Category: Action

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Morbius, The Living Vampire, first appeared as a villain in The Amazing Spider-Man #101 in October 1971. Created by Roy Thomas and Gil Kane, the character later became a broody and gritty anti-hero in the 1990s. Initially meant to debut in 1998’s Blade, Morbius was one of several planned adaptations between Marvel and Artisan Entertainment. While this never happened, Sony announced in 2017 that they’d be starting a new shared universe of Spider-Man-related characters. Matt Sazama and Burk Sharpless submitted a screenplay to Sony for a potential Morbius movie in late 2018. Jared Leto came on board, but he’d only commit if he could have a say in choosing the director. Eventually, Daniel Espinosa got the job, and filming began in early 2019 and wrapped that June. Due to eventual reshoots, the COVID-19 Pandemic, and shifting schedules, Morbius would not see a release until April 2022.

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Synopsis

Dr. Michael Morbius (Jared Leto) is a scientist suffering from a rare blood disease who may have found a cure. He travels to Costa Rica, collects several vampire bats, and experiments on them to find a treatment for his condition. Due to the nature of these experiments, Michael and fellow scientist Martine Bancroft (Adria Arjona) must work in international waters. While he’s successful, Morbius becomes a vampire-like creature with superhuman abilities who must consume blood to stay alive. Soon, his adoptive brother Milo (Matt Smith) learns about what Michael has done and wants the cure, but Michael refuses. Soon enough, the bloodlust consumes Milo as he challenges Michael for denying him what he always wanted. Meanwhile, FBI Agents Simon Stroud (Tyrese Gibson) and Al Rodriguez (Al Madrigal) investigate Michael after a recent string of murders. Will Milo be stopped, and will Michael learn to embrace what he’s become?

Review

You know you’re in trouble when you hire the writers of Dracula Untold, Gods of Egypt, and Power Rangers. With those credits, it’s no surprise that Morbius is an incomprehensible mess that is equal parts confusing and uninteresting. There’s hardly any characterization aside from some backstories, and even then, it’s hard to care about anyone. Everyone delivers their lines with such lifelessness and gloom that it seems like even the actors don’t care. Jared Leto is acceptable in the lead, but you’d expect a guy who plays outrageous characters to deliver that. Instead, he has the broodiness and edginess of a fanfiction character written by a 12-year-old who loved The Crow. Jared Harris feels wasted here, and Adria Arjano doesn’t offer much other than being the damsel in distress. The only bright spot is Matt Smith, who at least tries to be entertaining in a campy way.

To make matters worse, this is possibly one of the ugliest-looking movies I’ve seen in quite some time. Everything looks so drab and dark that it’s emotionally draining, giving Zach Snyder a run for his money. It doesn’t help that the editing is so sloppy and haphazard that it’s often hard to tell what’s going on. These cloudy streaks emanate from Morbius that blur what’s happening during any action sequence, and they mix in some slow-motion. The final battle between Morbius and Milo looks like a badly-rendered cutscene in a video game with all the CGI. Going back to the editing, they tried so hard to tone this down to a PG-13 that it’s almost comedic. It feels like whole chunks of the movie are missing, which would explain why it flies by so fast. Overall, there are worse comic book movies, but that doesn’t make Morbius a good one.

Buy Morbius from Amazon: https://amzn.to/3xHq6yY.

Disclosure: The above link is an affiliate link, which means that, at zero cost to you, I will earn a commission if you click through the link and finalize a purchase.

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In 2014, Warner Bros. announced a Batman spin-off after Ben Affleck was cast in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. Affleck agreed to star, co-write, produce, and direct the film, but he started losing interest in 2017. With Affleck gone, the search began for a new director, Ridley Scott, George Miller, and Denis Villeneuve being potential candidates. Eventually, Matt Reeves, who previously helmed War for the Planet of the Apes, was hired to direct the film. However, Reeves asked to have complete creative control, including rewriting Affleck’s script, and Warner Bros. agreed, believing in his vision. In 2019, the studio announced that Robert Pattinson would be playing the Cape Crusader, which was received poorly by fans. Unfortunately, Reeves put filming on hold due to COVID-19, which took the life of dialect coach Andrew Jack. Despite numerous setbacks and delays, The Batman finally hit theaters in March 2022.

