Scarlett Johansson finishes up her eight-film run as Black Widow / Natasha Romanoff in the character’s stand-alone film set after the infighting of Captain America: Civil War and before the gang reunited for Avengers: Infinity War. Black Widow isn’t at the top of most people’s lists of favorite Avengers, but that’s not a reflection of Johansson’s performances over the years. She’s done a fantastic job bringing the comic book character to life, and Black Widow is the cherry on top of her impressive stint in the MCU.
Black Widow fills in gaps in Natasha’s backstory and introduces an interesting batch of characters who played pivotal roles in her pre-Avengers life. Her past returns to haunt (and taunt) her, opening up the normally controlled Natasha to a flurry of memories and emotions and forcing her to face a powerful foe without her superhero buddies available to have her back.
The film opens with flashbacks of Natasha as a child innocently playing with her kid sister, Yelena, and loving life in small-town America. Unfortunately, her carefree childhood ends abruptly when mom and dad are outed as Russian sleeper agents and forced to flee the country.
Alexi Shostakov (David Harbour, Stranger Things) and Melina Vostokoff (Rachel Weisz, The Favourite) are greeted as heroes upon landing in Cuba, however, the girls are immediately split up despite Natasha’s attempts to protect her sister. They’re forced into becoming part of Red Room, a program that trains young girls to become highly skilled assassins controlled by corrupt Soviet politician Dreykov (Ray Winstone, King of Thieves).
Dreykov’s able to command these trained killers to do his bidding because each is implanted with a device that allows him to control their minds. These assassins – known as Widows – are scattered across the globe, giving Dreykov a nearly invincible army of super-soldiers to use to achieve Russia’s goal of world domination.
Flash-forward 21 years and Natasha Romanoff is on the run, wanted for assaulting the King of Wakanda and violating the Sokovia Accords. Even if she wanted to reunite with her super friends, Natasha can’t because the Avengers have scattered in the wind. She’s on her own and attempting to maintain a low profile when an unexpected delivery plops her directly in the path of Taskmaster and pulls her back into her old life in Budapest.
Meanwhile, kid sister Yelena (Florence Pugh, Little Women) spent years doing as Dreykov ordered until she was finally able to obtain the antidote and break free of his mind control. Once freed, Yelena makes it her mission to release the other Widows. To do so means she’ll need to reunite with Natasha, despite the fact they haven’t spoken since they were children.
Yelena and Natasha’s first meetup goes about as you’d expect, with neither willing to allow the other to get the upper hand in hand-to-hand combat. Following the fisticuffs, the sisters eventually settle into a dysfunctional siblings vibe, with Yelena revealing she thinks Natasha believes she’s hot stuff since she’s in with the Avengers and has an utterly ridiculous fighting pose (bent knee, hair toss, etc.)
The two manage to eventually let down their guards and it’s in their quieter moments together that the real Natasha’s revealed. Natasha’s proven she’s a skilled fighter but in these moments of bonding with her little sis, she seems vulnerable and human.
Natasha and Yelena’s plan necessitates breaking Alexi out of jail and, ultimately, a reunion with mom, Melina, a woman who doesn’t possess an ounce of maternal instinct. Together again, the fearsome foursome devise a plan to take down not just Dreykov but the entire Red Room program.
Black Widow is not only Scarlett Johansson’s final outing in the MCU but also her best of the lot. Johansson’s always played the character as strong, confident, and able to connect with her fellow Avengers on intellectual and emotional levels. In Black Widow, Johansson portrays Natasha as a formidable force even when she’s not surrounded by a team of superheroes. The family connection gives Johansson a different angle to play, and she does so with a sort of warmth mixed with a protective edge.
Rachel Weisz delivers the most restrained performance in the film as the cold and calculating Melina. She does a great job in a role that’s not nearly as flashy as those of her co-stars.
David Harbour nails absolutely Alexi aka Red Guardian. Even when Alexi’s whining about not being acknowledged as a worthy adversary to Captain America – a figure he deems his equal – Harbour’s able to make the character into a goofy, likable dude. His swagger’s a cover for his insecurities, and his need for reassurance is strangely touching and even a bit heart-wrenching.
Black Widow is Florence Pugh’s launching pad into the Marvel world, with her next appearance as Yelena set to be in the Hawkeye series. Johansson passed the baton to Pugh and the Oscar nominee proves she’s more than up to the task. Pugh’s got the most impressive deadpan delivery and even simple lines of dialogue have depth and bite. Harbour’s Alexi’s braggadocio hides his self-doubt; Yelena’s dark sense of humor is used for a similar purpose. For all her outwardly cool demeanor, Yelena’s wracked with feelings of betrayal and loss.
Director Cate Shortland (Lore), the first woman to direct a film in the MCU without a co-director, allows the family dynamics to drive much of the film. That’s a wise move as the chemistry between the four leads is outstanding and their shared scenes are just as entertaining as the film’s major action sequences.
Speaking of the action, Black Widow delivers some absolutely stunning action set pieces including an impressive helicopter sequence that gets your adrenaline pumping and heart racing.
It’s unusual that the big bad isn’t really all that impressive and yet the story doesn’t suffer from the lack of a compelling villain. That’s likely due to the fact this entry in the MCU involves a much more personal, character-driven tale than the other standalone films. Black Widow feels less encumbered by what’s gone on in previous MCU movies. It obviously exists in the world of Thor, Captain America, and Iron Man, but Black Widow has found its own little niche. It’s got a unique vibe that sets it apart from the other MCU films and makes it feel, strangely, more intimate.
GRADE: B
MPAA Rating: PG-13 for some language, intense violence/action, and thematic material
Running Time: 2 hours 13 minutes
Release Date: July 9, 2021
