Contemporary 2021 Selection: Eternals (2021)

 Chloe Zhao's "Eternals"


With Chloe Zhao's very distinctive directing style, you would not think her vision would fit a Marvel movie. You would be partially correct. Eternals is a very ambitious film and does some great things. However, it still is stuck in the confines of a big-budget blockbuster with the purposes of crowd pleasing. 

One thing Zhao does well in all her films is ground the characters in their own unique environmental vistas. There are touches of this happening in Eternals. The locations that surround the protagonists are varied both in location and in style. Between the action, Zhao allows us to take a moment to soak in the naturalism surrounding the characters. 

One noteworthy aspect of the film and Zhao's script is the exestential theme. The characters reach a point in the story where their entire purpose has been revealed to them. This purpose is to essentially be used as a tool for a God's grand scheme. Upon learning of their own inconsequential existence, the characters must decide what to do with this information. When we the viewer reach a point in our lives when we learn about our own meaninglessness, what do we do? It is at this point where the characters must define who they are. They had been given an identity, powers, and a purpose by their grand creator. Now, they must separate themselves from this grand design and decide their own values. 

This exestential theme mixed with the scope and naturalism of Zhoa's direction makes for a solid viewing experience. Despite the typical Marvel structure and action, Zhoa's grand paintbrushes still shine through the cracks.


 


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