The Eternals (MCU)

mrcheez · 25-01-2022 11:32AM

Found this review summed up my feelings on the movie pretty much as if I'd written it myself :)

https://reason.com/2021/11/04/diversity-cant-save-eternals-its-a-cosmic-disaster/

mrcheez · 25-01-2022 11:43AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118529672#Comment_118529672

It just doesn't make sense, why would Arashem create an Eternal who is deaf? And yes of course the movie needs to be tied to the source material.

iColdFusion · 25-01-2022 11:50AM

You can always rely on Pitch Meeting to sum up a very Meh movie 😄

https://youtu.be/DIdzUpAswe0

circadian · 25-01-2022 11:50AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118529714#Comment_118529714

I thought it was pretty cack, with Arishem the only character I was interested in seeing before seeing the movie.

However, you don't need to post a review from a Libertarian publication and complain about wokeness. As others have said, the diversity makes it easier to follow the characters on screen. It's the execution that's poor, not some perceived PC wokeness.

FunLover18 · 25-01-2022 11:50AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118529714#Comment_118529714

I just don't see the relevance of bringing up the diversity. If people find the movie boring, fine. I liked the film but I'd agree with the review that one of the most boring characters is the white guy, I'd add the other most boring character is the other white guy (Kit Harrington). They end by saying that Shang-Chi is diverse but it's also a good film and it sounds like they're saying Shang-Chi is good in spite of its diversity whereas this film is boring and it's diverse like being boring wasn't bad enough.

Doctor DooM · 25-01-2022 11:59AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118529761#Comment_118529761

It's so she doesn't deafen herself with her own sonic booms.

Eternals is as tied to the source material as any other MCU project. Every MCU story adapts while trying to keep the spirit of the original, which Eternals does try by being a huge story of the ages. Tony Stark got hurt in Korea in the comics, Wanda's powers have nothing to do with the infinity Gems in the comics (and they're not stones but gems in the comics), Hawkeye was raised by Swordsman in the comics, so on, so forth.

The reality is people suddenly pretend they know everything about the source material and feign furiousness only when the differences are "woke".

FunLover18 · 25-01-2022 11:59AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118529761#Comment_118529761

Yes but you don't know the source material so why does it matter. You're trying to find excuses for your upset after the fact. The character she plays isn't even being a Marvel c-lister.

pixelburp · 25-01-2022 12:07PM

And to extend upon my own point: here's the actor in question, talking about the importance of having something as "woke" as a deaf superhero appear on screen (although the impact may be lessened by perhaps one of Marvel's less kid friendly MCU films)

https://www.cinemablend.com/superheroes/eternals-lauren-ridloff-reveals-why-having-a-deaf-superhero-in-the-marvel-cinematic-universe-is-so-important

Almost immediately after Eternals was released, the impact of Lauren Ridloff’s character could be felt throughout the deaf community and beyond, as there was a huge spike in interest for American Sign Language. This is something Ridloff had hoped would happen during the film’s production, as she explained in the behind-the-scenes featurette “Walks of Life” that accompanies the Eternals home release:

Honestly, I'm just excited to think about having deaf kids wearing Halloween costumes that are going to be Makkari-inspired. I think that's the most important thing about having a deaf superhero on the big screen. It shows that there's so much more to every individual regardless of their ability.

Something something woke. Heaven forfends some forced diversity has a positive, tangible effect on a community often forgotten by those with no physical issues of their own. Deafness is a reality, and many kids have hearing problems of their own, from limitations to full disability. A deaf superhero shows them they're not freaks, or problems, or burdens.

I think it's bloody marvellous, and more of that please.

The Phantom Pain · 25-01-2022 01:56PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118529672#Comment_118529672

Exactly. In fact, that's why it was so cool. It's because the story never acknowledged it; it was just treated as being normal. I'm someone who believes , provided you're not appropriating another person's culture, that a studio can cast whoever they want in their story even if it's all gruff white dudes, but equally I have no problem with a diverse group if that's what the creators want. It also kind of makes sense that Arishem would create the Eternals in the image of the different types of humans in the world. Although there is one point Mr Cheez raised earlier that is quite observant - I have noticed a lot of gay black people cropping up in television and video games, especially black women in lesbian interracial relationships. It's getting to the point where it's becoming rare to see a black woman actually get to kiss a black man on the lips like, you know, in real life...

