Eternals Rotten Tomatoes watch thread

[Legendver2]

Yeah these reviews are a surprise. I’m still really looking forward to it but it would be a shocker if Marvel’s first rotten movie came from a director who JUST won an Oscar. But stranger things have happened.

I'm actually not that surprised, considering this is basically an entirely new genre for her, her type of film making that won her awards might not translate well to what's supposed to be a superhero blockbuster. Her entire 3 film filmography previously all consist of intimate character studies and drama on their personal struggles. Then all of a sudden you throw her a film in multi-billion dollar franchise, having to juggle 10 characters, focusing on a worldly/universal threat, with enough mainstream appeal to generate at least half a billion dollars in box office, and it's pretty easy to see how it came to the result we're currently seeing. It's like giving a math prodigy an English assignment and expecting them to deliver to the same level.

 

[Zyraquis]

The marketing department is ready “the first bonafide MCU trainwreck you must experience — in theaters only”. Could be a reverse psychology draw to BO. The number that matters more than critic score at the end of the day.

 

[Shuri]

Also a ton of YT videos declaring this a victory against Hollywood's Woke Agenda or some crap

This. These people are going to be so annoying.

 

[Wolvieboy17]

Honestly, I think there are a handful of Marvel movies that would have been considered worse than they actually are if it wasn't for the snappy pace. I think you can forgive things here and there when a movie zips along and moves fast enough that you're not getting bogged down in anything.

But when a movie hits the 3 hour mark, that's an enormously uphill battle to keep the pace, character, story beats in harmony. It takes a pretty seasoned director of the genre to handle that I think, but for a new franchise that's a lot of heavy lifting to do. I feel like we maybe forget too easily what an enormous triumph movies like Civil War, Infinity War and Endgame were for juggling so many pieces, characters and narrative momentum.

Without having seen Eternals yet, I'm at a loss for why the film needed to be so long? It seems unfair to lay all the blame at Zhao's feet when this feels like there should have been enough seasoned Marvel veterans to see this coming a mile off?

I can only guess it's a combination of Zhao's initial ambitious vision and sewing seeds for Marvel's longterm plans, but still, I feel pretty bad for Chloe Zhao. I think if you come to someone with a rep like Marvel with an ambitious plan, you're trusting that they'll give you enough freedom to aim big along with enough guidance to keep you from screwing up. So very curious as to what specifically went wrong here?

 

[BlackFox]

64% (92 reviews)

 

[Shuri]

Without having seen Eternals yet, I'm at a loss for why the film needed to be so long? It seems unfair to lay all the blame at Zhao's feet when this feels like there should have been enough seasoned Marvel veterans to see this coming a mile off?

I can only guess it's a combination of Zhao's initial ambitious vision and sewing seeds for Marvel's longterm plans, but still, I feel pretty bad for Chloe Zhao. I think if you come to someone with a rep like Marvel with an ambitious plan, you're trusting that they'll give you enough freedom to aim big along with enough guidance to keep you from screwing up. So very curious as to what specifically went wrong here?

I guess Marvel can never win. You are blaming them for not helping her enough and I'm already seeing some people blaming the reception of the movie on them for probably interfering too much. Everyone is already blaming Marvel for everything. Just maybe, Zhao is not yet ready for superhero blockbusters.

 

[Webfoot Hero]

I this film is going to one of the MCU's rare missteps and likely a case where some reevaluation needs to be done to course correct somewhat.

 

[psylockolussus]

Up to 65%. (93 reviews)

 

[Kev4000]

Meanwhile, Ant-Man and The Wasp has 87 % and I really was diappointed with this one. I just hope Marvel will have enough balls to continue some elements of LGTB, diverse cast and disability.

 

[Filmfreak]

Just to clarify, there's no Audience Score listed yet.

There was an IMDB score but you can't vote now.

 

[MaceB]

I was surprised at first to see that this movie wasn't being as well received, given Marvel's record.

But when I think about it more, it makes sense. I tell this to folks about Batman vs. Superman and The Last Jedi... you judge a movie based on its goals. The Eternals is aiming for higher than the typical Marvel movie. Which is great, but it'll be judged more harshly for it, if it fails to meet its own standards. I think that's what's happening here.

It's easy to vote fresh a movie like Homecoming, or Ant-Man, etc. Those movies are just fun frolics. Maybe they aren't perfect, but they achieve what they set out to do. But can the same be said for this movie? If it's aiming to be a first class drama and a team super hero epic, that can be heavy lift. It doesn't look like the quality of the final movie was able to meet the filmmaker's lofty ambitions.

 

[psylockolussus]

Down to 63% (95 reviews).

 

[Fosterson]

Down to 63% (95 reviews).

I will still be surprised if this actually goes rotten when all is said and done. I think it'll settle in the low to mid-sixties, since there do seem to be just enough positive reviews to (slightly) offset the negatives.

