Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating * * * *
Cast: Gemma Chan, Richard Madden, Angelina Jolie, Salma Hayek, Kit Harrington, Kumail Nanjiani, Lia McHugh, Brian Tyree Henry, Lauren Ridloff, Barry Keoghan, Ma Dong-Seok, Harish Patel, Bill Skarsgård, Haaz Sleiman, Esai Daniel Cross, Harry Styles, Alan Scott, Patton Oswalt.
The powers that be behind the Marvel Cinematic Universe should be congratulated and praised for what they have achieved by bringing more than the big hitters of their graphic novel range to the screens.
You could almost cast anyone of suitable persuasion in the roles of Spiderman, Captain America, and Thor for example, and given the right script it would have been arguably as successful as the films have been, and if say the company had said they were going to produce nothing but sure fire hits to the screen, if it was all about the web slinger, the man of iron, and the green, angry behemoth, then no one could have blamed them; after all there is a lot of history to be found in the pages of just those characters to have kept film makers and script writers busy for years.
The praise for the MCU should be directed at the sheer guts to bring to life many of the lesser known characters who were conceived along the way; from the days of the great Jack Kirby, Steve Ditko, 90s legend Todd McFarlane and through to modern day artists who keep the fans entertained as the third decade of the 21st Century began in earnest, it is the use of what might have been considered minor players, even unpopular in some quarters, that has established the universe on film, and not just a small continent of heroes battling the odds to save the world.
Stylish in its artistry, conceived with the idea of furthering and adding to the rich palate that built up to Avengers: Endgame, The Eternals is a film that would be one that could cause division within the community, and at times during the lengthy experience on screen, it is easy to see why some might turn away from the additional tales that are being made, the fringe players who, to the cynic, are just pawns in the larger scale war between kings and queens, rooks and bishops.
The Eternals though requires love, patience perhaps, but certainly love, for in the way it weaves the beginning of Dane Whitman into the MCU, played with grace and humour by the superb Kit Harrington, the continuation and fallout of the snap of the Phase Three big bang from Thanos, and for showing how on a bigger scale the fall out in identity, of how even a group of like- minded people can be turned against each other when choices of integrity and honour are challenged. It is in this tale inspired by the Greek classics, that director Chloé Zhao breathes deeply and produces a film that once upon a time would have had the same plaudits for its depth and critical understanding as any that allowed the audience its insight into the world of fantasy and illusion.
With tremendous performances by Lia McHugh, Kumail Nanjiani, Lauren Ridloff, Kit Harington and Richard Madden, The Eternals deserves its place within the MCU, the details becoming enriched as the film progresses, and with the introduction of what is to come, Phase 4 of the MCU is off to a great, if unexpected, start.
Ian D. Hall