In her first outing as a titular character, Scarlett Johansson promises a grittier reprisal of the role only to be brought down by a clichéd story and oxymoronic costumes, ruining any hopes for a human spy thriller.
Years after her debut in Iron Man 2, Black Widow has finally been allowed to escape the shackles of a supporting role and spin her own web. As Marvel’s Cinematic Universe expands and diversifies itself with shows such as Loki and WandaVision (stories that aren’t afraid to stray from the beaten path), it isn’t surprising that another fan favourite has been allowed to take a solo road trip down memory lane. But similarly to The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, Black Widow falls short on a thrilling adventure and delivers a formulaic backstory that might have been better kept secret.
Natasha Romanoff (Scarlett Johansson) finds herself running from the law – a situation that she is neither surprised nor worried about as she outwits the ignorant and bureaucratic US secretary of state (William Hurt). Now flying alone, Romanoff runs into a memory: her fake KGB family that infiltrated and stole American intelligence back when the widow was still a hatchling.
As Marvel have embraced change by allowing new talent to imbue their franchise with fresh perspectives and styles, Black Widow disappointingly feels routine. As Romanoff flees the police, Johansson finally shows off some grittier sides of the trained killer. Cool and calculated, Romanoff feels like a spy that needs to find her way back into a world she has grown to love with nothing but her wits and cashed-in favours. Unfortunately, the darker tones are quick to evaporate as boring backstory engulfs what could have made Black Widow an interesting character.
Combining big explosions and superhuman action with a character known for her subtlety is certainly a tall order, one which never truly finds equilibrium. Instead of attempting to meld the film, one scene will feature quiet and intimate moments as Natasha speaks to her sister only for Taskmaster (Olga Kurylenko) to appear in a costume that closer resembles pyjamas than a military-grade suit. There is a clear dichotomy that never gets resolved, tarnishing any attempt at humanising a character whose moral ambiguity has always been a highlight in past films.
What does save Black Widow is its well-rounded cast, especially in newcomers Florence Pugh, David Harbour and Rachel Weisz. Odd and clearly beyond dysfunctional, the faux family share a handful of intense moments between them as they juggle their personal priorities with their confusing and emotionally damaging pasts. Harbour’s ignorant love for his once-daughters brings a warmth to the cold outing; not enough to spark anything exciting but a flame is a flame, even if it is just a candle.
Black Widow is, at best, mediocre with gripping moments that end up having no friction
Pugh plays the younger and more emotional mirror to Johansson well but is never allowed enough room to spread her wings, ending up as just another foot-note character played by a brilliant actress. The only casting misstep is Ray Donovan as the man pulling the strings who sounds weirdly cockney as he tries to create a Russian accent.
A jarring visual choice is the costume design. While on the lamb, Romanoff wears plain street clothes until a sudden switch to an uninspired white costume, immediately ruining any sense of mystique as the overtly skin-tight leather remains for the majority of the film until she switches back to black (a rose by any other name).
Black Widow is, at best, mediocre with gripping moments that end up having no friction. It doesn’t really strive to do anything except to give fans a final send-off, leaving it out to dry as a predictable ending slowly stumbles along. Being a prequel also does it no favours.
Some Marvel fans will find the film entertaining simply from the fan-service factor but most, like me, will walk away thinking about what could have been… When will No Time to Die release to scratch that clandestine itch?
Black Widow is currently showing in select cinemas and streaming on Disney+.