"BLACK WIDOW" (2021) Review

 

"BLACK WIDOW" (2021) Review

Scarlett Johansson made her Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) debut as Natasha Romanoff aka Black Widow in the franchise's 2010 movie, "IRON MAN 2". Despite spending the next decade as a major character within the MCU, Johansson never received her own solo film as the former Russian assassin-turned-S.H.I.E.L.D. agent until the release of the 2021 movie, "BLACK WIDOW".

During those intervening ten to eleven years, many fans have either demanded or pondered over whether Johansson would receive her solo film, pointing out the MCU's lack of a female-led movie. Ironically, Johansson was not the first MCU actress to receive her own solo film. That honor went to Oscar winner Brie Larson, who ended up starring in the 2019 movie, "CAPTAIN MARVEL". In fact, MCU showrunner Kevin Feige had decided to make the Captain Marvel film the MCU's first female-led film in 2014. I found this decision rather odd, considering that Johansson had been with the franchise for at least four to five years at that point . . . and the actress had already proved she was capable of being the lead in such a film. Johansson had to wait another three years before Feige finally decided to give her a shot at a solo film. Four more yeas would pass before "BLACK WIDOW" would finally make it to the big screen and Disney's streaming service.

What made the situation regarding "BLACK WIDOW" even more odd were two developments - the MCU had finally set about making the film after the Natasha Romanoff character had been killed off in the franchise's 2019 film, "THE AVENGERS: ENDGAME"; and the ongoing COVID-19 Pandemic, which first broke out in December 2019. I understood why the pandemic had both delayed and eventually limited the movie's theater release. What I could never understand was why Feige had decided to green-light a Captain Marvel film three years before doing the same for a Black Widow film. Especially since the latter had been a part of the MCU since 2010.

"BLACK WIDOW" began in 1995 Ohio where Russian super soldier Alexei Shostakov and Black Widow Melina Vostokoff work as undercover agents, posing as an American family with Natasha Romanoff and Yelena Belova as their daughters. After stealing S.H.I.E.L.D. intelligence, the quartet flee to Cuba where their boss, General Dreykov, has Natasha and Yelena taken to the Red Room for the Black Widow program training. In the following years, Shostakov ends up imprisoned in Russia, while Romanoff and Belova become successful Black Widow assassins. Romanoff eventually defects to S.H.I.E.L.D. after helping Clint Barton bomb Dreykov's Budapest office. The incident apparently kills Dreykov and his young daughter Antonia.

The movie jumps to 2016, following the events of "CAPTAIN AMERICA: CIVIL WAR". Natasha has become a fugitive for violating the Sokovia Accords. After fleeing from U.S. Secretary of State Thaddeus Ross and his forces, Natasha ends up at a Norwegian safehouse in Norway by a former S.H.I.E.L.D. contact. Meanwhile, Yelena kills a rogue former Black Widow ,but comes in contact with a synthetic gas that neutralizes the Red Room's chemical mind-control agent. Yelena sends antidote vials to Romanoff, hoping she and the Avengers can free the other Widows. Natasha unknowingly drives away with the vials in her car. Red Room agent Taskmaster attacks her before Natasha makes her escape. She eventually realizes that the vials came from Yelena in Budapest. There, Yelena reveals to her that Dreykov is alive and the Red Room is still active for present and future Black Widow operatives. Both come to the conclusion that the Red Room needs to be shut down for good. The pair seek and recruit help from their former colleagues, Alexei Shostakov and Melina Vostokoff.

I cannot deny that "BLACK WIDOW" had its virtues. The movie boasted first-rate performances from its four leads. David Harbour gave an entertaining performance as ebullient super soldier Alexei Shostakov, who had maintained deep affection for his former colleagues. Rachel Weisz did an excellent job in conveying the ambiguous nature of the veteran Black Widow agent, Melina Vostokoff. Florence Pugh's performance as Black Widow agent Yelena Belova proved to be just as ebullient and entertaining as Harbor's. She also managed to add a touch of competition in Yelena's relationship with the main character. Scarlett Johansson gave one of her most poignant and subtle performances during her time with the MCU franchise as Black Widow agent and Avenger Natasha Romanoff. I was very impressed at how Johansson effectively conveyed Natasha's emotional vulnerability following the breakup of the Avengers and her outrage and anger at how the Black Widow program used drugs to coerce its operatives. Also, it was easy to see that all four leads proved to have great screen chemistry together. I found it easy to believe how anyone would view their characters as a loving family.

