SPOLER ALERT
Ok finally got to see it on Disney Plus and I liked it.
As a standalone film I think it worked quite well. I didn't have any issues with the pacing, the characters, or any of the issues that people have been complaining about.
There was some genuine intensity in the fight in South America where it did seem like anyone could die, and someone eventually did. Druig had some serious intensity. All of the characters were pretty solid, and more importantly were directed to act in a certain way I think for specific reasons.
Angelina Jolie/Thena was given minimal dialogue but it added to her fierceness but also the sadness around her mental issues that I thought was played out as someone with dementia. It made her relationship with Gilgamesh that much more intense. It was like they could've had their own movie together.
Gemma Chan/Sersi has been criticised but I think she was deliberately asked to downplay her leadership qualities to emphasise the character's lack of confidence in herself that then got set aside and, at the end, it's her emotional strength which overcame Ikaris' physical strength.
Richard Madden/Ikaris was probably the weakest character but he did have to deal with the Superman syndrome.
The Deviants were probably the biggest failing with the film. And the next thing.
Probably the biggest issue with the film is the subject matter and the timing of its arrival in the MCU.
These characters are far too powerful, the underlying concept far too immense and where it fits within the MCU far too awkward.
The philosophy underlying it is not that complicated. What's complicated is the idea that entire planets (and specifically our planet where all the action is) is basically just like some embryo. It kind of ****s on all the times earth was saved.
It's probably they're going to keep coming up against now that they've jumped the biggest shark in cinema history with Infinity War/End Game. It was always going to be difficult for them particularly as more and more powerful beings enter the universe. They already don't know what to do with Captain Marvel and had to disappear her for most End Game.
What can they do with gods?
Not just Thor gods (who in the end they handled really well), earth and universe shattering gods.
It made me think of a solution.
Imagine in Shang-Chi when he's working as a parking valet and Robert Downey Jnr/Tony Stark pulls up his Audi?
What's going on?
He gets out of the car. There's no reference to Iron Man. He's just a genius, billionaire, playboy, philanthropist.....arm's dealer. This is an alternative universe where we never had "I am Iron Man".
It lets them wipe the slate clean. There's no need to keep making excuses as to why the Eternals didn't intervene when Thanos was wiping out half the universe. I mean if that is not an-Eternal-level-threat what is?
Back to this movie, another option open to them was to set it before the Avengers became a thing. They could've gone way back. Perhaps this film could have provided an explanation as to why earth was so special in the MCU, how the infinity stones ended up here, how there were so many extraordinary humans.
And they could've brought back Thanos. Alive and well before The Avengers show up, part or full Eternal, it would've been a nice way to tell another part of that story. it could've shown how he went the way he went. He'd have been a hell of a better baddie than the Deviants.
So for me the biggest issue with the film is where it sat within the MCU, and what they could've done with the subject matter, as problematic as it is.