Is The next installment in the MCU's Phase 4 introduces some exciting new superheroes, and while Marvel movies are typically aimed at fans of all ages, parents might want to take caution before bringing kids to see Eternals. With some bloodless violence, an instance of explicit non-verbal language, and brief sexuality, Eternals might not be suitable for all ages.
When half of the world's population was returned thanks to Tony Stark's sacrifice, it triggers the "Emergence," waking an immortal race of aliens known as the Eternals. Eternals introduces a new roster of superheroes from the Marvel comics as well as a villainous race known as the Deviants, the Eternals' sworn nemeses. The Eternals has been heralded for the diversity of its cast and the boldness of its storytelling, but that might not be enough to save it from being the lowest-rated MCU movie on Rotten Tomatoes.
In the United States, Eternals has been given a PG-13 rating; while that's nothing new for Marvel movies, the Eternals' PG-13 rating isn't like any of its predecessors. The MPAA's explanation features a few givens when it comes to superhero movies — fantasy violence, action, and some language — but what sets the Eternals rating apart is the "brief sexuality" tag. As it largely targets fans of all ages, the MCU has mostly stayed away from sexual content, aside from a few kisses here and there. However, Eternals is still only rated PG-13, meaning what brief sexuality the movie has won't be explicit and indeed, it is not. While it is a sex scene, the two characters are only shot from the side and mid-waist up, and nothing beyond an arm, back, and shoulders are shown for a few seconds. Still, parents might want to err on the side of caution when it comes to bringing the kids, depending on the age.
When it comes to violence, Eternals' trailer guarantees there will be some epic fight scenes. As the Eternals fight to stop the Deviants from wreaking havoc on Earth, monsters are left in their wake, and the movie isn't afraid to show some monster guts and dead bodies. Eternals also depicts historical events that are quite violent. However, as with all PG-13 movies, all the action and battle scenes are completely bloodless. Older kids who have seen Marvel movies before are more than likely able to handle the violence in Eternals, but some moments may prove a little scary for the younger crowd, at least if they tend to be more sensitive to that sort of thing.
There is also one last way in which Eternals separates itself from its MCU predecessors, and that's in colorful language–in a manner of speaking. There is a moment on the private jet (glimpsed in the trailers) in which one of the characters flips the middle finger at another. It's non-verbal, but it's certainly a bit of a surprise to see in a Marvel movie, especially given the last time a character made the same gesture–Peter Quill in Guardians of the Galaxy–it was cleverly blurred out. Clearly, Marvel is testing the waters of getting a little more mature with some of its films. While that's long overdue, stricter parents may want to consider the maturer content as a whole.
Eternals also boasts a pretty hefty runtime. At 2 hours and 37 minutes, Eternals might be a bit of a marathon for young ones in the theater. A lack of familiar heroes and a more complicated plot may make it difficult for kids to sit through the heavy runtime — especially when some critics found the length and pacing of the film difficult themselves. Adding to the runtime is the fact that also boasts two post-credit scenes. When it comes to deciding whether Eternals is suitable for children, parents should take caution; Eternals' sexuality, violent scenes, and epic length mean the movie may be a little too mature for a younger audience.
