‘Black Widow’: More than a Man
We don’t need to be told she’s a badass, she just is
Black Widow, Marvel’s homage to Scarlett Johansson, is a film the actress has sorely deserved for over a decade now. After months of delays and uncertainty she finally got that chance to stand alone, and it didn’t disappoint.
Natasha Romanoff, known as The Black Widow, was introduced into the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) in 2010’s Iron Man 2. That’s a long time to run with the likes of Thor, Captain America, and even Iron Man. Especially when you don’t have any powers, and wear lots of leather.
One stray piece of shrapnel to the chest, and it’s game over.
No offense given. I stub my toe and think i’m dying, so kudos Natasha.
Yet, even without incredible abilities, Johansson’s portrayal of the super-spy has gone from a throwaway character to an indisposable one. She became the voice of reason, a leader, and in the end; A beloved martyr. Paving the way for all the kick-ass Marvel Women we’ve seen since her introduction.
Natasha is given the humanity she has always possessed, just on a larger scale in this movie. Audiences will finally be able to see why she was who she was, and did what she did. Revel in that fact.
Our hero is not a man, which is a rarity thus far in the MCU. Even so, I could not be happier that Black Widow outshines some of the best characters in Marvel’s rolodex and does it with the poise and charm of a…black widow?
Are spiders charming?
Black Widow cements the titular character’s legacy as that key member of the MCU’s old guard, and leaves the role in Florence Pugh’s very capable hands. Pugh is the best part of the movie, in my opinion.
The film is not without its missed opportunities though, and overall is a very unoffensive detour from the MCU’s larger story. Johansson and co. acted the crap out of some lackluster writing and larger narrative pieces, but that couldn’t save them from the collective weight of the film.
At its core the story is all about family, and that is where it really sings. Natasha(Johansson) and her younger sister Yelena(Pugh) have an incredible dynamic, filled with true to life sibling banter and affection. As an older brother, I saw a lot of my relationship with my younger sister present in their’s. Albeit with less kicking and punching. LESS.
Yelena is the fire to Natasha’s ice. A striking new member of the Marvel crew, who is: brutal, without filter, and incredibly funny. The biggest laughs in the theatre came from Pugh’s Yelena, and they were earned. Her devil-may-care attitude is going to take her places in the MCU.
As far as their adopted sleeper cell parents are concerned, they’re fun characters but tonally miss the mark as the movie carries on. At the start they are both capable and conflicted individuals, with heavy hearts and big decisions. They’re badasses. By the end they are mainly used for comic relief and to fit the “classic” out of touch mom and dad stereotypes.
It’s a film about sisters, but come on; Rachel Weisz and David Harbour are better actors than that. I hope in the future they are able to shine brighter.
As a character steeped in mystery, Black Widow is one I wish this movie would have shed even more light on. The origin of the Black Widows themselves, and their training as children could have been a darkly interesting addition.
The villains too were a tad one-dimensional, especially Taskmaster. Even if Dreykov, the Big Bad, was an imposing figure who represents much darker themes than just being an evil Russian dude.
Now, i’m not in the business of spoiling things so I’ll be brief.
SPOILERS AHEAD. Read at your own risk!
Uncreative, seen it before, “called it” storytelling bogs movies down all the time. So here’s a general rule of thumb:
When you blow up a building with your arch enemy and their young child in it, and DON’T check for the bodies; It’s a good bet that the villain survived, and their kid has now grown up to become some mutilated cyborg person out for absolute blood.
Just a heads up.
Black Widow didn’t do much to build out the larger Marvel world, but provided the perfect backstory for one of our favorite characters. In many ways she is the people’s hero, no powers-no problem. It was fun, visually stunning, and set the stage for some interesting plot points down the road.
With a heavy heart, I’ve got to say goodbye. This is a character I came to know when I was a nerdy13-year-old, during the MCU’s infancy. Now i’m a nerdy 24-year-old; I know, a lot has changed.
I’ll truly miss Agent Romanoff. I hope that wherever she is, she’s kicking ass. But as she said herself:
“Pain only makes us stronger.”