Critic Reviews Arrive For Marvel’s Eternals Film
John F. Trent
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Numerous critics are posting their reviews for Marvel Studios upcoming Marvel Cinematic Universe film, Eternals.
Rotten Tomatoes
On Rotten Tomatoes the film currently has a 72% rating from 43 reviews. The average rating is 6.2 out of 10 with 31 fresh scores and 12 rotten scores.
Source: Rotten Tomatoes
The Top Critics score sits at 63% from 16 reviews. The average rating is 5.9 out of 10 with 10 fresh scores and 6 rotten ones.
Source: Rotten Tomatoes
Here’s what the critics are saying:
Larry Carroll at Looper gives the film a fresh score. He writes, “Feels a bit like homework: If you don’t want the rest of the class to move on without you, it’s mandatory; but in the end, you’ll just be glad to turn it in and move along to the next thing.”
Ian Sandwell at Digital Spy gives the film a fresh rating of 3 out of 5. He writes, “The scale of Eternals is unlike anything we’ve seen to date in the MCU, but it also ends up in a movie that just has too much on its plate.”
Nestor Bentancor at Nestor Cine Desde Hollywood gives the film a rotten review. He writes, “A disappointment of cosmic proportions, Eternals never takes off due to a pedestrian script that wastes a galaxy of talent.”
Source: Eternals
James Mottram at South China Morning Post gives the film a fresh 3 out of 5. He writes, “The fight-driven action is fun – Jolie really has a ball – but it all feels geared towards setting up further adventures.”
Rodrigo Perez at The Playlist gives the film a D+. He writes, “A convoluted cosmic misfire and one of Marvel’s dullest efforts in years.”
JimmyO at JoBlo’s Movie Network gives the film a fresh 6 out of 10. He writes, “Eternals is a decent flick, but it rarely manages to rise above what we’ve already seen from the MCU. With the visual style here.”
HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA – OCTOBER 18: The marquee is seen at the Premiere of Marvel Studios’ Eternals on October 18, 2021 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images for Disney)
Jamie Jirak at ComicBook.com gives the film a fresh 4 out of 5. She writes, “Eternals will likely be one of the more divisive films in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. No matter how you feel about Eternals, there’s no denying Phase Four is off to an exciting start.”
Josephine L. at Geeks of Color gives the film a fresh 7.5 out of 10. She writes, “Eternals is beautiful in its visuals and its storytelling.”
Perri Nemiroff on her YouTube channel gives the film a rotten 2.5 out of 5. She writes, “The weight of complicated exposition weakens the energy of Eternals a little too often. It’s at its best when the focus is on the Eternals recreating their family — the humor of it and the passion when they fight for each other and the things they love.”
Source: Eternals
Don Kaye at Den of Geek gives the film a fresh 3.5 out of 5. He writes, “Eternals itself is far from perfect, but it does indicate that the Marvel movie factory is not content to rest on its already massive bed of laurels.”
Grace Randolph at Beyond the Trailer gives the film a fresh score. She says, “There are enough good elements here to warrant a fresh tomato, but wow did Chloe Zhao not understand the MCU assignment. Madden, Jolie, Nanjiani & Ridloff are the standouts.”
Dulcie Pearce at The Sun gives the film a rotten 2 out of 5. She writes, “Boy, does this patchy, paceless film go on for an eternity.”
Source: Eternals
Pete Hammond at Deadline Hollywood Daily gives the film a fresh score. He writes, “Zhao seamlessly uses expert filmmaking skills weaned on a smaller scale to great effect on this HUGE canvas.”
Scott Mendelson at Forbes gives the film a rotten 4 out of 10. He writes, “‘Eternals’ shows Marvel making the same mistakes (generic superhero characters, dull effects-driven action, making the entire film a prologue for the sequel, etc.) as its rivals.”
Kristen Acuna at Insider gives the film a rotten C. She writes, “One of Marvel’s most ambitious movies in years is also one of its weakest since ‘Thor: The Dark World.'”
Metacritic
On Metacritic the film has a Metascore of 58 from 19 reviews. There are 10 positive reviews and 9 mixed reviews.
Source: Metacritic
Here’s what the critics on Metacritic are saying:
Oliver Jones at Observer gives the film an 88. He writes, “Zhao keeps these far-reaching propositions grounded through the laser-like focus of her vision and the precision of the images dreamed up by her and veteran MCU lensman Ben Davis. For once in a movie like this, ocean waves and cloudscapes carry as much weight as the ultra-choreographed battles between intergalactic interlopers.”
Neil Smith at Total Film gives the film an 80. He writes, “Chloé Zhao gives the MCU just the kick in the pants it needs at this phase in its evolution.”
