Eternity
Eternity (2025) is a fantasy romantic comedy that explores the complex dynamics of love and choice in the afterlife. The film centers on Joan, an elderly woman who, upon her death, finds herself in a unique afterlife realm where souls have a week to decide their eternal destination and companion. She is unexpectedly reunited with both her recently deceased husband, Larry, and her first love, Luke, who died decades earlier in the Korean War. This reunion forces Joan to confront profound questions about her past relationships and who she truly desires to spend eternity with. The movie blends humor with emotional depth, presenting a fantastical yet relatable exploration of commitment, happiness, and different forms of love. It is targeted at mature audiences, primarily teens and adults, due to its thematic content and some mature elements.
Concerns
LGBTQ & Gender Identity
HighThe film explicitly features themes and representations related to LGBTQ+ identities and gender fluidity within its depiction of the afterlife. Characters are presented with various 'themed worlds' to choose from for their eternity, including a 'Queer World' and a 'Man-Free World'. There are also specific mentions of characters' sexual orientations and past experiences.
The afterlife in 'Eternity' offers themed choices such as a 'Queer World' and 'Man-Free World,' which are presented as legitimate options for individuals to spend their eternity. Additionally, the film includes a character whose 'status as a closeted lesbian and a past lesbian fling' is mentioned, indicating explicit LGBTQ+ character details. The movie also mentions 'a man's sexual escapades including experimentation with gay sex' without explicit details, further highlighting the presence of LGBTQ+ themes.
Romance and Sexual Content
HighEternity features significant romantic and sexual content consistent with its PG-13 rating. This includes kissing, implied sexual activity, suggestive dialogue, and discussions of sexual topics and functionality in the afterlife.
The MPAA rated the film PG-13 for sexual content. Specific examples include 'scenes of a man and woman kissing' and a 'dimly lit marital sex-scene from the shoulders up with some panting and thrusting'. Furthermore, a scene shows 'a couple have sex below screen: her clothed hips are briefly seen on the bottom of the screen'. Deceased men in the afterlife are 'pleased to learn that their genitals are functional,' and there are discussions about porn with brief images of bikini-clad women, as well as mentions of 'a man's sexual escapades including experimentation with gay sex and BDSM but with no explicit detail'.
Anti-Christian Themes
HighEternity presents a concept of the afterlife that is fundamentally at odds with traditional Christian teachings. It lacks any Christian theological framework, offering instead a secular, choice-based eternity that implicitly or explicitly dismisses core Christian doctrines such as repentance, salvation through Christ, and divine judgment.
The film's depiction of the afterlife involves individuals choosing their own 'paradise' (e.g., 'Queer World', 'Man-Free World', 'Wine World', 'Smokers World') based on personal desires, with 'no call to repentance, no cross, no resurrection'. This directly contradicts biblical teachings on heaven, hell, and the path to eternal life through Christ. One review states that the film 'holds a cynical and dismissive view of faith,' exemplified by a character asking about the afterlife and receiving the unhelpful response: 'You do you'. Critics argue that the movie 'perverts biblical truth' and normalizes concepts considered 'contrary to nature' from a Christian standpoint, such as polyamory and non-traditional gender identities.
Violence
MediumThe film contains mild depictions of violence, primarily related to deaths that occur off-screen or in non-graphic ways, along with some physical altercations and discussions of past violent events. There is no graphic gore or intense combat.
Violence is generally understated, with a man (Larry) dying off-screen after choking on a pretzel, and a brief deathbed scene for an elderly woman. There are instances of physical altercations, such as 'two men repeatedly tussle with each other, with some shoving and hitting'. A child describes a 'painful death in a hit and run accident but without detail', and there's a mention of Joan's first husband, Luke, dying in the Korean War.
Profanity
MediumThe movie includes a moderate amount of profanity, which is noted in its PG-13 rating descriptors. The language used is generally mild to moderate, featuring common curse words and some snarky insults rather than strong expletives or slurs.
The film's PG-13 rating is partly attributed to 'some strong language'. Reviews mention 'a fair bit of profanity for a PG-13 flick' and describe 'occasional light profanity' such as 'hell' and 'damn'. Additionally, there are 'snarky insults between rival love interests' between Larry and Luke, though without harsh verbal attacks or slurs.
Scary & Intense Content
MediumThe film is not primarily a scary or horror movie, with its tone leaning towards romantic comedy. However, it deals with the inherently intense subject of death and loss, which could be emotionally impactful for some viewers, despite being handled playfully.
While generally not scary, the film's central plot revolves around death, the afterlife, and the emotional weight of choosing between deceased loved ones. One scene involves a child describing 'his painful death in a hit and run accident', though without graphic details. The emotional intensity stems from Joan's difficult choice between Larry and Luke, which creates significant dramatic tension and emotional depth for the characters.
Disrespect & Rebellion
MediumThe film features elements of disrespect through character interactions, including bickering and snarky remarks. More significantly, its core premise of choosing between spouses in the afterlife and a character's 'waffling' on traditional fidelity could be interpreted as a rebellion against marital norms from a conservative Christian perspective.
Characters Joan and Larry are depicted as an 'argumentative elderly couple' whose bickering is part of their long-standing relationship dynamics. There are also 'snarky insults between rival love interests' (Larry and Luke). From a Christian perspective, the film's premise where Joan can choose between her two deceased husbands and the portrayal of her 'waffling' as empowerment, along with critiques of it 'teasing polyamory' and 'mocking monogamy', could be seen as rebellious against traditional marital fidelity and covenant.
Witchcraft & Occult
LowThe film's depiction of the afterlife is presented as a bureaucratic and choice-driven system of 'themed worlds' rather than involving traditional witchcraft, occult practices, or demonic elements. The 'afterlife' concept itself is fantastical but not rooted in traditional occult imagery or rituals.
The afterlife in 'Eternity' is portrayed as 'the Junction,' a place where individuals choose their eternal 'world' with the help of 'Afterlife Coordinators'. There are no mentions or depictions of spells, magic rituals, sorcery, demons, or other traditional occult themes. The fantastical elements are limited to the bureaucratic system of the afterlife rather than mystical or supernatural practices.
Substance Use
LowSubstance use in the film is minimal and typically shown in the background. There are no depictions of illegal drug use or glorification of substance abuse, though a unique afterlife option related to smoking is presented.
The movie includes 'a couple of scenes [that] show wine or cocktails in the background' without active or excessive consumption. Notably, one of the themed afterlife worlds available for selection is 'Smokers World,' implying a place where smoking is permissible without negative consequences, but this does not involve active drug use within the main narrative.
Other Notes
Target Demographic
Eternity (2025) is recommended for viewers aged 14 and older. The film holds an MPAA rating of PG-13, primarily due to sexual content and some strong language. While it is a romantic comedy, its exploration of complex emotional themes surrounding death, love triangles, and afterlife choices may be too mature for younger adolescents. Additionally, the movie contains implied sexual encounters, suggestive dialogue, and a depiction of an afterlife that diverges significantly from traditional Christian theological views, which could be challenging for younger viewers to process without parental guidance.
Additional Notes
Parents should be aware that the film's central premise regarding the afterlife is a fantasy concept that does not align with Christian theological views, and this divergence is a prominent theme throughout the narrative. Discussions around the film's portrayal of love, marriage, and personal choices in the afterlife may require significant parental guidance for younger or impressionable viewers. The director, David Freyne, has stated an intention to explore 'all the different types of loves there are,' which contributes to the diverse and sometimes non-traditional relationship dynamics portrayed.
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