Eternals

[Andy Turnbull]

Final trailer is up.

[Pinwig]

Woah. Hang on. Pink Floyd over an MCU title sequence? That's quite mind-mangling when you're expecting the usual Captain America fanfare.

[Philip Ayres]

Which Floyd?

[Pinwig]

Time.

This is well weird. It's all Brit TV drama people. Her out of Humans is shacked up with the Bodyguard, which has pissed off Jon Snow.

[Llama God]

And Megatron's there, too. Which was unexpected.

Yeah, I've seen Eternals three times now, and even knowing that Time was coming the second and third time it was still something of a surprise. Just because it's not quite what the Marvel films normally do. (Although Iron Man 3 starts with Blue, so it's not without precedent.) And yeah, I do really like Eternals. It's not perfect, or the best Marvel film, but it's just different enough to be interesting. To me, anyway.

[Llama God]

I was also slightly surprised to see that they'd used Time just because the trailers for Dune had used a version of Eclipse. Not sure why there was a Dark Side of the Moon mood going around Hollywood last year, but there we are...

[Pinwig]

I thought I'd posted again in here last night but I must have fallen asleep. I though that was pretty good. It felt more like a DCU film to me than Marvel, maybe because at times the power sets made it very Justice League. Definitely had Superman, Wonder Woman and Flash there and the jokes about being called Clark were a bit too on the nose.

I think the only criticism I'd have is that all the soul searching about two thirds through becomes quite laborious. You could easily tighten that and get the running time closer to two hours. Also not quite convinced by Richard Madden. Didn't feel quite right in that role.

[Grand Moff Muffin]

Mar 6, 2022 9:50:28 GMT Llama God said:

I was also slightly surprised to see that they'd used Time just because the trailers for Dune had used a version of Eclipse. Not sure why there was a Dark Side of the Moon mood going around Hollywood last year, but there we are...

Other recent musical openings of films worth noting of course include:



Martin

[Pinwig]

Great film that. Underrated I thought.

[Grand Moff Muffin]

Yep.

Martin

[Pinwig]

In fact, random coincidence, it's been on my Amazon list for a long time waiting on a cheap sale price to pop up, then last week I found a pristine Blu-ray copy in the local CEX for £2.50. CEX often turns up good deals. Got Bumblebee BR at the same time for 50p less.

[Grand Moff Muffin]

Mar 6, 2022 15:55:29 GMT Pinwig said:

In fact, random coincidence, it's been on my Amazon list for a long time waiting on a cheap sale price to pop up, then last week I found a pristine Blu-ray copy in the local CEX for £2.50. CEX often turns up good deals. Got Bumblebee BR at the same time for 50p less.

Whereas the makers saw me coming and released steelbooks of both Valerian and Bumblebee, which now sit on my shelf. They cost me more than £2.50.

Martin

[The Doctor]

I liked Valerian.

-Ralph

[Llama God]

I didn't get around to seeing that. I'm sure it must be streaming somewhere...

[Pinwig]

I *think* it's on Netflix at the mo.

[The Doctor]

It is.

-Ralph

[The Doctor]

Got round to watching Eternals. Loved it. Breath of fresh air for an MCU that has felt pretty stale after Endgame provided a natural ending.

More like this, please.

-Ralph

[Grand Moff Muffin]

It was fine, but I felt it would have been better standing alone in its own universe rather than being crammed into the already crowded and busy MCU. I'm not sure if or when it is going to contribute to wider events. I don't recall any of the three films released since Eternals referring to the major events that occurred on Earth in this film. Or to any of its characters.

Martin

[The Doctor]

I agree. The only thing that hampered it was, funnily enough, it being an MCU film as it is very close to being a really good standalone film. I was that into it I was a bit annoyed when some MCU stuff crept into the last reel and post-titles.

Not unusual for characters in the comics not to reference huge events in their own titles that happened elsewhere. Handwaving is often required. So it's something that has been sort of transferred to the MCU. Really, half the population vanishing for 5 years due to Thanos and coming back should have astonishing consequences but it hasn't. Just the odd "Remember when half of us vanished for five years?" aside.

-Ralph

[Pinwig]

I liked Eternals too but I agree, it felt a bit odd that all the foreboding foreshadowing at the end of it seems to have been forgotten and superceded by the multiverse stuff.

[The Doctor]

Multiverses are often a trap for lazy storytelling. Glad none of that nonsense in Eternals.

-Ralph

[The Doctor]

Aug 6, 2022 8:44:25 GMT Pinwig said:

I liked Eternals too but I agree, it felt a bit odd that all the foreboding foreshadowing at the end of it seems to have been forgotten and superceded by the multiverse stuff.

IIRC Eternals did not do great numbers by MCU standards in theatres (though it was released during peak pandemic). Perhaps some plans have changed?

-Ralph

[Llama God]

We rewatched Eternals just last week for our anniversary night movie, just because the Conjunx and I really like it. It's not perfect, but it's still different enough to your typical MCU film to be interesting.

But it certainly is interesting to wonder what the hell's going on with all the threads seeded in this film. A Celestial turned up above the Earth! Jon Snow knows more than nothing and has a sword! There's a bloody great statue in the Pacific that should be causing havoc with the weather! But so far, nothing.

The only thing that seems like it might have any bearing is the Eternal's tools all looking like MacGuffins from other recent films and shows, and that being something that ties everything toegther later. Maybe. If they're not too excited about the multiverse.

They are too excited about the multiverse.

[Llama God]

Aug 6, 2022 8:19:06 GMT The Doctor said:

Not unusual for characters in the comics not to reference huge events in their own titles that happened elsewhere. Handwaving is often required. So it's something that has been sort of transferred to the MCU. Really, half the population vanishing for 5 years due to Thanos and coming back should have astonishing consequences but it hasn't. Just the odd "Remember when half of us vanished for five years?" aside.

A massive worldwide event that disrupted everyone's lives for years, caused a massive loss of life, and which is probably still causing problems but is forgotten because people are expected to and do indeed just go back to "normal"? Less fantastical than you'd think...

[Philip Ayres]

I mean who remembers the Zygon Gambit? Or the Yetis in the Underground?

[The Doctor]

Do you know what happens when you put a mysterious blue box on the street? People walk right past it.

-Ralph

[Stomski]

Finally watched this, not knowing any source material and having been disappointed with a lot of the recent MCU fare, I was pleasantly surprised.

Even the obligatory comic relief side kick was played down and there was no Whedon one liners. Nothing felt forced*, designed by marketing/writing committee or just put in because it's cool.

* Except mentioning the blip.