Let’s start this review off right by saying that Black Widow, Marvel’s newest film after a year break from the theaters, is way more fun than I had anticipated that it would be. For me the prospect of this film has always felt the most cash grabby of the MCU’s films given how the story has built up to this moment, but Black Widow provides and interesting character study of a woman we didn’t quite get to know fully.
While I’m still not quite sure why the movie needed to exist in theory, I do think that Cate Shortland crafted a really fascinating and entertaining film. Black Widow of course ends with a very big Marvel movie set piece, but throughout much of this film director Cate Shortland brings us down to earth. Starting with scenes in 90s Ohio and even in the modern day, she takes a much more grounded approach and one that emphasizes character, even in action moments. It reminded me of how the Jason Bourne movies were able to thrill us with fighting skill while keeping us engaged with the character.
Natasha Romanov has always been a character that i’ve admired more than loved but I do think that Scarlet Johansson found interesting ways to show us new wrinkles to the character. She is always a master spy but in Black Widow she gets to be disgraced Avenger, vigilante, exasperated daughter and sister, all in one movie. Johansson is up to the task acting wise to handle everything the narrative throws at her. It’s a good thing too, cause Florence Pugh, Rachel Weisz, and David Harbour try to snatch the movie from her at every turn. But the ensemble works because everyone has dug into their characters and they all work whether together or separate, though every time they’re together is a riot.
Black Widow also follows in the trend of MCU projects digging into and confronting societal ills head on. Now that Marvel has dealt with Infinity Stones, they seem to be more focused on how to use real world issues to drive their stories. Black Widow’s origin is a harrowing story and this movie doesn’t shy away from it, nor does it really pull its punches as it addresses the trafficking and mistreatment of girls within the narrative. Thankfully the movie has a satisfying end for those character, unlike so many in the real world.
It’s really interesting watching this movie with given how tied it is to a part of Natasha we haven’t seen or really addressed in throwaway comments in any of her other appearances. But I loved how every bit of conflict and drama came from a place of character, allowing the movie to stand out on its own while, at least in the end credits, doing what it needed to move certain aspects forward. Fans of Black Widow will certainly see this as the send off they want, and everyone else will get to witness an entertaining spectacle from one of the biggest studios on the planet.