The new diversity is welcome, but the Nomadland director’s socio-realist touches left me missing the brash humour and energy
To paraphrase Mrs Merton: what first attracted director Chloé Zhao to the idea of directing something in the colossally lucrative Marvel franchise? Or, to paraphrase Nigel Planer’s fictional
Actor Nicholas Craig: were they offering Zhao a staggering amount of scope to develop the project?
At all events, it was an interesting idea to hire the brilliant Oscar-winning film-maker Zhao, known for social-realist docudramas such as Nomadland and The Rider. But the very few authorial touches that she manages to bring to Eternals – some Terrence Malick-ish “golden hour” sunset scenes – only go to show how dominant the formula actually is. Perhaps there is the question of tone; I had the uncomfortable feeling that the all-important brash humour, DayGlo energy and operatic craziness of superheroism were being downplayed in favour of something more serious – the addictive inspiration of fast food being replaced by vegan cordon bleu. There are some nice touches and an attractive new diversity worn lightly, but this is an underpowered and uncertain film.