The Marvel Cinematic Universe has returned with director Chloe Zhao releasing the newest addition to the franchise, “Eternals”, which received a 50% “rotten” score on Rotten Tomatoes.

The outcome of “Eternals” led to a debate amongst fans on whether or not the film met expectations, and how Marvel created this film to be “the worst Marvel movie ever,” according to Variety.

I felt that one positive thing about the film was its diverse talent and a fresh new set of heroes, with the inclusion of a superhero that is deaf. I personally believe the MCU introduced this new set of characters with their own unique backstories that made them stand out. 

From the cast of “Crazy Rich Asians” to “Eternals”, Gemma Chan played an amazing role as Sersi, who manipulates matter. Sersi’s narrative throughout the film gave me the sense that she would do anything to save humanity. Salma Hayek played Ajak who was a mother figure towards all the Eternals. I personally loved the way she carried the role; I had so much respect for her character.

 However, a character who surprised me was Ikaris, played by Richard Madden, who decided to “switch up” on his family. Throughout the film the audience learns that he went against the Eternals to complete the Emergence, an event that would birth a new Celestial, but destroy Earth. Ikaris left me shocked because he did everything, but was ultimately unsuccessful. What was the point of that?[wpdiscuz-feedback id=”az5aevu2ik” question=”Share your thoughts!” opened=”o”][/wpdiscuz-feedback]

The film had not only one, but two post-credits scenes that left the audience with a cliffhanger. The first post-credits scene involved Thena (Angelina Jolie), Makkari (Lauren Ridloff), and Druig (Barry Keoghan), being interrupted by Eros/Starfox, played by Harry Styles. There’s so much more to learn about his character’s importance and I’m excited to see him in future works, as he signed a five year contract with Marvel. The second post-credits scene revealed Dane Whitman (Kit Harington) to come in contact with the Ebony Blade that will make him the Black Knight, which was completely unexpected.

Despite the fuss over the bad reviews on the film, the movie featured quite a few things that left some Marvel fans upset. We were introduced to a gay couple in the film, with Brian Tyree Henry playing Phastos, who is the MCU’s first gay superhero. Some fans were disappointed by the controversy of two men kissing on the screen. 

This sparked some tension, and some argue that his sexuality made him a poor choice for the role. However, I think Styles can sing beautifully and is an amazing actor based on his roles in previous films. I think people didn’t realize how well he presented his character. 

The movie also had the MCU’s first ever sex-scene which stirred up a lot of buzz, and some parents found it to be “unnecessary”. It didn’t bother me because the film is rated PG-13, so people might have an idea of what to expect when taking their children to watch it. 

In the end, I feel like the film created an interesting storyline with a lot of potential for plot twists and fantastic action scenes. How did you feel about this new MCU film?