Black Widow
**Spoiler Alert. Though I attempted to keep things free of heavy spoilers, some are necessary to discuss some of the ideas in “Black Widow.” Caution ahead.**
First of all, let me just say that Natasha Romanoff should have had her solo movie earlier in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Also, “Black Widow” coming after we know the fate of the character in “Avengers: Endgame” makes it a lovely farewell to the character. Both things are true. Cate Shortland’s film feels like a wonderful coda for the character, and Scarlett Johansson, as she goes on the mission most personal for the character; that doesn’t mean the film is among the upper tier of Marvel, however, and that’s fine. If you enjoy Marvel films, you’ll probably enjoy this one.
Complicated family dynamics are at the heart of so many Marvel heroes- I think Steve Rogers and Carol Danvers are the only ones that kind of avoid it, although I suppose Bruce Banner and Hawkeye have, as well. Add Natasha Romanoff to the list of those that do, as “Black Widow” starts off in 1995 in Ohio, as Natasha and her sister, Yelena, seem to be living comfortably with parents Melina (Rachel Weisz) and Alexei (David Harbour) before one day, Alexei comes home with news that they have to leave. The barely escape, but Melina is badly injured. Natasha very clearly does not want to go- she appears old enough to know what that means- although Yelena is excited. Once they reach Cuba, Melina is taken on a medical helicopter, and Natasha and Yelena are taken from Alexei. All this happens before the credits.
The screenplay by Eric Pearson is largely set between the events of “Captain America: Civil War” and “Avengers: Infinity War,” as Natasha is on the run after violating the Sokovia Accords. With General Ross (William Hurt) on her tail, she has to rely on a friend (Mason, played by O-T Fagbenle) to keep her off the grid. When one of the things he brings her from a safe house in Budapest puts her on the radar of a powerful assassin, she has a clue that leads her to return there in a picture from her childhood of her and Yelena (played by Florence Pugh). Yelena was also turned into an assassin at the same “Red Room” where Natasha was trained at (which we caught visions of in “Avengers: Age of Ultron”), but she recently had an awakening, and is on the run, as well. The only people they can turn to? Their parents; this will certainly be a pleasant family reunion.
That story sounds a lot more complicated than it really is- the narrative is fairly streamlined and easy to follow, and has simple themes of broken trust in families and toxic masculinity at its heart. Now, with the latter, people are no doubt thinking something like “Captain Marvel,” but this is approaching the subject from a more conventional manner, with Dreykov (Ray Winstone) as a man taking away women’s free will in their ability to control their bodies, with Natasha being something of an avenging angel, in a matter of speaking. I think the film approaches both ideas- the familial ones and the toxic masculinity- well, and in relatively interesting ways (seeing the family back brings up some tough emotions that everyone (especially Pugh) portrays effectively. This isn’t heavy drama, however, but an action adventure at its heart, and I can see people just appreciating it on that level.
As an action adventure, I’m not sure if there are that many sequences you’ll remember by the time the end credits roll- the opening scene is good, and breaking Alexei out of a Gulag is fun, but there’s nothing really in terms of a combination of tension, stunt choreography and emotional stakes that the best Marvel set pieces have had to distinguish this from any other Marvel film. “Black Widow” is about giving Scarlett Johansson and Natasha Romanoff her own story at last, and wrapping up her story, even though we’ve already seen how her character’s arc ends in the MCU. Consider her work completed, but this won’t be the end for some of the characters; for them, it’s just beginning.
