The Eternals (Chloé Zhao, November 5, 2021) Movie • Page 25

Thinking about the Deviants more I’m thinking it would’ve been interesting if both the Deviants and Eternals were working to stop the emergence independently.

The Deviant leader would’ve learned the “truth” about the Celestials when absorbing Ajak’s power, which would have led the Deviants to turn from attacking humans to the Eternals. The Deviant leader wouldn’t have known what Sersi planned but would be looking to save it’s own kind.

Then at the climax Thena could have come to learn why the Deviants attacked believing the Eternals were working to protect the emergence and she could have then decided to not kill the leader in retaliation, which would have emphasized the arc of the Eternals learning their purpose and challenging it.

Otherwise, the Deviants absorbing the powers and personalities of Ajak and Gilgamesh is kinda pointless if it doesn’t have an effect on anyone.

Also, this would add to the idea that Ikaris flew too close to the sun - his own plan to maintain the emergence directly led to the Deviants and Eternals working together to prevent it.

It would definitely push the theme if challenging the rhetoric we hear and the “us vs them” mentality by showing these groups learning that they’re only fighting because a larger power is pulling the strings.

 

My understanding is that the Eternals and Deviants weren't fighting each other only because the Celestials deemed it so; the Deviants were uncontrollable beasts that became a threat. The only reason Kro gained sentience is because he absorbed Ajax and Gilgamesh. Otherwise, he'd also still be a mindless beast acting on instinct.

Kro absorbing Ajax and Gilgamesh did have an effect: in Ajax's case it led the remaining Eternals to rally and led Sersi to learning the truth about their existence, basically driving the entire plot. Gilgamesh had a profound affect on Thena, and Thena confronting Gilgamesh's killer helped close off her character arc for the movie.

I feel like having her forgive Kro kind of does nothing for what they were setting up with her character and her conflict, just as having Kro forgive the Eternals doesn't really do much for him. The Eternals don't want to kill the Celestials; Kro wants to kill the Celestials and the Eternals both.

Like, I understand where you're wanting the plot to go but I feel like it doesn't fit the pieces we're working with. It feels like it involves too many weird gaps in the characters' thought processes.

 

I guess that's where I can agree with folks who feel this is a bit of a muddy movie with respect to the characters. I feel like it's so, so close to being a really well crafted film but they just needed to adjust some aspects, not just in the climax but the set up as well.

I still feel like the absorption element doesn't add much because (unless I'm forgetting something, which is 100% possible) Ajak's death is what puts things in motion, by Ikaris' plan to keep the Eternals pre-occupied so the emergence can take place. No matter how she died, Ajak could've still passed the Celestial sphere on to Sersi, setting the plot in motion. Kro learning by way of Ajak really just adds an unnecessary wrinkle and I could support Thena killing him a bit more if it was a situation where he was still a mindless beast, who happened to be the strongest of the Deviants.

Had Kro remained as he was, the audience really wouldn't think anything of the Deviants attacking as we'd seen it several times prior. That said, at the end Kro mentions that he's now aware that they're all just pawns in this plan so it makes it super odd that Thena, an intelligent being wouldn't stop and understand to some degree. Doesn't excuse Kro killing Gilgamesh but they're really all victims with a lack of agency, to some extent. Thena also seems to be on the cusp of understanding the truth as she's remembering the past planets so it seems like out of anyone, that should be her breakthrough to a better understanding of the Celestial's plan and their place in it.

All that said, I've only seen it once and I could be misremembering/misinterpreting some stuff. I am still surprised at how polarizing this was though - at it's worst it's muddled and could've used a bit of refinement and at it's best it's a Marvel film with some of the biggest aspirations. Definitely better than the first two Thor movies, Captain Marvel, Far From Home and probably a few others.

And again, hopefully my way too long posts don't make it seem like I'm trying to be an ass - like I said before I love discussing this stuff and as folks add in different points it gets me thinking about different elements of the film and that's just fun for me.