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Synopsis

For two years, Bruce Wayne (Robert Pattison) has been operating in Gotham City as a masked vigilante called The Batman. After the murder of Mayor Don Mitchell Jr. (Rupert Penry-Jones), officer Jim Gordon (Jeffrey Wright) asks for Batman’s help. During his investigation, Batman meets Selina Kyle (Zoë Kravitz), a waitress working at the Iceberg Lounge for Penguin (Colin Farrell). With her help, he discovers that all the victims are city officials tied to organized crime, including Mitchell. Soon, the killer reveals himself as The Riddler (Paul Dano), who has been targeting officials to expose some corruption. As the body count continues to grow, Batman learns some horrible secrets about the city and his family. He also starts developing a romantic relationship with Selina, further jeopardizing the mission and making him question his motivation. Regardless of how the investigation turns out, the answers will shake the very foundation of Gotham City.

Review

Ever since the initial trailers for The Batman were released, I have been highly anticipating this film’s release. Some doubted whether or not Robert Pattison would succeed, most based on his performances in the Twilight movies. However, anyone who saw The Lighthouse knows that Pattinson can deliver an outstanding performance, and The Batman is no exception. While he’s not the typical suave playboy we’ve come to expect, he brings real humanity and darkness not seen before. When he dons the cape and cowl, he has this presence where you know you’re in trouble. Zoë Kravitz has a very seductive and charming quality to her performance, and she has excellent chemistry with Pattinson. Though he wears a mask for most of his screentime, Paul Dano is believably deranged and psychotic as The Riddler. His performance is almost comparable to Heath Ledger’s Joker from The Dark Knight: over-the-top without being campy.

Matt Reeves’s direction is solid, making great use of darkness and shadows to create dynamic visuals with limited lighting. The fight scenes are well-choreographed, well-shot, and aren’t overly edited to the point where the fights are incomprehensible. In particular, there’s a shootout sequence where the only lights are the muzzles from the guns. Combined with the sound design, it’s an expertly crafted sequence that would’ve looked terrible in a lesser director’s hands. The film also has one of the most exciting car chases I’ve seen in quite a long time. Even at nearly three hours, the pacing never drags, and it goes by fairly quickly without feeling rushed. While it doesn’t reach the same heights as The Dark Knight, it’s still an excellent take on the caped crusader. Overall, The Batman is an exceptional blockbuster that delivers on the action while also delivering a thrilling story.

Buy tickets to The Batman through Fandango: https://fandan.co/3Kht00L.

Disclosure: The above link is an affiliate link, which means that, at zero cost to you, I will earn a commission if you click through the link and finalize a purchase.

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After his successful 1980 manga Dr. Slump, writer and artist Akira Toriyama published Dragon Ball in Weekly Shōnen Jump. Inspired by Journey to the West, the manga became a massive hit that spawned an entire media franchise. In 1986, Toei Animation produced an anime series that eventually led to the wildly successful Dragon Ball Z in 1989. Both shows gained a much broader audience when Funimation licensed them for an English dub in 1996. Seeing the series’ popularity, 20th Century Fox announced they had acquired the rights for a live-action film in 2002. The studio approached Kung Fu Hustle director Stephen Chow before hiring Final Destination director James Wong to helm the project. Unfortunately, the film ran into several production problems, including a slashed budget, the Writer’s Strike, and unfavorable fan reactions. After seven years of development, Dragonball Evolution landed in theaters in April 2009.

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Synopsis

After being imprisoned for thousands of years, the evil Lord Piccolo (James Marsters) searches for the Dragonballs. According to legend, whoever finds all seven Dragonballs will be granted one wish, which could spell doom for Earth. Piccolo sends his henchwoman Mai (Eriko Tamura) to retrieve the balls and kill anyone who gets in her way. She kills the elderly Gohan (Randall Duk Kim), who gave his 4-starred ball to his grandson Goku (Justin Chatwin). Before he dies, Gohan tells his grandson to seek Master Roshi (Chow Yun-fat), a martial arts guru with a Dragonball. Along the way, Goku runs into Bulma (Emmy Rossum), who’s built a device that can track the Dragonballs’ energy readings. While this is going on, Goku struggles with his feelings for his high school crush Chi-Chi (Jamie Chung). With the world’s fate hanging in the balance, it’s up to our brave heroes to defeat Piccolo.