The Phantom Pain · 25-01-2022 02:49PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118529787#Comment_118529787

Haven't read the article and I'm not going to but Shang Chi isn't even diverse since the majority of the cast is Asian proving that 'diverse' is just code for 'not white male'.

Fandymo · 25-01-2022 02:55PM

Saw this the other night. Waste of two hours and a half hours. Generally like the Marvel movies, but not a fanboy, wouldn't be interested in the back story etc. Is Barry Keoghan some social experiment to see how far a lad with little to no acting talent can get in Hollywood if praised by the right people with influence. I've never seen him actually "act" in anything.

flazio · 25-01-2022 03:02PM

Well I for one think Lauren Ridloff was the best actress in the film. Easily out performed Angelina Jolie. 😁

It's telling how you had to turn to DC characters to make a point about not messing with a source story. If anything Marvel has always been more open to new interpretations of its characters across various mediums. Now I'm not overly familiar with "source material" myself but I understand that at least two of the Eternals have been gender swapped on film. This is nothing unusual at this stage as we've had a female Ancient One, Doc Ock, Jerry Hogarth, Tinkerer across various recent Marvel projects. Don't think Peter Parker ever had any black girlfriends in the comics but he's had two so far here.

New interpretations are what keep Marvel fresh.

pixelburp · 25-01-2022 03:15PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118530793#Comment_118530793

We're also talking about characters who are older than WW2 in some cases: and even those characters themselves have been invented across that time. Superman arguably being the most overt, given at the very start he was just some burly strong dude, a power fantasy for a couple of kids in Ohio. He couldn't fly, shoot lasers from his eyes - and wasn't an alien.

While most of the characters in the genre were born as intentionally disposable, low-brow entertainment for kids: that they're still culturally relevant at all is IMO because the characters were reinvented into something beyond bad art from the Funny Pages. Not despite of it. Batman again being a good example, once those boomers grew up and found themselves writing for DC in the 70s+. Frank Miller might be a racist, right-wing nutjob but - for better or worse - he was part of that reinvention from silly costumed hero to the dark, brooding character Hollywood's finest are courted to play.

And with the invention of Elseworlds and other alternate universe mechanisms, the genre openly invites other interpretations. I daresay the most inert and irrelevant characters are the ones who didn't reinvent themselves.

The Phantom Pain · 25-01-2022 03:40PM

Frank Miller is one of the best and worst things to ever happen to Batman and his hatred of Superman is so pathetic, but Batman would not be as culturally relevant today if not for him, even down to the Dark Knight films which David S. Goyer - a fan of Miller - was consulted on. Reinvention is the key to sustainability. I actually think the reason why Superman doesn't resonate like he used to is because what makes him such a great character is also his weakness - the character is inherently immutable. That, and he seems to be under the control of creators who just don't like the character. He hasn't really changed all that much since his initial evolution and they tried to do some stuff with him in the 90s but it didn't work imo. Anyway, enough DC talk from me lol. Change, diversity, reinvention is sometimes good etc etc etc

mrcheez · 25-01-2022 05:26PM

The movie was a forgettable dull mish mash of ideas created in the marketing department as a quick cash-grab.

It might have worked as a TV series where they could flesh out the ideas in full.

Definitely the lowest point in the MCU.

Foxtrol · 25-01-2022 05:38PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118531639#Comment_118531639

Trying to pivot away from your cries about the 'woke' boogeyman?

Even then this movie comes across as anything but a 'marketing department quick cash-grab'. A cash-grab is doing something quick and easy, whereas this was a very challenging movie to get right and they took the tough route by veering somewhat off the path of the normal MCU playbook.

I agree it would have been better as a series but Marvel has dozens of better ways to do a cash grab if they wanted to.

flazio · 25-01-2022 06:00PM

They already tried it as a TV series and it crashed spectacularly. Look up Inhumans on Disney+.

Foxtrol · 25-01-2022 07:00PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118531775#Comment_118531775

Inhumans crashed because it was just dire in practically every aspect. I went to see the first two episodes in IMAX and I was shocked at how poor it was and it actually got worse as the season went on.

