Eternals

For thousands of years, the Eternals have roamed Ajak ( Salma Hayek ), Drig ( Barry Keoghan ), Gilgamesh ( Don Lee ), Ikaris ( Richard Madden ), Kingo ( Kumail Nanjiani ), Makkari ( Lauren Ridloff ), Phaistos ( Brian Tyree Henry ), Sersi ( Gemma Chan ), Sprite ( Lia McHugh ) and Thena ( Angelina Jolie) from the planet Olympia on Earth. The goal: to protect people from the Deviants, powerful monsters who want to destroy everything. But at some point, the arch-enemies were defeated, and the task of the heroes and heroines was fulfilled. And so they went their separate ways, all looking for a new meaning. To their great surprise, however, they eventually learn that the Deviants are back, stronger than ever. And only together can they stop them. But that’s not so easy, because in the meantime the ten have not only separated as a group. They also lead completely different lives now…

You have to hand it to Marvel: it’s very impressive what talents you’ve been able to tie to your cinematic universe. This does not only apply to the numerous stars in front of the camera, who turn the films into events. Well-known filmmakers also cavort behind the camera. Among them are those that at first glance you wouldn’t associate with comic book adaptations, be it horror expert Scott Derrickson ( Sinister, Doctor Strange) or social drama specialist Ryan Coogler ( Next Stop: Fruitvale Station, Black Panther). Even more unexpected was the signing of Chloé Zhao. What is someone who has established himself as a master of naturalistic, semi-documentary storytelling with The Rider and Nomadland doing in the strictly standardized Marvel circus?

Now the answer is there. It’s called Eternals and is a bit sobering, at least compared to galactic expectations. Sure: no one could seriously expect that the director, who was born in China, would keep her typical style completely unchanged. After all, Marvel is about catering to the masses, not the art house festival crowd. And these masses now want technology spectacles, large-scale brawls, and in between one or the other loose slogan. Because just because the world is about to end doesn’t mean you have to lose your good mood. Especially since everything ends well in the end, everyone in the cinema knows that. After all, the films are primarily intended to entertain. Let others take care of the depressing aspects out there.

• Eternals