Review

Honestly, this is one of those projects that seemed doomed to fail even before the cameras started rolling. Even if this weren’t an adaptation of a popular anime, Dragonball Evolution still fails to entertain as a standalone film. For one, the film’s writer, Ben Ramsey, said that he saw this purely as a job in an interview. He stated that he accepted the gig with no passion for the source material, and it shows. Even though characters, objects, etc., are taken from the show, almost all of it is entirely different. For instance, Goku has changed from the cheerful goofball we know and love to an angsty teenager. The newly added high school subplot feels out of place, probably meant to add realism that was not needed. Even when it somewhat resembles the anime in the third act, it feels hollow and empty.

The differences between the film and anime aside, this is one of the most poorly made blockbusters I’ve ever seen. For one, the CGI looks shockingly bad for a movie made in 2009, especially the noticeable green screen used. Some of the effects look unfinished, as if they rushed the render time to meet the release date. Most of the acting comes off flat and dull, particularly from Chatwin and Rossum, who have only one facial expression. Chow Yun-fat, Randall Duk Kim, and Ernie Hudson look like they’re embarrassed to be on screen. The only one who seems to be trying is James Marsters, who makes a decently intimidating villain. The fight scenes are jumbled and incomprehensible, and by the end, you’ll be begging for it to be over. Overall, Dragonball Evolution is not only a poor adaptation but also a dull action fantasy film.

Buy Dragonball Evolution from Amazon: https://amzn.to/3qmS0g7.

Disclosure: The above link is an affiliate link, which means that, at zero cost to you, I will earn a commission if you click through the link and finalize a purchase.

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On a budget of over $100 million, Kingsman: The Golden Circle grossed $410 million worldwide despite a mixed reception. Following its release, director Matthew Vaughn confirmed that a third entry would be in production soon. This next installment would end the planned trilogy, though Vaughn decided to make a prequel. Since this would be telling the story of how the Kingsman was founded, none of the original cast would return. In 2018, the studio announced that Ralph Fiennes and Harris Dickinson were cast as the leads. Other cast members reported included Daniel Brühl, Charles Dance, Rhys Ifans, Matthew Goode, Gemma Arterton, and Djimon Hounsou. Filming commenced in January 2019 with a planned November release, but unfortunately, the film’s release was delayed numerous times. After being delayed for roughly two years, The King’s Man finally hit theaters in December 2021.

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Synopsis

It’s 1902, and Orlando (Ralph Fiennes) is visiting a South African concentration camp with his wife Emily (Alexandra Maria Lara). They’re working with the Red Cross when Emily is shot and killed during a sniper attack at the camp. Years later, Orlando lives with his son Conrad (Harris Dickinson), who wants to fight in WWI despite his father’s objections. They visit War Secretary Herbert Kitchener (Charles Dance), who ensures to Orlando that Conrad will not be able to enlist. Meanwhile, a shadowy organization led by “Shepherd” plans to further tensions between the United Kingdom, Germany, and Russia. One of their agents is Grigori Rasputin (Rhys Ifans), a Russian monk who’s also a top advisor to the Tsar. He plans to convince the Tsar to pull out from the war, so Orlando and his spy network take action. Little do they know that there’s more at stake than they realize.

Review

One complaint I had with Kingsman: The Golden Circle was how chaotic and exhaustive the action sequences were. Even still, there was a sense of fun and energy to the film that made it exciting to watch. Unfortunately, The King’s Man lacks the spark that made the first two films so enjoyable in the first place. Before getting into the negatives, I will say that this has a decent cast with an exceptional lead. Ralph Fiennes does his best with the material given, and he’s easily the movie’s highlight. Rhys Ifans is having fun playing a larger-than-life villain, but unfortunately, he’s not in the film for long. Gemma Arterton and Djimon Honsou also make good additions, and Harris Dickinson does a decent job as Orlando’s son. And of course, there’s Charles Dance, who’s great in just about everything he’s in.

Sadly, not even this talented cast can save a mainly dull film aside from a few moments. The only memorable sequences here are the fight with Rasputin and the climactic gunfight towards the end. Aside from these, most of the runtime is nothing but dialogue-heavy scenes of boring exposition and tedious back-and-forths. Also, whereas the first two movies prided themselves on having colorful, larger-than-life villains, there’s nothing to this film’s lead villain. As eccentric as Rasputin is, he’s not the primary villain, and the reveal leaves you asking more questions. At well over two hours long, several points in this movie feel like padding to further stretch the runtime. It’s disappointing that Kingsman: The Secret Service was so good, but the sequels gradually fell in quality. Overall, The King’s Man is a far cry from its insanely fun and exciting predecessors.

