Starring: Scarlett Johansson, Florence Pugh, Rachel Weisz, David Harbour, Ray Winstone, William Hurt, O-T Fagbenie
Distributor: Walt Disney Studios
Runtime: 134 mins. Reviewed in Jul 2021
Reviewer: Peter W Sheehan
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This American superhero movie is based on the Marvel Comics character of the same name, and is the 24th film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) and directed from a screenplay written by Eric Pearson. The film’s director, Cate Shortland, is Australian. In chronology, events take place after Captain America: Civil War (2016), in which the Avengers team broke up, and before Avengers: Infinity War (2018) in which it was reunited. Scarlett Johansson made her debut as Black Widow in Iron Man 2 (2010), and died as Black Widow in Avengers: Endgame (2019). The film packs a lot of plot complexity into its 134 minutes running time. Practically, every second action episode carries a major plot twist, that asks to be reconciled with the film’s overall thrust.
Natasha Romanoff (Johansson) is “Black Widow”, and was a highly trained KGB spy and assassin in the Soviet’s Red Room Program, before she became an agent for S.H.I.E.L.D. This film takes her back in time, where she returns home, vulnerable, following the events of Captain America: Civil War, when she was one of the Avengers. The film is full of marvellously-directed and choreographed, action sequences in which Black Widow works through the major emotional conflicts of her past.
There is particularly impressive chemistry between Natasha Romanoff and her sister, Yelena Belova (Florence Pugh), also a Black Widow. The relationship between them is based on shared experiences, but they are also opposed to each other – Yelena sees Natasha as a traitor deserving of elimination, because she defected, but the two are sisters. Rachel Weisz is Melina, mother figure to both Natasha and Yelena, and executive leader of the training facility for Black Widows, under Dreykov (Winstone), Head of the Red Room. The pair’s father-figure is Red Guardian, Alexei Shostakovich (Harbour), the Russian counterpart to Captain America. Natasha knows she must destroy Dreykov and the Red Room to eliminate Dreykov’s powerful sway.
Johansson interprets her role, and acts it, like a female James Bond, with a touch of Thelma & Louise (1991) thrown in. Natasha was Russia’s best-ever Black Widow, but after she defected, Yelena became a skilled Black Widow who took her place as Russia’s Chief Assassin.
The movie will have maximum appeal to the diehard followers of all that has happened to Natasha Romanoff as Black Widow in the Marvel Cinematic Universe; and this film goes back in time to dramatically work through the conflicts that shaped her. Three factors will ensure the film’s appeal to those who are not so familiar with MCU’s historical sweep. First, the movie evidences very good acting from its two main characters – Johansson and Pugh are outstanding. Second, it has innovative set designs and explosive action sequences, characterised by impressive lighting, excellent cinematography, and vivid colours, that rival anything seen to date in the Marvel Universe. Third, the film is directed ably by an Australian woman director.
While Johansson died in Avengers: Endgame, her solo performance in this film suggests that the character, Black Widow, has features that might yet play out in future Marvel Films. Past Avenger films featuring Johansson as Black Widow indicated a swing to virtue, as she stepped away from her past to nobly right wrongs in the cause of justice. In this film, the director Shortland tells us how the woman we know as Black Widow managed to survive. Shortland is the first solo female director in the history of MCU, and she delivers here a most impressive movie.
An army of Black Widows was associated with Dreykov and his Red Room, but Dreykov’s power is extinguished in a burst of action that realises Natasha’s noble intent.
Peter W Sheehan
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