A few weeks ago, I was asked by a friend to go and see Marvel’s newest release – Eternals – with our friend group. Normally, this would have been a film that I would have chosen to skip (I have written before on exactly how I feel about the MCU). Spoiler – I’m not a fan).
But, not wanting to be left out and thinking I might at least glean some sort of appreciation for the technical aspects of the film, I said yes.
So, at 7:30 PM, my friends and I arrived at the Conestoga Mall Cineplex to watch the film. I chose not to do any research about the film beforehand, choosing to go in only knowing how long the film was (a WHOPPING 2 hours and 36 minutes).
Settling into my seat, I told myself that I would have an open mind. No judgement.
Afterwards, I was pleasantly surprised by the film overall.
Don’t get me wrong – I’m still far from a Marvel fan. This film has all of the Marvel-esque bells and whistles: Jokes that are…poor, gadgets and gizmos that are too plot-convenient and action scenes that make your eyes glaze over at a certain point.
In addition, the cast is packed with well-known actors that will bring audiences to theatres – Angelina Jolie, Salma Hayek and a Game of Thrones reunion between Richard Madden and Kit Harrington.
Overall, the film isn’t bad. Marvel fans will likely be happy with the new universe and characters. This definitely isn’t the last we’ve seen of them, considering the introduction of a new character at the end of the film played by everyone’s tweenaged celebrity heartthrob.
The best part of seeing this film for me was the reaction of the audience – you can say a lot about the Marvel franchise and how ridiculous it has gotten, but the fanbase is passionate and reactive. The theatre was active, with the audience laughing at the jokes and gasping at the reveals. While I can’t relate to them, I think it’s amazing that Marvel has such a passionate fanbase.
Anything that inspires creativity and makes people feel happy is good in my book, and the MCU seems to inspire those feelings from its audience.
If you are debating whether to see this film in theatres, I would recommend it (especially if you are a fan). While it does feel a bit long, there is clearly many easter eggs present throughout that will inspire future speculation from fans.
Will I see the second film? No, unless my friends convince me to go. However, I have come
away with more respect for Marvel’s fanbase. Power to you all!