It has been a roller coaster ride for the Marvel Cinematic Universe to face a pandemic and put everything to a halt for more than a year. They resorted to expanding into Disney Plus and delaying their whole timeline to accommodate it all. However, for the first time ever, Eternals seem to fall into the pits of review bombs, but why are those so low as compared to other films?
Eternals: Why Reviews are Low?
Even when the audience rating is far from the critics’ rating, even when the film had an international opening weekend box office of $162 million making it the second biggest next to F9 for the movies released in the pandemic era, the reviews for Eternals remains low, and various reasons are to be considered.
Some are not yet ready for diversification and representation in the MCU. We all have to admit, it is a huge step for Marvel to include characters from the marginalized such as Phastos from the LGBTQ+ community, and Makkari as the first-ever deaf superhero, and seriously, the studio should be commended and applauded by such an impactful inclusion, however, some fans and critics are still not approving such.
The movie got a ban in some countries because homosexuality remains to be illegal in some portions of the world and with the introduction of Phastos and his lovely family, even him sharing a kiss with his husband, this led to the film not being allowed to come out in some markets, or if allowed, it received a restrictive rating for mature audiences only.
Related: Eternals: Who Lives, Who Dies?
However, one of the most possible reasons why critics call low reviews on Eternals is that it is directed by a woman, more than that, she is of color, something that remains to be a reservation for others when it shouldn’t be. Chloe Zhao broke barriers as she made her first Marvel film a masterful piece with her personal touch.
Some would notice that Anna Boden who directed Captain Marvel did not receive the same reviews and comments as that of Zhao but there remains a reservation for women doing action movies. Another example is Patty Jenkins with Wonder Woman. While the movies these women make are amazing, reviews are affected for the sole reason that is it directed by a woman.
Times are changing. Action movies are not restricted to men anymore. Female directors are slowly rising in the genre and that, in itself, is a good indication that the industry is growing, learning to adapt with the changes in time, and finally, accepting that filmmaking can be done by anyone with the heart and passion to do so, just like Chloe Zhao.
Eternals is now out in theaters.
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