It wasn't even made by Marvel Studios, like the Disney+ shows are now, it was by Marvel TV. Eternals would have been completely different level of quality if it was turned into a show but I don't think they would have been able to get Zhao to direct (Zhao pitched the idea of Eternals movie to Feige) or some of the actors

The Phantom Pain · 25-01-2022 07:04PM

My understanding is that Inhumans was more of an Ike Perlmutter thing. Feige was never interested in the Inhumans or any MCU television show prior to Wandavision (that's why the movies never acknowledge anything AOS did).

pjohnson · 25-01-2022 07:07PM

Marvel themselves were also trying to make the Inhumans a thing in general to replace the X-Men but after the repeated flops the Inhumans were put back into obscurity.

mrcheez · 25-01-2022 07:12PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118531682#Comment_118531682

No I just don't want to upset you snowflakes (or the fanboys) any longer

johnny_ultimate · 25-01-2022 07:15PM

Mod note: Enough trolling. Don’t post in this thread again, mrcheez.

BruteStock · 25-01-2022 07:22PM

Can't say its the lowest point in the MCU when generally the MCU is a low point in itself. Crud such as The Dark World , Age Of Ultron and even End Game I thought flopped harder than The Eternals. #MartinScorsese

While the film itself wasn't woke , the casting choices certainly gave a platform to the stars to signal their virtue to the press , and that's exactly what they did. When you have to rub-it-in it kinda ruins whatever good intent you tried to portray initially and you end up coming off like a phoney.

Likewise for the leftist progressives on social media who applaud the inclusivity and believe they contribute to a societal change for the better.

Statistically only 9% of kids watch the MCU. Grown adults watch these films and TV shows mostly.

Personally I feel there's a great deal of overreach starting to happen and just like all of the progressives are out with their pitchforks looking to stab anything that moves that they deem racist, sexist, misogynistic, bigoted etc.. rightfully or wrongfully. Usually they just make stuff up after awhile. They see fascism and injustice everywhere.

Foxtrol · 25-01-2022 08:06PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118532177#Comment_118532177

End Game was the biggest grossing movie in history and rated highly by critics - how is that possibly a flop on any metrics?

Not sure what your issue is with actors saying a good thing is good - if anyone sees casting non-white actors in roles is 'overreach' it says a hell of a lot more about them.

Where do you get your 9% of kids stat from? Google isn't showing anything and the wording raises a red flags of one of those manipulated stats and ignores the knock on children's tv show and toys.

pjohnson · 25-01-2022 08:13PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118532177#Comment_118532177

Statistically 15% of "adults" watch things they already know they wont like so that they can be edgy and post buzzword bingo crap about "woke" everywhere.

pixelburp · 25-01-2022 08:17PM

A bizarre segue all round, trying to flimsily rationalise why a positive engagement and representation of deaf people is somehow, in fact, dreadful and should be booed.

Just let us have nice things. It doesn't always have to be PC Gone Mad. Nor does it need saying either.

All fiction is contrived; it's all made up from somebody's head. Especially the Jack Kirby acid trips.

FunLover18 · 25-01-2022 09:04PM

Imagine thinking someone's mere existence as a deaf person or POC is a virtue to be signalled 🙄

Useless Lump · 25-01-2022 09:46PM

I’m a fan of the Marvel movies but know nothing of the comics.

why is it that the character with the best superpower was missing for the whole movie? They only brought her out when her speed was needed?

The Eternals are androids, right? I don’t understand the purpose of a deaf android or one that looks like a child.

before anyone has a panic attack I have nothing against deaf or child superheroes but if they are being create to fight then shouldn’t they be able to hear danger?

I think the actress was wasted in this. She is is good in The Walking Dead and could have been the lead in her own MCU show instead of being an afterthought in this.

flazio · 25-01-2022 09:57PM

Just so your aware, we are going to get a deaf lead D+ show. Alaqua Cox is continuing the story of Maya Lopez in "Echo" sometime soon. I know Alaqua got some unfairly harsh criticism for her performance in Hawkeye but it's forgivable as it was her first major television role. People can grow into acting. Lauren Ridloffs husband, Douglas Ridloff was the liaison between the director and the deaf talent for both his wife and Alaqua on Hawkeye.

Useless Lump · 25-01-2022 10:01PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118532811#Comment_118532811

I watched that at Christmas

I thought Echo was great but wasn’t sure if she was really deaf as the sign language was clearly shown

it seems to like they were hiding it just out of shot

and nothing wrong with having two deaf heroes in two shows ;) - I’m saying you meant that just voicing my opinion

The Eternals (MCU)

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