The Eternals (MCU)

flazio

I even know of a third one, Natasha Ofili performed the motion capture and physical likeness for a deaf girl called Gloria in last year's spin off of Insomniacs Spider-man games focusing on Miles Morales. Natasha, Alaqua and Laura are all deaf mutes in real life.

Both my late grandparents on my dads side were deaf so you certainly won't hear or read any complaints about their representation on screen from me.

Useless Lump

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118532878#Comment_118532878

I’m not complaining either

the dead woman in this film was by far the highlight - she wasn’t in it enough

but I don’t understand the purpose of her creator making her deaf

I was assume

I was assuming she is in the comics and is deaf. I know these pre-date the whole equality and diversity so I had assumed this role was nothing to do with “representation”

so there must be a reason for creating her deaf in the comic

FunLover18

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118532864#Comment_118532864

It's an extremely narrow minded view that means anyone who doesn't conform with the holders views of normal (presumably white and straight) is seen a tokenistic gesture of virtue.

Useless Lump

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118532918#Comment_118532918

I haven’t seen those comments but there certainly have been token gestures in movies throughout the years and several in these more recent times

i just wish someone would answer my question though - I assume the speedster is from the original comic which would be fin before all the diversity and equality stuff. So why was she created deaf? The leader was programmed to be their leader. The fighters were programmed to fight. So there must be a purpose to her being deaf.

johnny_ultimate

Why does there have to be a ‘reason’ for a character to be deaf? There are deaf people in the world - they don’t have to justify their existence, and are every bit as entitled to be represented on screen as anyone else.

Useless Lump

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118533106#Comment_118533106

Here we go

my question has nothing to do with all that - I’m talking about a character in a fantasy movie based on a fantasy comic book - that is what the thread in The entertainment section is about right?

I have no interest in discussing diversity, representation, social justice, etc. etc.

thisbis a question about the characters, the story and the comic book - nothing else

She is a robot warrior created by an alien being to fight a certain type of monster

others of her kind were programmed to be fighters or engineers - so she must have been created deaf for a reason and the other one must have been made to look like a child for a reason

im asking what the reason was - what advantage did it give them in their mission?

Useless Lump

Okay, she wasn’t deaf in the comics and wasn’t a woman either

does this mean they will gender swap other heroes? I’d support that idea

so since she was created for the movie and there is no reason given in the movie then she is just deaf because their creator wanted her to be deaf - so that is the reason

she barely features in the movie until the plot requires someone to move fast - she does seem to be a “token” character and that is a shame as she had the best power and the most likeable personality

her fight will the budget superman was the best part of the movie

pity they weren’t interested in more than representation

FunLover18

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118533168#Comment_118533168

I think someone previously suggested it was so that she wouldn't be deafened by her own sonic booms. We also don't know if she was created deaf, maybe she was deafened over time by her powers. We also don't know the Eternal creation process. Maybe it's as glitchy as our own. But I'm kinda with Johnny on this in that I don't think there has to be a reason.

Useless Lump

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118533238#Comment_118533238

And here is another one not interested in discussing a fantasy film

I’m not the one here in disguise

I am interested in character and plot

you just want to rant about some “issue”

so please do tell how deaf people would make me uncomfortable?

Useless Lump

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118533245#Comment_118533245

okay so to protect her “health” could be a good reason as could damage over time

the fact it isn’t brought up in the film just highlights even more that the character was severely underused

The film wasn’t great - there was just too many characters. The actor’s butler had more development than the speedster.

ans I read that when the director joined the film she actually had a few other Eternals taken out of the story

Good grief

Useless Lump

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118533311#Comment_118533311

What is weird is that this is thread about a superhero movie and your here flapping your fingers about “social justice” rubbish

your out? At least I can get back to discussing the movie

Useless Lump

Does this “representation” stuff happen a lot in the entertainment section?

pjohnson

Makkari was sidestepped for the same reason most speedsters are in all mediums too OP and would solve most issues while the other Eternals are striking a pose.