As for the film's other performances, they struck me as either solid or at best, questionable. I thought Olga Kuryenko did a decent job as the unrelenting and dangerous Red Room agent Antonia Dreykov aka Taskmaster. O-T Fagbenle proved to be mildly entertaining and witty as former S.H.I.E.L.D. agent and Natasha's ally, Rick Mason. However, I cannot say I felt impressed by William Hurt's portrayal of Secretary of State Thaddeus Ross or Ray Winstone's portrayal of General Dreykov. Hurt seemed to be going through the motions for what proved to be a cameo appearance. As for Winstone, I think he tried to make Dreykov interesting, but I suspect that screenwriter Eric Pearson's creation of a very bland villain may have defeated his purpose.

There are three or four major aspects of "BLACK WIDOW" that I disliked. One, I disliked how Pearson nearly allowed the Yelena Belova character to dominate the movie. Some claimed that Pugh's performance made it possible for her to overshadow Johansson. I do not agree. As I had earlier stated, I believe Johansson gave one of her best performances during her decade with the MCU. Yet, Pearson allowed Yelena to be the one to serve as the catalyst for the movie's plot with her discovery of the Red Room mind-control agent. And the movie seemed hellbent upon showcasing Yelena's skills . . . to the point of nearly shoving Natasha to the background.

Another aspect of the movie I disliked was Kevin Feige's decision to delay this film after the events of "THE AVENGERS: ENDGAME" that included Natasha Romanoff's "fridged" death. Honestly, I thought it was a stupid decision to make on his part and insulting to Johansson. Feige and Disney should have made this film at least half-a-decade earlier. Which leads to the film's third aspect that I disliked - namely to set it after "CAPTAIN AMERICA: CIVIL WAR". I mean . . . why? The MCU could have set this film later - at least during the five years between "THE AVENGERS: INFINITY WAR" and "ENDGAME". Or . . . the MCU could have allowed Natasha to survive the 2019 movie and set "BLACK WIDOW" around 2023.

I also disliked a good deal of the film's action scenes. Two of them - Shostakov's escape from prison and the final action sequence at Red Room facility - struck me as ridiculously over-the-top and in the end, simply bored me. Natasha's fight with Yelena at Budapest struck me as nothing more than another attempt to showcase the latter's fighting skills and nothing else. Why? Because I found their fight very unnecessary to the plot. The only action sequence I found interesting was Natasha's initial fight against the Taskmaster in Norway.

Finally, we come to my number one issue with "BLACK WIDOW" - namely the Red Room and the Black Widow program. According to the MCU canon and this film, the Black Widow agents had originally been psychologically conditioned to become spies and assassins. Around the turn of the 21st century, the Russians used a mind control agent to control and coerce their Black Widow operatives. I realize this new development came from Marvel Comics, but it seemed like a plagiarized version of the Winter Solider program that Bucky Barnes had endured. Whether drugs were used in his case, I do not know. Nevertheless, I wish the MCU, Pearson and director Cate Shortland had not used this aspect of the Black Widow program in the film's narrative. It just seemed so unoriginal to me. And I believe it undermined Natasha's own decision to defect to S.H.I.E.L.D. and struggles to face her bloody past. Nice going, MCU! Not. The movie ended with a mid-credit scene featuring Yelena visiting Natasha's empty grave a few years later and encountering her new boss, Valentina Allegra de Fontaine, who informed her that one Clint Barton aka Hawkeye, was responsible for Natasha's death. This little scenario played out in the DisneyPlus series, "HAWKEYE", so I will not go into it.

"BLACK WIDOW" featured some excellent performances from its four leading characters and perhaps one or two decent action scenes. But if I must be honest, there were too many aspects of this movie that I found unappealing, including unoriginal writing, some over-the-top action sequences and really bad timing. In the end, I believe this movie proved to be a disservice to its star, Scarlett Johansson.