The Marvel Cinematic Universe has seemed to reach a point where they can comfortably put out any kind of movie and not worry about how people will react. The audience seems to trust Marvel Studios and this is why they can do experiments such as Eternals. This movie is different, it is artistic and the Rotten Tomatoes score of Eternals reflects this.
Rotten Tomatoes Score Of Eternals
While some of the critics appreciate the bold new steps that Zhao takes in Eternals, many still favor Marvel’s old formulaic approach. This is evidenced by the mediocre 71% of the movie on Rotten Tomatoes. So far, the movie has a 71% score with 41 reviews. But there is a chance that this score could go down. Below Eternals are just two films – The Incredible Hulk (67%) and Thor: The Dark World (66%). Next in line after Eternals is Iron Man 2 (72%). So there’s a chance that Eternals might beat this one, but it will surely be among the bottom five projects as far as the RT list is concerned.
Part of the reason for this is that the action in Eternals is constantly interrupted by necessary exposition. The movie has Zhao’s signature flavor of being emotionally heavy but this means that it does not sit well with the typical Marvel Fan. In short, this unique, visually stylistic movie is not for everyone in the world. For the first time, we’re all talking about a Marvel movie as if it were a Zack Snyder film :P!
The movie has generated polarising reviews from critics. Some think it to be a masterpiece while others believe that it lacks a certain flair. All the reviews that we have seen, whether on Rotten Tomatoes or otherwise seem to signify a distaste from the critics. One where they like it but don’t want to admit it. Whatever the case may be the movie does do a lot of things differently than all of its predecessors.
Here are a few reviews:
Oliver Jones from Observer praises the movie after giving it 3.5 stars out of 4. He said:
“Mostly though, Zhao keeps the movie’s inherent bigness working in her favor. This is a film that asks on a grand scale questions we grapple with every day. How do we navigate and understand difference? Why do we value humanity so much when humans often do not seem to value each other?
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.”
Justin Chang of the Los Angeles Times writes:
”To these alternately ravished and glazed-over eyes, then, “Eternals” plays like an extravagant blockbuster riff on “The Tree of Life” — a connection that would feel deliberate even if a giant tree didn’t spring forth in one of the movie’s lovelier CGI epiphanies. Like more than a few filmmakers, Zhao has long counted Terrence Malick an influence; like relatively few filmmakers, she has managed to channel that inspiration in ways that feel more than merely imitative…..
Some of that fascination lingers in “Eternals,” if not nearly enough. There are a few charming glimpses of superhero domesticity, one of which, featuring Brian Tyree Henry and Haaz Sleiman, is sweet enough to feel like more than the sum of the “Marvel’s first gay kiss” headlines it’s bound to generate.”
We never thought that Disney would step out of their purity circle and join the adult life with the rest of the movies. But it seems that Eternals is a step in the right direction. However, the movie is still considered to be less than entertaining, mostly because it tries to be too much in a very short runtime. There are too many characters and too much to get through so it is no surprise that the movie’s overall presentation suffers a little bit.
The Concensus
However, not everyone is willing to give Eternals the benefit of doubt. For the most part, critics have been pretty hard on the film. For instance, Peri Nermiroff on Youtube gave the movie 2.5/5 and had this to say:
“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.”
Whatever the case might be we think it is commendable what Marvel is trying to do. Eternals may not be a blockbuster but it is a start for Marvel. A start for a very long journey and it may pave the way for some future masterpieces. Tell us what you think about the movie down in the comments below and keep watching this space for everything Marvel, DC, and Hollywood. Excelsior!!!