ShaneU

Watched the first half hour and it bored the life out of me. Here's the colours of Benetton heroes fighting the most generic looking aliens ever. You don't even know their names let alone have any reason to care about them. When they introduced the love story after 30 minutes between two characters I have zero investment in I had enough. Are the other two hours any better?

BruteStock

Ill have a go since nobody wants to answer Lumps question.

So ... if I had guess why a deaf person was cast as an Eternal , its because there exists a slightly prolific actor that stars in The Walking Dead who is deaf. If the casting directors wanted to cast a range of diverse people to fill the roles , then Lauren Ridloff is a logical casting choice. The seasons she features in TWD are some of the best in the series. In fact season 11 is as good as the show ever was in its heyday. She brought charm to the Eternals and I don't see the issue despite some mewling slander thats been thrown around.

The issue about isn't about Ridloff and always about people to latch onto a cause to perch themselves upon a nice peachy pedestal. Hate to burst their bubbles but The Eternals isn't reinventing the wheel. Early Edition got their 20 years ago with Marrisa who was just a good character who everybody enjoyed. But that was a simpler time when the world was more happier and colorful and when there was no political interest from the youth

FunLover18

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118533329#Comment_118533329

In fairness mrcheez was the one who brought up wokeness and social issues.

Foxtrol

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118533335#Comment_118533335

Because a certain group of posters come into threads with tired old complaints (or 'questions') every time someone that isn't a straight white male is cast in a major role - apparently that is now extended to actors with disabilities.

The topic wouldn't be spoken about otherwise as the majority of posters don't care about the gender, race, orientation, or disability.

pixelburp

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118533329#Comment_118533329

This started because a user was moaning about PC / woke / blah blah 'cos the cast is diverse. People were discussing the movie in of itself, but as Foxtrol already said, as usual in 2020+ online discussion, it got bogged down by a small minority whinging because - oh my gosh - the casting was intentionally inclusive.

As you say, it's a Fantasy Film. That genre rarely holds up to intense scrutiny and anyway: it doesn't always have to make logical sense; trying to parse some hidden meaning or narrative justification for "it might be nice to have a deaf person play a superhero" is pointless. Just let it be. Turns out it had a positive net benefit for (American) Sign Language and deaf awareness - and that's a good thing. That really shouldn't need explaining.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118533106#Comment_118533106

You'd think that, but here we are. Hearing problems seem to remain a depressingly common issue among people to this day: the idea deaf children might watch a film, with a deaf superhero kicking áss and gain a warm, inclusive feeling that their health issue isn't a disability is fantastic. Kids like seeing heroes that are like them, doing their thing. Fúck the bad faith haters TBH. Maybe that's just my recent parental gene kicking into overdrive, but this entire segue is coated with a dismal, rotten cynicism masquerading as intellectual rigour.

I'm still chuckling at the idea a MCU film with a predominantly Asian cast (Chinese? AKA the most populous country on Earth) might still be accused of "diversity" though. That's hilarious - and telling.

Penn

I thought the diversity of the cast (in terms of the characters within the story rather than the casting) was to help them blend in with society and appear less threatening when not fighting Deviants. That's why half of them had fighting-based powers, and half had powers to help advance or protect humanity. Being diverse or showing that some of them have disabilities just like normal humans would make people more likely to trust them wherever in the world they needed to go.

Their role wasn't just to fight Deviants, but to help the population advance and grow so the Celestial could be born. With there being 10 Eternals, diversity among them would help them move humanity along quicker.

SouthWesterly

I watched it over 2 nights recently and after all the hype was looking forward to it.

That I took 2 days to watch it says everything for me. It was mediocre at best.

Doctor DooM

Once again, I will point out the promo material states Makkari is deaf because she'd destroy her ears anyway from the sonic booms she creates. There is an in universe explanation. Ignoring that for the sake of discussion doesn't make it untrue.

As for Sprite, half the Eternals are made to physically defend humanity, the other half are to inspire and help humanity grow. I would assume Sprite's appearance is designed to put people at ease. It's not stated directly in the film but like... that's clearly the reason.