Buy tickets to The King’s Man from Fandango: https://fandan.co/33Kdydt.

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Towards the release of Kingsman: The Secret Service, writer Mark Millar, and director Matthew Vaughn said a sequel might happen. Thankfully, the film grossed over $400 million worldwide on a budget of $81 million and received unanimous praise. Following the success, Fox announced that a sequel was in development, but it was unclear if Vaughn would be directing. However, in June 2015, Vaughn announced that he’d be returning to write and direct the sequel. There were concerns about Taron Egerton returning since he signed on to star in Robin Hood, which caused scheduling conflicts. Luckily, Lionsgate agreed to film after Egerton wrapped the Kingsman sequel and principal photography started in May 2016. Much of the original cast returned, alongside series newcomers Julianne Moore, Jeff Bridges, Channing Tatum, Halle Berry, and Pedro Pascal. Three years after the original, Kingsman: The Golden Circle hit theaters in September 2017.

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Synopsis

Following the first film, Eggsy (Taron Egerton) is now a full-fledged Kingsman living with his girlfriend Tilde (Hanna Alström). Unfortunately, after an attack by rejected Kingsman Charlie Hesketh (Edward Holcroft), The Kingsman headquarters and several agents are destroyed. The person responsible for the Kingsman’s destruction is Poppy Adams (Julianne Moore), a drug kingpin based in Cambodia. Her ultimate plan is to poison people who’ve been using her drugs and holding the world ransom. Eggsy and Merlin (Mark Strong) discover The Statesman, the American counterpart to The Kingsman, and ask for their help. They meet with agents Champagne (Jeff Bridges), Tequila (Channing Tatum), Whiskey (Pedro Pascal), and Ginger Ale (Halle Berry). While at Statesman headquarters, Eggsy and Merlin discover that Harry Hart (Colin Firth) survived his fatal wound. With several of their loved ones dying, Eggsy must get everyone together to save the world once again.

Review

As far as sequels go, Kingsman: The Golden Circle continues what worked in the first film, for better or worse. It doubles down on what made the original work but lacks the first film’s spark. While the first film had several over-the-top action sequences, it still took time to give the audience breathing room. Here, there’s an action sequence almost every five minutes, and it gets chaotic and distracting after a while. The action is well-choreographed and well-edited, but they happen in such quick succession that it gets tiresome. Also, there are so many new characters introduced that it can be hard to keep track of them all. Still, the further worldbuilding is exciting, and it helps show that the Kingsman goes further than just a tailor shop. Admittedly, the nearly two-and-a-half-hour runtime makes it feel much more overwhelming.

Still, plenty of aspects elevates the film from a decent sequel to a solid action film. For one, the cast all do a terrific job, both the returning actors and the newcomers to the series. Taron Egerton has fully evolved into a gentleman spy while still retaining his streetwise persona. Mark Strong gets a much more significant role, and having Colin Firth’s character start over is fascinating. While not as memorable as Samuel L. Jackson in the original, Julianne Moore makes a quirky yet sociopathic villain. The other American actors, particularly Channing Tatum, Jeff Bridges, Halle Berry, and Pedro Pascal, are good despite lacking screentime. Also, even though his part is an extended cameo, Elton John is hilarious and has a decent action sequence. Overall, Kingsman: The Golden Circle doesn’t quite live up to its predecessor, but it’s still a decent watch.

Buy Kingsman: The Golden Circle from Amazon: https://amzn.to/3qhNCO1.

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While sharing some drinks at a bar, writer Mark Millar and filmmaker Matthew Vaughn discussed spy films. They felt that the current spy films took themselves too seriously and wanted a more fun, old-school spy thriller. In 2012, the comic book The Secret Service, written by Millar and David Gibbons, was released and spanned six issues. Vaughn opted out of doing X-Men: Days of Future Past to direct Millar and Gibbons’ comic adaptation. They hired major talents like Colin Firth, Samuel L. Jackson, Michael Caine, and several newcomers for the cast. One of those newcomers was a relatively-unknown Taron Egerton, who had just graduated from the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art. Filming commenced in late 2013 on reportedly 1/3 of the $200 million budget of Skyfall. After premiering at the Butt-Numb-A-Thon Festival in 2014, Kingsman: The Secret Service hit theaters worldwide in early 2015.