Molly Freeman at ScreenRant gives the film an 80. She writes, “While Eternals has most of the benchmarks of a Marvel movie, Zhao’s sprawling superhero epic is unlike anything the MCU has produced before.”
Source: Eternals
Robert Abele at TheWrap gives the film a 75. He writes, “What makes Eternals feel special is that, for once, the director genuinely cares as much about the character within that spectacle, as the spectacle itself.”
Justin Chang at the Los Angeles Times gives the film a 70. He writes, “You walk out in the depressing realization that you’ve just seen one of the more interesting movies Marvel will ever make, and hopefully the least interesting one Chloé Zhao will ever make.”
Owen Gleiberman at Variety also gives the film a 70. He writes, “Zhao’s sensibility, to a degree, is there — in the casual humanity of the characters, in the flow of quip and conflict and passion (at times romantic), in the beauty of the effects, in the deceptively effortless way that Zhao scales up her logistical skills. She’s a master craftswoman, and Eternals, while too long (157 minutes? really?), is a squarely fun and gratifying watch.”
HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA – OCTOBER 18: (L-R) Kit Harington, Lia McHugh, Kumail Nanjiani, Producer and VP of Production & Development at Marvel Studios Nate Moore, Salma Hayek, Executive Producer and Marvel Studios Co-President Louis D’Esposito, Richard Madden, Director/Screenwriter Chloé Zhao, Gemma Chan, Producer and President of Marvel Studios and CCO of Marvel Kevin Feige, Brian Tyree Henry, Executive Producer and Executive VP of Production Marvel Studios Victoria Alonso, Lauren Ridloff, Don Lee, and Angelina Jolie arrives at the Premiere of Marvel Studios’ Eternals on October 18, 2021 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images for Disney)
David Rooney at The Hollywood Reporter gives the film a 70 as well. He writes, “The attention to character, group dynamics and emotional texture makes the film often feel more alive in its quieter moments than its fairly routine CG action clashes. But the depth of feeling helps counter the choppy storytelling in this new tangent in the MCU narrative.”
Hoai-Tran Bui at SlashFilm gives the film a 65. Bui writes, “With Eternals, Marvel turns a risky gamble into another piece of the puzzle. Its cosmic ambitions, its prevailing humanism amid a nihilistic outlook, and its gestures at maturity — the (real!) sex scene, the depth and warmth that they give to Henry’s LGBTQ relationship — are not enough to make “Eternals” more than just another film to fit neatly in the Marvel Studios mold. But even so, Zhao brings an elegance to the film and the cast bring a vulnerability and care to their characters that leave a lingering impression, even as the last super-punch fades.”
John Nugen at Empire gives the film a 60. He writes, “Director Chloé Zhao’s entry into the superhero world is assured, ambitious and told on a dizzyingly cosmic scale — but even it can’t escape the clichés of superhero storytelling.”
Source: Eternals
Nicholas Barber at BBC gives the film a 60. He writes, “Eternals is more serious in tone and more deliberate in its pacing than the average Marvel movie, with less of the usual banter and no cameo appearances by other superheroes. But, if you’re looking for the humanity and originality of Zhao’s other films, you won’t find much of it here.”
Brian Lowry at CNN gives the film a 60 as well. He writes, “Eternals simply takes too long getting to the good stuff, and its more cerebral and adult elements – including a grand romance – could harbor less appeal among kids, a not-inconsequential demo, than most recent Marvel titles.”
Joshua Rivera at Polygon gives the film a 56. He writes, “After over a decade of the MCU formula’s dominance, it’s easy to mistake Eternals’ deviance for profundity. Films that wrestle with difficult experiences can often be difficult to watch, and intentionally so. Unfortunately, Eternals isn’t bold, merely incongruous. The simpler explanation is truer: Eternals is a mess.”
Source: Eternals
Tim Grierson at ScreenDaily gives the film a 50. He writes, “These characters may be immortal, but the studio’s assembly-line predictability drains the vitality from the proceedings.”
Robbie Collin at The Telegraph gives the film a 40. He writes, “Perhaps the hope was that Marvel’s 26th film might rattle the franchise out of its comfort zone. But the franchise is nothing but comfort zone, which renders its latest entry an instant white elephant.”
Steve Rose at The Guardian gives the film a 40 too. He writes, “It’s not exactly boring – there’s always something new to behold – but nor it is particularly exciting, and it lacks the breezy wit of Marvel’s best movies. One of the strengths of the MCU to date is how it has taken time to define each character individually and lay out the grand narratives over successive movies, building a sense of momentum. Here, it’s all thrown at us at once.”
Source: Eternals
The Eternals arrives in theaters on November 5, 2021. What do you make of these reviews?
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