Honestly I'm getting really tired of people screaming woke when anything that isn't just white men are on the screen. To paraphrase the producer of Spider-Man when asked about multi racial casting "the inspiration is reality".

Foxtrol

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118533865#Comment_118533865

Can you elaborate on what you mean by 'all the hype'?

This movie had one of the lowest levels of hype I can remember for an MCU movie before it was released with opening weekend box office expectations were lower than nearly any other MCU movie. If you're only watching it now then the hype is even lower given that it was relatively panned by critics, and the majority of fans were at best 'meh' about it after watching.

There was intrigue by some before the movie came out based on the director, cast, and the mostly unknown characters but compared to most MCU movies the 'hype' for this one was in the toilet.

SouthWesterly

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118536059#Comment_118536059

It even got a feature on rte news. That's what caught my attention

Foxtrol

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118536121#Comment_118536121

Didn't see that at all. What was the story?

Only thing I see online from googling is the connection with a Trinity academic - not what I'd call 'hype', more the usual reach to connect anything to Ireland.

Potential-Monke

I thought it was pants. It felt pointless and feels like there's so many issues it should create in the other films, but it won't... It feels like they're constantly trying to out-catastrophe the last film, and it's getting ridiculous. I'm on board with the Dimension stuff, even time travel to an extent, but I feel they've gone too far too soon with this plot, and some film will badly need to address the giant hand and head sticking out of the ocean, that alone should have caused tsunamis if not some effect on the core of the Earth itself?!

I dunno, seems like it has created far more problems than it intended, or maybe it did intend it, time will tell. Still, didn't save it for being a film that really wasn't needed, or at least I don't see the need for it yet (non-comic person here, so no spoilers directed towards me please! I can skim over posts, but I'll read one directed at me!). I just don't see how they're going to integrate going forward, or put to the "probably doing something else while this current world ending event is happening", like Captain Marvel. But Endgame set such a high bar, it's impossible to stay there imo. Spiderman worked because it not only was a great standalone story, it didn't feel world ending so didn't require more avenger types, which makes it believable. Also had the nostalgia, and was just an amazing film overall. Best part of Eternals was the introduction of Blade (kinda).

Re: the speedster, once you find out they're created, I genuinely wondered why she was deaf then, not out of whatever crap ye are debating above, but from a genuine "I wonder why" angle. Because the speed could damage her hearing is a good one, so I'll go with that until/if they flesh her out more. One of the better ones, but as said earlier speedsters can be OP so get little screen time.

So yeah, I'd have no issue if they just brushed this under the rug and continued on, because I think trying to integrate them into the MCU as a whole (other than a deus ex machina for an Endgame event) will be problematic.

Bacchus

Ended up watching in it two parts (it's long and the other half isn't in to the MCU stuff). I really enjoyed it. One of the better new entries to the MCU in recent years, particularly stands out as one of those ensemble superhero movies that manages to get the balance right between the characters (despite the long run-time). I give credit too that, while it's light on action (only final fights, in particular the Makkerie - Ikarus fight stand out for me. The attack on Druig's community was decent too) it more than makes up for it in terms of being quite an engaging movie. I enjoyed the different personalities and perspectives of the Eternals. They're all just goodie goodies, they had their own layers to them and that doesn't come through often enough in superhero movies IMO. Visually, it was great and again stands out when compared to the standard MCU flick. They even gave the Deviants decent screentime and context. Alright they weren't particularly interesting, but their inclusion was purposeful and their origins even gave them some sympathy.

I don't think I've much negative to say about it TBH except maybe it's a bit long, but then if they cut out stuff it'd feel rushed and disjointed. The 'giant beam in the sky' ending is a bit done by now but having Ikarus oppose the others added some spice to the finale.

So... in the MCU, is the Earth just going to have this giant Celestial sticking out it, poking in to the upper atmosphere? I assume the rest of it's body in still in the Earth's crust... that can't be good.

Final thing - Go on Barry Keoghan. Druig was a small enough role in the grand scheme of things but he was great in all his scenes.