 

Just finished this. I liked it. It was definitely different for a marvel movie like everyone said. I’d be curious to see how these characters fit into the MCU in other stories—this all seems way beyond anything dr. Strange or captain America would be dealing with lol. Well, maybe Strange, but still.

also didn’t really get the mid credits scene. When I hear StarFox I think of the Nintendo/smash bros character and I’m guessing that’s not him lol. But he’s another eternal who also is Thanos’s brother?
Also is the implication that Titan wasn’t destroyed by a lack of resources but by a Celestial?

 

Yep, Starfox is Thanos’ brother. In the comics, he’s an Avenger occasionally. He can control emotions. He’s written as a “ladies man”, but is pretty creepy iirc

 

Very creepy. There's been *awful* storylines featuring Starfox.

 

Also was kind of bummed that Robb Stark fucked off like that. Was hoping to see his character in action some more.

I guess Marvel couldn’t resist having the Robb Stark/Jon Snow meet up there early on lol

 

The red hair dye on styles was atrocious lol

 

Hopping in to say that I liked this more than I thought I would, and I also didn't really think this was all that dull or boring but maybe I just watched something different. Little clunky at times sure but I found it engaging, the action was fun to watch and the cinematography was very good too. Definitely not the best the MCU has to offer but far from the worst.

 

Why isn’t starfox purple. I need answers.

 

Also thought it was kinda funny that Angelina Jolie was basically Maeve/Dolores when you think about it

 

I just want to be done with 2.5+ hour long movies.

 

I mean, you can be. It's actually pretty easy. Unless you're going for the sake of someone else, in which case, sucks to be you.

 

This was amazingly mediocre. Kind of unremarkable in most ways. I thought the soundtrack was pretty poor, usually that doesn't stick out to me.

 

This was pretty middle of the road for me. Had some moments and things I liked here and there but for the most part I feel no need to watch it again. Couldn't tell the difference between Kit Harrington and Richard Madden and spent the first hour or so terribly confused. Kumail/Kingo were terrible and I wanted way more Makkari. I think someone already said it (maybe @Tim) but I had no problem with Sprite having feelings for Ikaris until that was used as her reasoning for following him. Weird fucking movie, I dunno

 

Yeah, I thought that Sprite choice was so puzzling (in a movie that was often disappointingly puzzling).

Forget if I said this after seeing it, but on the Makkari note, having Sprite talk about her issues with her would've been a great alternative beat for not wanting to be an eternal child. Like, why is Makkari an immortal god-robot-whatever created by cosmic deities, and yet deaf? I know that'd be a tough area to explore in a crowded film without sounding ablist, and I'm generally pro having people like that in stories without overtly commenting on it and making it a thing. But, with the particular backstory of these characters, and Sprite having her "why did God make me like this" arc (which does have a "cure" in the end because the actress ages irl)... I just think they left a compelling character dynamic on the table there.

 

I thought this was pretty good. Middle of the road MCU film. I had a lot of problems with the Eternals characterisation to the point where I thought it was silly that they chose the Eternals for this story and it was overly long but overall pretty good once I got over that.

Taking another moment to recommend the current Eternals comic by Kieron Gillen which is fantastic!!


Edit: oh the Deviants were dumb and the film would have been better if they weren’t just stock mindless beast enemies and more like the comics.

 

Thanos has deviant genes and Eros doesn’t.

 

The half emerged celestial looked cool as fuck and gave me Evangelion vibes, everything else was a baffling sloppy mess to me. Dislikedddd

 

i liked this a lot.
i think if it was the exact same movie but without the marvel connection, a lot more people would be praising it.

 

Doubtful. If anything, it benefits from being in the MCU.

 

I feel like this implies that people are knee-jerk disliking it just because it's Marvel, and I'm sure that's true for quite a few people, but even though I liked the movie, I totally understand that people dislike it for valid reasons.

 

I think the opposite. If it wasn’t MCU less people would have liked it.

 

nolan fans use the same argument. just completely baffling brain worms

 

I personally don't think there's anything wrong with being a "fanboy" or a "hater" as long as the person is self-aware about it. Like, own it. Understand that you like or dislike something unilaterally and that's you being you, and an outlier. I think the problem is more that a lot of people aren't really aware of themselves.