Reviews from the Dark Side
Black Widow
Released 7/9/21
After over a year's delay, audiences finally have the continuation of the Marvel Cinematic Universe on the big screen. The Avengers' resident Russian spy kicks and punches her way through over two hours of mayhem.
Black Widow is an unusual film in that it goes back to a point in time prior to Natasha Romanoff's heroic sacrifice in Avengers: Endgame. It fleshes out a vague reference from the first Avengers movie. We also get a small window into Natasha's formative years.
The film begins in 1995 with a pre-teen Natasha living domestic bliss with her "family" in Ohio. Domestic bliss that turns quickly into "run for your lives" when it's discovered that Natasha, her super soldier father, Alexei (David Harbour), her scientist/widow-trained assassin mother, Melina (Rachel Weiszz), and her baby sister, Yelena, are really a Russian sleeper cell foster family. Making a narrow escape, the story flash forwards more than 20 years to the days just after the fateful events of Captain America: Civil War. On the run from Secretary of State Ross (William Hurt) for defying the Sokovia Accords, Natasha is tracked down by the adult Yelena (Florence Pugh), also now a Widow assassin, for a mission to destroy the program (Red Room) that created them along with the creator, Dreykov (Ray Winstone). Defeating Dreykov becomes more problematic due to his greatest and most violent creation, Taskmaster, a warrior who can mimic any combatant's fighting style. Oh, no. For a mission this crucial, the family will have to reunite which might prove to be more excruciating than taking on Taskmaster.
Black Widow is another slick production from the MCU. It's visually stunning. You expect nothing less from Marvel Studios at this point, do you? It's action packed and has more than enough chaos to keep the adrenalin fanatics engaged. MCU films have been criticized for the general levity added to their movies. There is comedy in Black Widow, but, I didn't find it to be overbearing.
The standout for me was Florence Pugh. She was the most intriguing character in the film. Her sarcasm was witty, cynical, and completely entertaining. If she is the future Black Widow, she's a very good addition to the MCU.
But, I had a couple of issues with Black Widow that really have nothing to do with its production values, performances, etc. Number one, I'm puzzled why this movie was made. It's a solidly entertaining film, but, it doesn't really move the needle of the greater MCU narrative. And we all know, love them or hate them, how Marvel Studios has interconnected 20+ films and TV series for more than a decade. Of course it fits into the MCU timeline, but, it also clearly takes place prior to Natasha's final fate. There's no suspense to the movie because you know Natasha will come out of this just fine. Watching Black Widow gave me the same feeling I had watching Peter Jackson's Hobbit series. It was a good, solid trilogy, but, we already knew how it was going to end because Lord of the Rings came first on the big screen. Bilbo will live. Gandalf will live. Legolas will live. Where was the intrigue? Nonexistent, that's where.
So, now I'll delve into a bit of spoiler territory. Skip to the next paragraph if you need to. Natasha is very much still dead in the MCU. Anyone hoping for a wonky explanation at a possible survival from Endgame will be sorely disappointed. She died. And, as far as I know Scarlett Johannsson is done with the character. But, it is Hollywood and this is a superhero franchise, so continue to stay tuned. This could change within the hour. However, to a greater point, since the possibility of her return is so bleak, it really makes me question why this film was made.
Black Widow really should have been Marvel Studios' first female-led movie. If this had been released prior to Endgame it wouldn't feel as unnecessary as it does. Though it is hard to argue with Kevin Feige on this since Captain Marvel did gross over one billion. But, I still maintain the good Captain's success was mainly the result of the greatest product placement in the history of film.
As for the villain many were excited about? Well this might be kind of a mixed bag. Taskmaster relating to the general plot of the movie isn't a bad villain. However, if you are expecting a Taskmaster along the lines of what you've seen in the comics? Think about the okie doke that was pulled with the Mandarin and that's as much as I'll say.
The only scene that even remotely moves the narrative forward is the end credits scene (there's only one by the way) involving Yelena and a character introduced to the MCU through one of the Disney+ series releases. It's a foreshadowing to another upcoming Disney+ series. But, seriously? Five minutes of a two plus hour movie just to plug a future series?
Let me be clear (wow, I sound like Bernie Sanders now), Black Widow is a solid superhero movie. But, is it a must see? I guess that depends on how much you like the star and/or character. It really doesn't do much for the main MCU narrative. But, Florence Pugh is a standout. She'll make for a very good replacement Widow as that seems to be the direction Marvel is taking this. Fans of the MCU will line up to see it. Is it a necessary chapter in the pantheon of the franchise? It's about as necessary as Iron Man 3 was.
The Dark Lord of the Sith says:
***1/2 stars
0*= Don't waste your time. Pure dreck! Dreck is too good for this! Blind me please!
1 *= Fuggedaboutit!
2 *= Average, Mediocre, Nothing Special
3 *= Worth a look. Better than a poke in the eye.
4 *= Great. I'm doing my happy dance!
5 *= Pure eye candy. I have seen the top of the mountain, and it is good
