Stuck in a Moment: Eternals

“Eternals” (2021)
Starring Gemma Chan, Richard Madden, Angelina Jolie, Salma Hayek
Directed by Chloe Zhao
Written by Chloe Zhao, Patrick Burleigh, Ryan Firpo and Kaz Firpo
Based on the Marvel comics by Jack Kirby
Rated PG-13 for fantasy violence and action, some language and brief (but blatant) sexuality

I love U2's 2000 album, “All that You Can't Leave Behind,” for a number of reasons, including the second track, “Stuck in a Moment.” Boy, can I relate to getting hung up on something that happened, long after it happened, and failing to move on, as the song urges the listener to do.

You don't need me to explain the song, of course. I just wanted to show that I understood it before I completely disregard its advice.

There's a lot to talk about in Marvel's “Eternals,” from how well it matches the comics (broad strokes, well; details, barely) to how it fits into the rest of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (fine) to what's next for the characters (who knows?). But I keep harping on one particular scene.

I should probably get over it and write a broader post about the movie. On the other hand, I could just type my thoughts out and make that the post. Lazy? Efficient? I guess you can be the judge.

Spoilers, and discussion of a somewhat mature subject, follow.

Sex has been implied in plenty of Marvel properties, from the first “Iron Man” movie to Star-Lord's crude “Jackson Pollock” line in “Guardians of the Galaxy.” And let's not even get started on “Jessica Jones.” But there's a scene in “Eternals” where Ikaris and Sersi just, well, do it, right on the ground in the desert.

It's a PG-13 movie. It's brief. And, as Hollywood portrayals of intercourse go, it's pretty tame.

It's also completely unnecessary.

To paraphrase Conan O'Brien and Andy Richter from one of their “Conan and Andy on the Aisle” sketches back in the '90s, whatever happened to panning up to the stars or showing a log go over a waterfall?

I believe, based on my faith and biblical scripture, that sex is something that should happen only between a man and woman who are married. No, I don't think Marvel feels the same in its comics (except maybe “One More Day”) or movies. I know Hollywood in general doesn't. And no, I wasn't surprised that it happened. I've seen the other MCU movies.

But this one makes it very clear what's happening, and I just don't get why. Even very young viewers, who have no idea what sex is, will wonder why Ikaris is on top of Sersi, naked, and why the lower portions of their body are very clearly moving off-camera.

The sole plausible justification for the scene I could come up with, from a story standpoint, is that Sersi's matter manipulation powers provide the only apparent means of getting out of their molded plastic super suits without an army of assistants. But since we see her powers demonstrated elsewhere in the film, that wasn't necessary either.

And that's just for the (implied) nudity, not what they're doing while they're naked.

So don't let kids watch it. Or skip that scene. OK. But why have a blatant sex scene between characters who are featured in McDonald's Happy Meals?

Granted, other Marvel characters have done decidedly un-kid-friendly things and still been featured in Happy Meals. Rocket enthusiastically provided the musical accompaniment while Yondu murders his former crew members in a relatively bloodless but emphatic manner in “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2” comes to mind. Heck, Thanos.

Maybe it's hypocritical to focus only on this. But you expect some level of violence. There's either obvious sex or there's not.

This wasn't a graphic, over-the-top scene, done purely to up the erotic content. I appreciate that, but the scene basically has the same effect as the screen going black and the words “THEY ARE DOING SEX NOW” appearing.

I read one article positing that this scene is crucial to the movie, as it demonstrates the love the two characters feel for each other. I disagree. Even if you don't hold the same beliefs as I do, can we at least agree there are other ways to convey the concept of love? Hollywood portrayals of sex definitely aren't predicated solely, or even primarily, on love.