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Synopsis

Gary “Eggsy” Unwin (Taron Egerton) is a juvenile delinquent living in an English slum with his mother, Michelle (Samantha Womack). Unbeknownst to him, his father was a special agent who worked for a secret agency called The Kingsman. After being arrested for grand theft auto, Eggsy is released from prison and meets fellow Kingsman Harry Hart (Colin Firth). Due to a recent opening in the organization, Hart takes Eggsy on as a potential candidate to become an agent. Meanwhile, Internet celebrity Richmond Valentine (Samuel L. Jackson) recruits influential figures to join his new world order. Valentine plans to wipe out the world’s human population by giving out free SIM cards that trigger people’s violent tendencies. Unfortunately, Eggsy fails his training, and Valentine takes Hart out of commission, but with few options, The Kingsman recruits Eggsy. Will Valentine succeed in his plan, or will The Kingsman save the world?

Review

Kingsman: The Secret Service skirts the line between being a parody and taking itself seriously as a spy thriller. It plays with the genre’s familiar tropes in a way that’s less mocking and more paying tribute. It’s somewhat similar to movies like Young Frankenstein, where they poke fun at the genre conventions in a loving way. Outside of that, this film works as a fun, energetic, and high-octane thrill ride that never lets up. There are so many action sequences that are well-staged, well-edited, and somewhat gruesome at times without being gratuitous. A few standouts include the massacre at the church and the scene where Eggsy infiltrates Valentine’s compound. As frantic as the action sequences are, the film takes time to develop the characters further and give breathing room. It helps that the writing is clever, and the actors give each character their own unique quirks.

Colin Firth is perfect casting as the archetypal gentleman spy with his dry delivery and sarcastic humor. He has fantastic chemistry with Taron Egerton, who plays Eggsy with the right combination of attitude and sincerity. Michael Caine and Mark Strong are excellent in their supporting roles, and Samuel L. Jackson makes for an enjoyable villain. Sofia Boutella is also memorable as Jackson’s right hand, playing a robust, sexy character similar to Oddjob or Jaws. Sophie Cookson and Edward Holcroft do a good job, but unfortunately, neither character gets fully developed. Also, Mark Hamill is another standout in the small but pivotal role of Professor James Arnold. Admittedly, the film takes a while to get going, spending most of its time world-building, but it still delivers. Overall, Kingsman: The Secret Service is a fun and exciting action film perfect for old-school spy fans and newcomers.

Buy Kingsman: The Secret Service from Amazon: https://amzn.to/3qgBBbt

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My review of Spider-Man: Far From Home mentioned that sequel plans existed before Spider-Man: Homecoming. Unfortunately, plans stalled when Disney wanted to expand their deal with Sony, but neither could agree on the terms. Because of this, Sony announced that Spider-Man would no longer be part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, which upset fans. Thankfully, Tom Holland met with Disney CEO Bob Iger and Sony Pictures chairman Tom Rothman and convinced them to renegotiate. With the business handled, filming on the third installment started in October 2020, with the original cast and crew returning. Soon, reports began surfacing that many characters from previous Spider-Man movies would be returning, including Doc Ock and Electro. Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic, the film’s release was delayed from July to November to December 2021. With tons of hype built up, Spider-Man: No Way Home finally hit theaters on December 17, 2021.

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Synopsis

After his secret identity is revealed, Peter Parker (Tom Holland) has his life turned upside down. He’s labeled a murderer by conspiracy theorist J. Jonah Jamieson (J.K. Simmons), and people keep hounding him. After his friend Ned (Jacob Batolon) and girlfriend MJ (Zendaya) are rejected from MIT, Peter decides to try something extreme. He visits Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) and asks if there’s a way that he can make everyone forget his secret. Strange starts performing an incantation to erase the world’s memory, but Parker has second thoughts and accidentally ruins the spell. While trying to appeal to the dean of MIT, Peter gets attacked by Dr. Otto Octavius (Alfred Molina). It turns out that people from alternative dimensions who have ties to someone named Peter Parker have entered our world. Peter and his friends have to round up any other villains who’ve arrived, but they’ll need some help.

Review

After being hyped for several months, I’m happy to report that Spider-Man: No Way Home lives up to its expectations. First off, this is easily Tom Holland’s best performance as Spider-Man since debuting in Captain America: Civil War. While he still acts like the kid he did before, there are some emotional moments where his character grows. You feel just how the weight of his actions and what’s happened in previous movies has affected him. Jacob Batalon and Zendaya are given more to do, and their characters feel more fleshed out than before. Benedict Cumberbatch works great off of Holland as the voice of reason who gets more annoyed as Peter screws up. The action sequences are well-staged and exciting to watch, especially how they incorporate each of the villains. Additionally, each of the villains gets their moment to shine and doesn’t feel like unnecessary additions.

