Netflix's Chilling Sci-Fi Thriller Has No Shortage Of Apocalyptic Twists

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Post-apocalyptic sci-fi stories are a common refrain in pop culture these days. They haven’t quite reached an overwhelming fever pitch, but it does speak to a larger trend that some of the most popular narratives on TV at the moment include the likes of The Last of Us, Silo, Fallout, and others. It’s not just that studios and streamers seem more willing to embrace this side of sci-fi, either; television audiences are flocking to them, and, by and large, they’ve all earned critical acclaim. There’s also the underlying factor that many of them have been adapted from other media, whether that happens to be a book or even a video game. Amidst all of this is where Netflix’s new sci-fi thriller, The Eternaut (El Eternauta), comes into play. Created and directed by showrunner Bruno Stagnaro, who co-writes alongside Ariel Stagnari, the series is adapted from the landmark 1957 graphic novel by writer Héctor G. Oesterheld and illustrator Francisco Solano Lopez. Even if you’re not at all familiar with its source material, The Eternaut is a chilling apocalyptic tale that’s more than capable of sweeping you up into its story, with an at-times trudging narrative that somehow knows exactly when to sprinkle in the right twist to keep you watching.

What Is ‘The Eternaut’ About?

The Eternaut begins on an otherwise unassuming summer night in Buenos Aires. Longtime friends, including a man named Juan Salvo (Ricardo Darín), meet up for their favorite pastime of drinking and playing cards, while a group of young girls take a boat out for an evening sail, and still others are going about their daily lives with no greater suspicions or even an unconscious instinct that something ominous might happen — until the power goes out across the city. Then, snow begins to fall, which would seem like a strange occurrence all on its own until citizens make a terrifying firsthand discovery: those white, fluffy flakes are toxic, and they immediately kill on direct contact with skin.

Stranded inside, with no power or means of contacting others (other technology, like cell phones and cars, has also gone dead), Juan Salvo and those he’s confined with must not only find a way to track down their loved ones, but also band together in the face of what seems to be an otherworldly invasion of Earth itself. From pooling valuable resources to crafting homemade protective suits, each attempt to venture out into this deadly snowglobe comes with its own risks — and it becomes increasingly clear that some of the biggest threats to Juan Salvo and his allies may actually be the ones that exist much closer to home.

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‘The Eternaut’ Is a Visually Stunning Slow Burn

The Eternaut looks rather ordinary at first glance, and that seems to be the idea. While the original comic was set in the ’50s, when it was first written, Netflix’s adaptation makes the wise decision to bump up the timeline to present-day Buenos Aires. It has the effect of allowing the story’s overall themes of isolation, foreign invasion, and the terror of the unknown to hit that much harder once the snow begins to fall — but before that happens, The Eternaut‘s resemblance to our own present lulls the viewer into a false sense of security while simultaneously waiting to pull the rug out from under them. How many of us have gone about our daily lives, doing things like picking up old friends from the airport, with the belief that nothing extraordinary will happen? In depicting these early moments of mundanity before the cataclysmic turning point, The Eternaut becomes a sci-fi story that anyone can identify with, even as it still adheres to the Argentine setting from the original graphic novel.

It’s after the toxic snowfall begins that The Eternaut embraces its biggest strengths — starting with its visuals, courtesy of a team that includes DP Gastón Girod and VFX supervisors Pablo Accame and Ignacio Pol. It might sound strange to consider a city covered in white as a sign of foreboding, but the series makes the thoughtful choice to emphasize the rising terror of the situation that Juan Salvo and the others find themselves in early on. By the time you notice someone’s tracked in a few flakes on their boots or jacket, it’s enough to get your pulse racing, too. When the characters do finally venture outside, the sight of lifeless bodies strewn throughout the streets, gradually becoming more and more blanketed in unmelting snow, adds its own chilling note when combined with the audible sound of someone’s quickened breathing inside their own desperately sealed mask. This once-booming city has now become hostile territory, where exposure to the elements is literally a life-or-death scenario.

While there are brief bursts of action, it wouldn’t be completely accurate to call The Eternaut a more explosive apocalyptic series. This is a character-first story, and it unfolds as such, at a pace that might begin to test even the most patient of genre fans if they don’t already have some degree of attachment to the original comic. Yet each time the series appears to be aimlessly trudging through its narrative, an episode ends with the kind of twist that practically compels you to keep watching. The threats against Juan Salvo and those he’s forced to remain in close quarters with become more and more complicated; the snow is only the beginning of the war that will be waged against not only the city, but the planet. There are human hazards at play here, too, including those who are absolutely willing to exploit their fellow citizens in a city where law and order have been abandoned in favor of the more primal need for survival.

While all of the show’s six episodes were provided for review, critics were also advised against spoiling too many of The Eternaut‘s story details — and, now having watched all of them, it’s a warning that should absolutely be heeded. While a narrative of this significance and magnitude could only have been told in episodic fashion, much like the original graphic novel’s release, it’s best to go into The Eternaut with as little knowledge or advance expectation as possible. With a captivating performance from Darín, who brings both gravitas and vulnerability to Juan Salvo, as well as stunning visuals and clever narrative swerves, Netflix’s adaptation deserves to be lauded right alongside the groundbreaking sci-fi story it adapts.

The Eternaut is now available to stream on Netflix.

The Eternaut

The Eternaut, Netflix’s adaptation of the bestselling graphic novel, is a chilling slow-burn sci-fi with no shortage of twists.

Release Date: April 30, 2025
Network: Netflix
Directors: Bruno Stagnaro
Writers: Ariel Staltari

Ricardo Darín

Juan Salvo

Pros & Cons

Bringing the story of The Eternaut into the present day allows the show to build new tension.
The cast, led by Ricardo Darín as Juan Salvo, delivers strong performances.
The Eternaut’s stunning visuals are worth tuning in for alone.
The show knows exactly when to deliver a fresh twist to keep you watching.