The Marvel Cinematic Universe returned to solely theatrical distribution this weekend with the release of the Kirby inspired, grand cosmically themed movie Eternals. Sadly, Eternals is the MCU’s first unqualified miss of an entry into their massively successful and expanding set of shared stories.

Boasting a roster of ten powered cosmic beings the Eternals were dispatched to Earth at the dawn of human civilization to protect humanity from extraterrestrial monstrosities Deviants that feed on intelligent lifeforms. Having extinguished the deviant threat in the 16th century the Eternals now mission-less scattered around the globe only to be surprised by the return of their ancient foe a heralding a greater threat and a darker truth about their mission.

The reasons why Eternals did not work for me falls into three major elements.

1) Too many major characters. With the limited scope of a feature film, even one with a running time of just over two and half hours, it is very difficult to have that many characters with their own arcs and issues. I found the plotlines that were emotionally resonate for me sidelined and given only cursory attention. There was only a surface treatment of interesting characters and as such only surface emotional engagement.

2) Too much mythology for a single story. Eternals opens with a block of text giving the audience backstory on the situation, then several times stops for more extended blocks of exposition revising the history and lore of the story. Again, and again narrative moment is killed in the name of exposition.

3) Spectacle over story. Eternals has several large set-piece special effects battles, each more massive in scale than the previous but flash/bang doesn’t create emotional meaning. Whose yet there are times when the filmmakers simply cheat the audience. Presenting one thing as reality directly contradicting a few moments later for the sake of a ‘reveal.’ In the theaters I sat in none of the moments evoked much of an audience response.

Despite an engaging and talented cast Eternals fails to deliver on a story that can make audiences care about the events on the screen. It is a tale full of sound and fury signifying nothing.

After experimenting releasing major films in both theaters and on ‘Premium Access’ as a method of mitigating restricted audiences due to the pandemic, and inciting a revolt of its artists, Disney has released the 25th Marvel Cinematic Universe feature, Shang-chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, exclusively for theatrical distribution.

Shang-Chi stars Simu Liu as the titular character, the son of Xu Wenwu, played by Tony Leung, a nearly immortal warlord whose mastery of ten mystical rings grants him fantastic powers and long life. Repelled by his father’s criminal life Shang-chi flees living in secret working as car valet alongside his equally underachieving best friend Katy played by rapper, writer, actress Awkwafina. After his father’s assassins failed to kill Shang-chi his secret of revealed and he along with Katy rush to save Shang-Chi estranged sister before she falls to the killers drawing the pair into a globe spanning mystical adventure that leads Shang-chi in revelation about himself, his heritage, and the meaning of family.

Shang-Chi is a solid entry in the MCU’s ever expanding cannon. It is quite pleasing that the character’s origins have been modified, removing the stain of ‘yellow peril’ and instead centered on a more respectful and accurate portrayal, at least to my under educated eyes, of Chinese culture and tradition. I will leave analysis of the films depiction of Chinese diaspora to those more fully equipped for such examination and restrict my opinions to the movie itself and its place in the MCU.

This film is neither the best nor the worst offering from the franchise’s feature catalog. It is stylish, well produced and directed with solid emotionally grounded performances from the entire cast. It doesn’t fail to have a bit of fun or occasional laugh utilizing the comedic talent of the actors while maintaining a family drama that explores the theme that we are, for both better and ill, the product of our families. A few of characters from other MCU properties make customary and expected appearances but there is one whose inclusion is a genie surprise and thoroughly entertaining. More so if one kept up with Marvel’s studio’s brief experiment run with ‘One Shot’ short films that had been included for a time as bonus material on the home video releases.

Where the film fails to reach the level of the very best Marvel movies are in the areas of the villain’s motivation, which is relatable and character driven but fails to have greater thematic importance such as will Killmonger in Black Panther, and in the a vaguely defined power set for the titular Ten Rings that leads to a climatic battle that at times feels a bit deus ex machina, not so much as to ruin the film’s resolution but enough in my eyes to undercut it. Still the writers and filmmaker avoided tired tropes and cliches such as the villain using the hero’s female friend as hostage, a tactic I would most happily hope to never witness in a film again.

There are two post credit sequences, the first more lighthearted the second more critical to further developments for Shang-chi and his story.

If you have enjoyed the Marvel Cinematic Universe so far then there is every reason to expect that Shang-chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings should provide you with a couple of hours of enjoyment the exact amount dependent upon your precise tastes.