This weekend, “Eternals” created a major shift in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, introducing groundbreaking characters who may change everything we thought we knew about the MCU.

The movie introduced a group of immortal beings who have been protecting the earth for thousands of years in secret. The movie is the third installment of the MCU’s “Phase 4.” While the Eternals are new to the MCU, they have been a part of the Marvel comic realm for quite a while. The Eternals were first featured by Jack Kirby in “The Eternals #1,” published in July, 1976.

“Eternals” was found as groundbreaking in a variety of ways, such as having the most diverse cast ever seen in Marvel, a prominently featured same-sex couple, and the first deaf superhero in the MCU. However, it had many weak spots in its plot line, especially for being the first installment of its series.

The movie is supposed to show the rag-tag group of Eternals reuniting to fight the deviants, dinosaur-like monsters that have reappeared after being gone for centuries. The Eternals include Ajak (Salma Hayek), who is the leader and the only one who can communicate to the Eternals’ home.

Sersi (Gemma Chan), can transform any material into another. Ikaris (Richard Madden) is the proclaimed “most powerful” Eternal who can fly and shoot lasers out of his eyes, giving a Superman-esque feel to him.

Gilgamesh (Don Lee) is a super-strong sweetheart. Thena (Angelina Jolie) can conjure up a golden sword in a matter of seconds. Sprite (Lia McHugh) has the power of illusion. Druig (Barry Keoghan) can control human minds. Kingo (Kumail Nanjiani) is a comic relief superhero who can generate fireballs.

Phastos (Brian Tyree Henry) can weld anything he desires. Finally, Makkari (Lauren Ridloff) is the first deaf MCU hero who has super speed. Somehow, all of these characters are a vital part of the movie.

Though the large main cast may come off as overwhelming, Marvel does a stellar job of creating strong depth and development for each character, making everyone unforgettable. This is not surprising, as the MCU is known for its abnormally large casts like in “Avengers: Infinity War” and “Avengers: Endgame.”

With that being said, there are over 5,000 years behind “Eternals” that need to be covered to fully understand the plot. There just was not enough time for one movie to cover it all, leaving plot holes and too much information to consume at once. This made the movie feel extremely rushed, with the lack of a true plot leaving the audience with little to no tangible context of what just happened.

Overall, the execution of the movie should have been rethought. The Eternals have never been seen in the MCU until now, and this was just way too much to bring in all at once.

The movie did hit every expectation you may see from a typical Marvel movie, though. With purposeful and powerful fight sequences, outstanding CGI, and a surprising end-credit scene that leaves you wanting more.

Despite the fall of a plot line and rushed sequence, “Eternals” is a must-see for every Marvel fan and will change the way we view the MCU forever. If you are going to watch, I would recommend doing some research on the comics first or else you will be left in a dark hole of confusion.