 

[Detective Conan]

I will still be surprised if this actually goes rotten when all is said and done. I think it'll settle in the low to mid-sixties, since there do seem to be just enough positive reviews to (slightly) offset the negatives.

I wouldn’t be surprised if this goes rotten since it was previously alternating between the mid to low 70’s for awhile before finally tumbling downwards to the 60’s. It’s honestly a coin toss whether this movie ends up rotten or not. We’ll see if it stays in the 60’s or joins the rotten club. Either way, no matter what happens Marvel Studios will ultimately be fine. One rare misstep isn’t going to deter Marvel, not with their (mostly) solid track record.

 

[Wolvieboy17]

I guess Marvel can never win. You are blaming them for not helping her enough and I'm already seeing some people blaming the reception of the movie on them for probably interfering too much. Everyone is already blaming Marvel for everything. Just maybe, Zhao is not yet ready for superhero blockbusters.

I'm not blaming Marvel for everything, I'm just genuinely surprised that given the enormity of the company and the many stakeholders at Marvel and Disney, that it wasn't caught earlier. I mean, before Ant-Man, Peyton Reed had done a handful of rom-coms and TV comedy, yet he was still able to pull off a fun action flick.

So it just surprises me that a movie of this scope with an award winning director at the helm couldn't stick the landing, given all the assumed support and safety nets of the Marvel/Disney machine.

 

[Hannibal75]

What's more surprising is how badly they misjudged the critics's response to the film. The fact that they lifted the review embargo so early shows how confident they were that they had a critical hit in their hands.

 

[Spider-Fan]

I'm not blaming Marvel for everything, I'm just genuinely surprised that given the enormity of the company and the many stakeholders at Marvel and Disney, that it wasn't caught earlier. I mean, before Ant-Man, Peyton Reed had done a handful of rom-coms and TV comedy, yet he was still able to pull off a fun action flick.

So it just surprises me that a movie of this scope with an award winning director at the helm couldn't stick the landing, given all the assumed support and safety nets of the Marvel/Disney machine.

But Ant-Man was not nearly as ambitious. Seemingly. I haven't seen the movie, but many reviews say it aims high and doesn't reach those heights it strives for. The thing about aiming high is that it is easier to fail or alienate people. So here, I see no way Feige didn't know Eternals was riskier than Ant-Man or something, and given comments Feige made about the movie in past interviews, it seems like he loved what he saw. That just isn't translating into universal acclaim from critics.

 

[Detective Conan]

What's more surprising is how badly they misjudged the critics's response to the film. The fact that they lifted the review embargo so early shows how confident they were that they had a critical hit in their hands.

It reminds me slightly of when Fox allowed the review embargo for X-Men Apocalypse to be broken a month earlier than it’s release because they were so confident in the movie they made then they got ultimately hit blind sighted by the bad reviews. Granted, this movie is still being reviewed much better than Apocalypse but I do sense history repeating itself a bit with Marvel kind of faced with the same situation.

 

[emielaen]

Lets face it: As far this movie is a mixed bag and the early consense about the movie, the other critics will follow the voice. Even just to finally see a Marvel movie fail.

Lol what

 

[Dr. Evil]

Down to 63% (95 reviews).

Doesn't really matter to me, but if it matters to other people, great.

There are a lot of films I like that have much lower RT scores than 63%. I am sure that a lot of you have movies like that.....very low RT scores, but you enjoy it anyways.

 

[AcidRain]

There are a lot of films I like that have much lower RT scores than 63%. I am sure that a lot of you have movies like that.....very low RT scores, but you enjoy it anyways.

There are many more movies that were praised that I think are terrible, than ones which were bashed that I think are good. Just my $02, but, in general, I think critics are far too kind to movies these days. The Tomato Meter has totally watered down the relevance or importance of film criticism.

 

[Holy Slapper]

I think European critics might have a differing view on this, purely based on for example how much the critics in my country loved Nomadland.

 

[psylockolussus]

Doesn't really matter to me, but if it matters to other people, great.

There are a lot of films I like that have much lower RT scores than 63%. I am sure that a lot of you have movies like that.....very low RT scores, but you enjoy it anyways.

Of course. Sex and the City, Mamma Mia!, Charlie's Angels 2000/03, National Treasure 1/2 G.I. Joe Rise of Cheesey Cobra, a couple of comedies/chick fliX. I also enjoyed the 2000s Fantastic Four movies. Elektra, Aeon fluX, Ultraviolet, X3, Ghost Rider 1 and Resident Evil movies are guilty pleasures of mine. Salt is almost certified rotten with 61% starring AngeThena Jolie and I liked the movie.

 

[Prison Mike]

Also add Daredevil to the list for me!

 

[Spider-Fan]

Venom