My only major gripe with this film, which I’ve had with other MCU movies, is the lack of consistent tone. While most of the jokes land, there are times where they’ll ruin an otherwise dramatic moment with some awkward humor. Admittedly, the use of characters from older Spider-Man films might come off as fan service, which is understandable. Thankfully, the fan service doesn’t feel forced or like it’s added in to appeal to the hardcore fans. Unlike some of the fan service featured in the Star Wars sequel trilogy, it’s handled much more respectfully here. While the movie is long at roughly two and a half hours, it never feels boring or stretched out. Issues aside, this is still another excellent MCU movie that opens up tons of possibilities for future installments. Overall, Spider-Man: No Way Home is easily the best MCU movie of 2021.

Buy tickets to Spider-Man: No Way Home from Fandango: https://fandan.co/3dEKJRD.

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Legendary comic book artist Jack Kirby left Marvel in 1970 and joined DC Comics to create the “New Gods.” While he had a definitive ending planned, the series ended in 1972, and Kirby returned to work at Marvel. Originally dubbed “The Celestials,” these new god-like beings first appeared in 1976 as “The Eternals” due to legal reasons. In 2018, Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige announced that the characters would debut in Phase 4 of the MCU. The directors considered were Nicole Kassell, Travis Knight of Bumblebee fame, and the pair Cristina Gallego and Ciro Guerra. Eventually, they hired Chinese-American filmmaker Chloé Zhao, who gained much attention after directing the Oscar-winning film Nomadland. Though scheduled for a November 2020 release, the COVID-19 Pandemic caused numerous delays, initially settling for a February 2021 release. Eventually, Eternals saw its worldwide theatrical release in November of 2021.

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Synopsis

Thousands of years ago, the Celestial Arishem (David Kaye) sent god-like beings called The Eternals to Earth. Their mission is to destroy an infectious race called The Deviants, but they’re not allowed to interfere in human affairs. Due to internal conflicts, The Eternals go their separate ways and continue living their lives waiting for Arishem’s orders. In present-day London, Eternals Sersi (Gemma Chan) and Sprite (Lia McHugh) live together and enjoy everyday civilian life. One night, a Deviant called Kro (Bill Skarsgård) attacks them, but thankfully fellow Eternal Ikaris (Richard Madden) saves them. With the threat of the Deviants returning, they decide to find the other Eternals and reunite them. Unfortunately, a Deviant killed their former leader Ajak (Salma Hayek), so it’s up to Sersi to lead them. She gains the ability to speak with Arishem, but she soon learns more than she could’ve ever expected.

Review

Despite its flaws, Eternals is undoubtedly one of the more ambitious films in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. There’s plenty of introspection where the characters discuss humanity as a whole and how our issues make us human. Every cast member gives a stellar performance, particularly Gemma Chan and Richard Madden as the central focus. Though she doesn’t have tons of screentime, Salma Hayek is decent as the former leader conflicted with her mission. Kumail Nanjiani steals the show as the boisterous Kingo, whose character has become a famous Bollywood actor throughout multiple generations. Angelina Jolie doesn’t get many lines, but she shows a lot of her character just from her facial expressions. Admittedly, the one weak link in the cast is Barry Keoghan, who comes off very emotionless in his line deliveries. Also, Kit Harrington comes off bland, but that might’ve been intentional given the film’s later reveal.

Another point this movie gets is for being inclusive without being in-your-face about its inclusivity. For instance, Brian Tyree Henry’s Phastos turns out to be gay, but they don’t draw much attention to it. No one talks about him being gay, he and his husband don’t act stereotypically flamboyant, and it’s played relatively seriously. Unfortunately, the film’s pacing is somewhat haphazard as they constantly jump between flashbacks without any clear indication. Also, for all the more introspective stuff going on, there are the typical CGI fight scenes that bog everything down. They’re entertaining enough, but it’s the moments where it doesn’t feel like an MCU movie that is more compelling. While this is far from being the worst MCU movie, one can only hope that things improve after this one. Overall, Eternals has plenty to offer, but it feels like it’s collapsing under its weight.

Buy tickets to Eternals in theaters now: https://fandan.co/3nJ2Wlw.

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