Black Widow
Director: Cate Shortland
Screenwriter: Eric Pearson
Cinematographer: Gabriel Beristain
Production Company: Marvel Studios
Distributor: Walt Disney Studios
Release Date: 9 July 2021
Runtime: 2 hours 14 minutes
MPA Rating: PG-13
Availability: Theaters, Disney+
Synopsis
Natasha Romanoff (Scarlett Johansson) returns to the big screen in her first solo outing in Black Widow. After a flashback to her spy family fleeing America in 1995 and the brutality of the Widow program, Natasha’s story picks up almost directly after Captain America: Civil War. She finds herself on the run from the US government, but with none of her Avengers teammates for support. After receiving a mysterious package from her spy sister and former Widow, Yelena (Florence Pough), Natasha is thrown into a conflict where she has the chance to take down the Black Widow program and its leader, Dreykov (Ray Winstone). However, the only way to do so is by reuniting with the same spy family that Natasha’s tried her best to forget.
Analysis
My favorite part of the film is easily when Natasha and Yelena reunite in Budapest during the first act. For one, it establishes a great dynamic between the two. Given how much time has passed since they were last in contact with one other, their relationship naturally starts very antagonistic and mistrusting. However, once they start talking about all that’s happened since their separation and being honest with one another, they feel more like close siblings. And since each one has their own unique personality, the shift turns them into a likable duo with great chemistry by the end of their time in Budapest. Second, the action sequences here are the best of the movie. The indoor hand-to-hand fight scenes, coupled with an appropriate amount of shaky cam, evoked solid Jason Bourne vibes. They perfectly capture the lethality and varied fight styles of Natasha, Yelena, and the other Widows. The car chase that ensues after felt very propulsive and frenetic, yet still grounded via practical sets. And while the way the chase ended felt a bit cartoonish, I thought that the scene afterward in the tunnel effectively demonstrated Natasha’s espionage skills of being resourceful and thinking outside the box.
Regarding Natasha’s family, I much preferred Yelena over Alexei (David Harbour) or Melina (Rachel Weisz). The film does an excellent job of fleshing out Yelena as her own person rather than as a simple foil to or imitation of Natasha. Her desire to hold on to the belief that her spy family was real gives Yelena’s character a lot of pathos; Pough’s emotional performance during a dinner scene, in particular, shows how that period from her youth was the best time of her life. You can trace her time as a mind-controlled assassin to her awkward sense of humor and unique way of interacting with others. Even the way she fights is distinct; her style is aggressive and blunt, whereas Natasha’s is discreet and precise. As for Alexei and Melina, the script wrote them as pretty one-note. Alexei is a narcissistic and affable heavy, and Melina is a practical and “tough love” mother figure, nothing more. While both of these characters have somewhat of an arc and end up in a better place by the time credits roll, their development feels cheap and unearned. The movie could have achieved a better balance of character time and progression had these characters been seeded – or at the very least mentioned – throughout previous Marvel films, or if Natasha had had her own solo series rather than just one movie.
This movie also tends to resolve interesting conflicts unsatisfyingly. [***SPOILER WARNING FOR REST OF PARAGRAPH***] For instance, up until the film’s final act we’re led to believe that Natasha killed Dreykov’s daughter to try to kill him and successfully defect to the United States. Not only is the daughter revealed to be alive by the end of the film, but once Natasha deprograms her (Olga Kurylenko), it’s clear that the daughter has forgiven her. Thus, the movie prevents what could have been an interesting exploration of Natasha’s moral ambiguity and quest for redemption by pretty much stating “It’s all good.” Another example is how the film doesn’t give Yelena the time to reflect on her time spent deprived of agency and forced to commit horrendous acts while mind-controlled. And the list goes on and on. Did Melina and Alexei burn down a SHIELD research facility during their time as spies in the US? Yes, but it was actually run by Hydra, so they aren’t entirely irredeemable. Did Alexei care more about his reputation as The Red Guardian and being betrayed by Dreykov than his daughters, or conflicted over willingly giving them up to the Widow program? Maybe, but he’s still a good guy because he sings Yelena’s favorite song to her once they reunite and admits he made a mistake in the final act. And did Melina play an active role in the kidnapping, psychological and chemical brainwashing, and occasional termination of the Widows? Yes, but because Natasha gives her a quick pep talk Milena renounces her ways, helps take down Dreykov, and doesn’t have to face any consequences afterward. This movie had the chance to analyze themes like moral ambiguity, trauma, and redemption in creative ways, but instead it opted for the safe MCU route of avoiding an analysis altogether by delivering cheap quips and speeches in its place.
However, the movie’s fatal flaw is its failure to reveal anything new about Natasha’s character. Was there really a need to put Natasha into yet another ensemble? Wasn’t this movie made because we’ve never seen who Natasha is outside of a group setting? The only real time Natasha spends solo is at the beginning of the film, where she hides out in a trailer and watches a James Bond movie. All of her interactions with other people are either for progressing the story, providing exposition, or -ironically enough - fleshing out other characters. This is also true for her actions in general. When she’s roped into the conflict shortly after hiding in her trailer, it’s not of her own volition but rather because she receives a package from Yelena. And Natasha’s whole quest to reunite with her spy family and take down Dreykov feels out of character since she’s never mentioned either until now. I therefore wasn’t that emotionally invested in her journey, and the family dynamic in general just felt like a way to add to the MCU’s roster of characters. The lack of investment in Natasha, coupled with her actions being motivated by the script, fails to reveal anything interesting about her that audiences didn’t already know by the time they watched Avengers: Endgame.
Conclusion
Despite my many criticisms of the film, I believe there’s enough here to warrant checking it out. Black Widows indeed boasts excellent action and performances, and Yelena especially is a welcome addition to the MCU. I just think the movie could have done so many more imaginative things with Natasha and the ideas it brings up. So while it was still okay to watch, Black Widow chiefly felt like a way to bring more characters into the fold and set the stage for what’s yet to come in the MCU.