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Eternals poster

Is Eternals OK for Kids?

Science FictionActionAdventure
12+
PG-13⭐ 6.2 / 102021 · 2h 36m
Chloé Zhao

Where to Watch

United States

Stream

Disney Plus

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Streaming data by JustWatch

What's In It

Based on the actual screenplay
🗡️Violence
Moderate▼
Moments in the script, mildest → most intense
0
Cartoon / Comedic
8
Action & Peril
2
Injuries & Death Shown
0
Graphic & Disturbing
  • The film opens with an extended battle in ancient Sumeria where the Eternals fight roaring, screeching Deviants using weapons and powers
  • A Deviant attacks during a London birthday party, chasing characters through streets and buildings in a fast-paced sequence
  • Thena suffers a Mahd Wy'ry episode and violently attacks her fellow Eternals, nearly killing Makkari in the process
  • Ikaris kills Ajak by turning his powers against her, and Gilgamesh is later killed by the Prime Deviant (KRO) during the final battles
  • An extended beach battle pits Ikaris against the rest of the team, and a final confrontation requires Phastos and Makkari to physically restrain him
  • Violence is frequent and comic-book style throughout (striking, grunting combat with Deviants) but not graphic or bloody
💬Language
Very Mild▼
Moments in the script, mildest → most intense
8
Mild Words
(damn, hell)
0
Moderate
(ass, b**ch)
0
Strong
(sh*t)
0
Extreme
(f**k)
  • Language is infrequent and mild: 's**t' (x3), 'hell' (x2), 'da**' (x1), 'a**' (x1), and 'cr*p' (x1)
  • No f-words, c-words, or slurs of any kind are used
  • Overall the film is very light on profanity for a PG-13 film
👻Scary Scenes
Extreme▼
Moments in the script, mildest → most intense
3
Mildly Tense
1
Startling Moments
2
Genuinely Scary
1
Deeply Disturbing
  • The first Deviant appearance in London is a sudden, startling attack that interrupts a birthday party
  • Thena's Mahd Wy'ry attack is genuinely scary and unpredictable, as a trusted ally suddenly turns violent
  • The revelation that the Eternals are synthetic beings with erased memories, and the disturbing discovery that Ikaris has been loyal to Arishem and killed Ajak, create tense, unsettling moments
  • Sprite's betrayal of Sersi (stabbing her to side with Ikaris) and Arishem's massive, judgmental cosmic appearance are both tense and scary for younger viewers
  • The Emergence sequence, with the planet quaking and destruction imminent, builds sustained dread before being resolved through the Uni-Mind and Sersi's transformation of Tiamut
💕Romance
Moderate▼
Moments in the script, mildest → most intense
4
Crushes & Holding Hands
2
Kissing & Dating
1
Suggestive
0
Sexual Content
  • Dane asks Sersi to move in together, but she declines due to her true nature, and the two share romantic moments with Dane declaring love without knowing her secret
  • Ikaris and Sersi kiss in ancient Babylon during their 5,000-year relationship, and Ikaris tells her 'I'm yours, Sersi, if you'll have me' in a suggestive but non-explicit line
  • Sprite harbors unrequited love for Ikaris, feeling jealousy watching him with Sersi, and Eros compliments Thena's beauty upon arrival
  • No sexual content is shown or implied beyond kissing and romantic dialogue
🍺Substances
Mild▼
Moments in the script, mildest → most intense
1
Mentioned in Passing
4
Shown Casually
0
Featured Prominently
0
Glorified or Abused
  • There is a brief mentioned reference to Sersi having a caffeine addiction
  • Characters casually drink alcohol at a birthday party and gathering, and are shown with wine and beer
  • Gilgamesh offers drinks made from fermented corn and mead, referencing 'Odin's brew'
  • Sprite and Druig are shown intoxicated during a portal jump scene, played lightly rather than seriously
⚡Stimulation
Extreme▼
Moments in the script, mildest → most intense
0
Gently Engaging
1
Exciting
5
Intense
1
Overwhelming
  • The opening Sumerian battle and London chase sequences are fast-paced and exciting with music-driven creature combat
  • Thena's Mahd Wy'ry episode and the Ikaris betrayal reveal are emotionally and visually intense, combining fractured reality with action
  • The Uni-Mind formation and extended beach battle involve rapid power use and prolonged combat that may overwhelm sensitive viewers
  • The final Emergence sequence is overwhelming, featuring planetary quakes, cosmic energy, and multiple simultaneous threats
  • Sensory-sensitive children may find the back-to-back action sequences and cosmic-scale climax too much
Eternals — Heads Up for Parents

Parents may be caught off guard by how dark and philosophical the film gets — Ikaris killing Ajak and Gilgamesh's death during the final battles are genuinely somber character deaths rather than typical lighthearted superhero action, and Thena's violent breakdown against her own team may be unsettling for younger viewers expecting standard Marvel fare.

About Eternals

Eternals follows a group of immortal synthetic beings sent to Earth thousands of years ago to protect humanity from monstrous Deviants, who reunite in the present day when they discover a far larger cosmic secret about their true purpose. The film blends epic superhero action across millennia with themes of loyalty, betrayal, and free will versus divine destiny, told in a more somber, emotionally complex tone than typical Marvel fare.

👨‍👧
Best watched together
Younger kids around ages 10-12 will benefit from a parent present to help process the heavier themes of manufactured identity, betrayal (Ikaris killing Ajak), and the ethical dilemma of sacrificing Earth's population versus a Celestial's birth, alongside genuinely intense scenes like Thena's Mahd Wy'ry episode and the overwhelming Emergence sequence.

Family Takeaways from Eternals

What it gets right

  • ✓The film shows Phastos playing catch with his son Jack, depicting a healthy, patient family bond amid the cosmic stakes
  • ✓Ajak's journey experiencing human love, laughter, and creativity models genuine appreciation for humanity's value
  • ✓Sprite's arc of becoming human shows growth is possible and mortality can be embraced rather than feared

Eternals Cultural & Values Guide

Cultural & Values Guide

Faith & Religion
●Hindu themes

The film draws heavily from Hindu cosmology with cycles of creation and destruction, and the Celestials' role as cosmic creators mirrors Hindu concepts of divine beings who create and destroy worlds across vast time cycles.

Values & Themes
●LGBTQ themes

Phastos is explicitly shown as gay with a husband and child, making this the first openly LGBTQ superhero in the MCU. Their relationship is portrayed as a normal part of his character development.

Cast:Gemma ChanRichard MaddenAngelina JolieSalma Hayek PinaultKumail Nanjiani

Is Eternals Appropriate for Your Child's Age?

✗Age 5: Not recommended for 5-year-olds
✗Age 8: Not recommended for 8-year-olds
✗Age 10: Not recommended for 10-year-olds
✓Age 12: Generally appropriate for 12-year-olds
✓Age 13: Generally appropriate for 13-year-olds
✓Age 15: Generally appropriate for 15-year-olds
✓Age 17: Generally appropriate for 17-year-olds

Individual children may vary — use your judgment.

Parents also ask about Eternals

  • Is Eternals appropriate for a 12-year-old?
  • Does Eternals have violence?
  • Is Eternals OK for kids?
  • What is the age rating for Eternals?

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