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The film's reception has been compared unfavorably to other MCU offerings such as Shang-Chi; the latter benefited from a more straightforward premise—an martial arts movie with broad appeal—whereas Eternals suffered from trying to differentiate itself with an overly ambitious and confusing narrative.
Editorial Insights and Industry Analysis
Influential industry voices such as Scott Mendelsohn and Paul Tassie have pointed out that Eternals exemplifies Marvel making classic mistakes—adding too many characters, overloading the story with exposition, and sacrificing entertainment value for visual spectacle and social messaging. Mendelsohn ranked it as one of Marvel’s dullest efforts, criticizing its effects-driven approach and cumbersome storytelling.