Eternals is a well-shot and a well-made cinematic saga that takes the Marvel Cinematic Universe further. The concept of these superheroes is explained at the very start and it’s followed by a massy entry scene. The film keeps one glued as the superheroes travel to various regions for a greater cause. The Indian and Bollywood connection might seem a bit caricature but it adds to the film’s comic quotient. Sadly, the film is too long at 155 minutes and the pacing is a bit slow. The central characters are fun and their bonding is funny but is nowhere close to the chemistry between the Avengers. The conflict faced by certain characters and also the plot points towards the end gets confusing. The finale fight thankfully saves the day to an extent. Speaking of performances, Gemma Chan (Sersi) gets the maximum screen time and underplays herself well. Richard Madden (Ikaris) is okay but his act gets better in the second half. Kumail Nanjiani (Kingo) is quite entertaining. Salma Hayek (Ajak) has a supporting role but she delivers a fabulous performance. Angelina Jolie (Thena) has an arresting presence but her character is bewildering. Brian Tyree Henry (Phastos) is memorable and same goes for Lauren Ridloff (Makkari). Don Lee (Gilgamesh) is lovely and deserves to act more in Hollywood. Barry Keoghan (Druig) and Lia McHugh (Sprite) are strictly okay. Lastly, Harish Patel is adorable and steals the show. All in all, Eternals could have been better but thankfully, not as bad as the international reviews suggested, for me at least.
My rating – *** out of 5!