Eternals – WISE Score & Parent Review | Screenwise

Eternals

Name: Screenwise
Author: Screenwise

movie2021

55%

WISE Score

Avg. Tomatometer

Marvel's most ambitious cosmic swing ends up being its most divisive—beautiful to look at, exhausting to sit through.

6.2/10

47%

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Eternals

movie

PG-13, 2021

55%

WISE Score

Avg. Tomatometer

Marvel's most ambitious cosmic swing ends up being its most divisive—beautiful to look at, exhausting to sit through.

6.2

47%

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6.2/10

47%

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Screenwise Verdict

Here's the thing: Eternals wanted to be Marvel's grown-up movie, tackling big cosmic questions about existence and purpose. Noble goal. The execution? That 47% critic score and 2.7 Letterboxd rating tell the story—it's just kind of a slog.

The representation is genuinely great, the visuals are stunning, and Chloé Zhao brought an arthouse sensibility to the MCU. But 'arthouse Marvel' turns out to be... really slow. Like, 'kids will be asking when it's over' slow. Even adults who usually love Marvel found themselves checking their phones.

If you've got a teen who's into mythology, philosophy, and doesn't need constant action, this might land. But for most families, this is the MCU entry you can skip without feeling like you missed anything (and the box office/streaming numbers suggest most people did exactly that). It's not bad, it's just... a lot of beautiful people talking about cosmic duty for 2.5 hours.

Age Fit

Best for teens 14+ who can handle slower, more contemplative storytelling and mature themes. Younger MCU fans expecting Avengers-style action will likely zone out during the extensive mythology exposition. Adults who enjoy ambitious sci-fi may appreciate what it's attempting, even if it doesn't fully succeed.

WISE Breakdown

Wholesome

Marvel's typical heroic themes and teamwork are present, but the movie is notably darker and more somber than most MCU entries. Characters model cooperation and sacrifice, but the pacing is slow and contemplative rather than energetic. The emotional tone skews melancholic with themes of loneliness, duty, and existential purpose that may feel heavy for younger viewers.

Imaginative

Ambitious cosmic mythology spanning thousands of years with visually stunning celestial beings and diverse powers. The world-building attempts something fresh for the MCU with ancient alien civilizations shaping human history. However, execution feels more exposition-heavy than genuinely exploratory, and the creative vision doesn't fully land (reflected in that 47% critic score).

Safe

Standard MCU action violence with some intense battle sequences and creature attacks. Common Sense Media rates it 14+, suggesting more mature themes than typical Marvel fare. Includes the MCU's first on-screen same-sex kiss and intimate scenes (though not explicit). Violence includes some disturbing imagery of people being consumed by Deviants. No gore or nudity, but definitely not a 'surprise it's darker than expected' situation—it's clearly marketed as a more mature Marvel entry.

Enriching

Tackles ambitious themes about purpose, free will, and questioning authority/destiny. Features Marvel's most diverse cast with representation across cultures, abilities (deaf superhero), and orientations. However, the philosophical questions get muddled in the slow pacing, and the 2.7 Letterboxd rating suggests even adult audiences found it tedious. It's trying to be enriching but mostly just feels like homework.

Parent Info

✓

Why It Might Be Great

Genuinely diverse representation including deaf superhero Makkari and LGBTQ+ characters without making it a 'thing'
Visually stunning with epic scope spanning millennia of human history
Attempts deeper philosophical questions about purpose and free will beyond typical superhero fare
Strong ensemble cast bringing gravitas to cosmic mythology

⚠

What to Watch For

Significantly slower and more talky than typical Marvel—kids expecting Spider-Man energy will be bored
More mature themes and darker tone; Common Sense Media suggests 14+
Intense action sequences with creatures consuming people (not graphic but disturbing)
At 2.5+ hours, it's a serious time commitment for a movie that even adult fans found tedious

Conversation Starters

"If you found out your whole life's purpose was decided for you before you were born, would you follow it or choose your own path?"
"The Eternals aren't allowed to interfere with human conflicts—do you think that's the right call, or should powerful beings help when they can?"
"Which Eternal's powers would you want and why?"
"The movie shows civilizations rising and falling over thousands of years—what do you think makes a civilization worth saving?"

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