After “Hamnet,” it’s time to revisit Chloé Zhao’s misunderstood Marvel film

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After “Hamnet,” it’s time to revisit Chloé Zhao’s misunderstood Marvel film

One of the favorites in this year’s awards conversation, Hamnetis now in theaters after a hugely successful festival. Directed by the Oscar-winning actor Chloe ZhaoThe heartbreaking drama received rave reviews and was declared an early contender for Best Picture. Zhao is also likely to be nominated for the Best Director award thanks to her beautiful and sensitive handling of the story of William Shakespeare (Paul Mescal) and his wife, Agnès (Jessie Buckley), as they grapple with the loss of their son. This would be her second nomination in this category and, if victorious, her second win after the award she received for the 2020s. Nomadic country.

Hamnet And Nomadic country share many similarities, even though their stories are very different. They are both full of the elements that Zhao loves most in his work – a connection to nature, the poignancy of human connection, etc. – and they seem like natural steps in his career. However, there is another film between them in Zhao’s filmography: the Marvel Cinematic Universe entry. Ethernels. With a decidedly rotten 47% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, the 2021 film was met with mixed responses from fans and critics upon release and remains near the bottom of the MCU rankings for many. It’s far from a perfect film, but looking back on it four years later, there’s more to like about it than some might remember.

‘Eternals’ was the MCU’s first misstep

Arriving as third post-Avengers: Endgame MCU movie, Ethernels debuted at a strange time for the all-powerful superhero franchise. Over its first three phases, the MCU has had the remarkable ability to achieve financial and critical success with even the most obscure Marvel properties. Ethernels it looked like it could become another Guardians of the Galaxy-esque win, a vibrant cosmic tale with a strong ensemble led by a compelling author.

Unfortunately, Ethernels arrived just as the MCU was starting to lose its way in the aftermath of the Infinity Saga. The film follows the titular group, a team of celestial beings sent to Earth thousands of years ago to protect humanity from alien monsters known as Deviants. The logline is standard superhero fare, but the film itself was much more introspective and serious than the MCU usually gets. It was criticized for failing to flesh out its many characters, for adopting a clumsy tone, and for featuring a bloated, lore-heavy plot.

Certainly, some criticisms of Ethernels are fair. Four years later, there’s still no sign of a proper resolution to the cliffhanger ending or post-credits scene. Some of his most important ideas — like Eternal, Phastos (Brian Tyree Henry), being partly responsible for the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki — are randomly inserted into the story and, indeed, not all the characters are properly served. With a selection of ten new heroes, Zhao and his co-writers Patrick Burleigh, Ryan FirpoAnd Kaz Firpo had their work cut out for them.

The weak critical consensus surrounding Ethernels – at the time of its release, it had the lowest Rotten Tomatoes score in the MCU – gave it a bad reputation with viewers. However, there is much to admire about itenough that it’s not right to write Ethernels completely. Aside from being the MCU’s most diverse project yet, it wasn’t afraid to make big changes, both in its story and its tone. Zhao’s best work may be outside of the realm of comics, but his foray into the Marvel Universe cannot be separated from his other films.

Eternals’ unique characters and plot are worth revisiting

Even at the height of the MCU’s success, the franchise was criticized for following a predictable formula and focusing primarily on straight, white male heroes. On these points alone, Ethernels is a breath of fresh air. Zhao brought his keen eye for natural visuals to the production, giving it its own distinct identity. Its centuries-spanning story eschews Marvel’s usual approach, full of jokes and action – although those elements are still there – in favor of a quieter, more intimate track that prioritizes meaningful moments between characters.

Take, for example, the bond between the Thena warriors (Angelina Jolie) and Gilgamesh (Don Lee). Although the two characters don’t spend as much screen time as the others, their bond is reinforced through gentle physical gestures and brief, pointed moments that emphasize the history they share. Zhao’s ability to find incredible depth in a specific relationship with just a few interactions — a key aspect of Hamnet As for the main character, this comes across most strongly here.

Every Chloé Zhao film, ranked

“What is remembered lives.”

More broadly, the Eternals includes six non-white characters and five women. Additionally, Phastos was the franchise’s first openly gay hero and was shown to have a loving husband. Just having a diverse cast isn’t enough to erase the problems a film may have, but it’s disheartening to see a project that goes against the usual format be dismissed so easily. EthernelsThe atypical brand of hero gives him a new perspective for the MCU, one that ultimately allows him to push some boundaries with his story.

Even with its end-of-the-world plotline – which, like most world-ending MCU stories, never feels too urgent – Ethernels has real issues. Prominent characters die and old bonds between friends are tested as heroic characters become villains. Through it all, Zhao pays attention to important character moments so that the emotional impact is felt. Every Eternal is grappling with an internal crisisone that talks about who they are. Even as ancient beings, they feel intensely connected as they wonder whether to protect their family, fight to hold onto their memories in the face of a strange illness, or yearn for a different reality.

Ethernels may never be considered one of the best MCU films of all time, but it certainly deserves another look now. Watching it without all the expectations associated with a Marvel movie, it’s easy to see what Zhao was trying to do – and even easier to appreciate what she does well. From fascinating characters and conflicts to a bigger story, Ethernels is a compelling experiment from one of Hollywood’s riskiest propertiesand I hope it won’t be ignored forever.

Ethernels is now available to stream on Disney+ in the US