marvel is not on the way with Chloé Zhao’s cinema, but the fact remains that the forced compromise does not work in favor of either side. Although Eternals defends itself from the technical side (with particular emphasis on the original music of Ramin Djawadi, filled with almost divine pathos), it does not, however, be carried away by its clichéd, banal history. In the end, a session, wanting to give the impression of being deeper than it really is, does not even disappoint, but simply leaves you indifferent.