Movie Review: Black Widow

 

Hey everyone, my name is Anthony and welcome back to my movie review.

From two years ago, i talked about the latest MCU film i ever watched before the over spread of virus, Spider-Man: Far From Home, which although it has a nice follow up, but not so much with the writing problem in my opinion and hope something good for third one this year(?). However, there's one character in MCU that we wanted for so long since we saw her in several films, which is Black Widow, its been like a decade since we never got her own movie on the big screen, aside from delays (with obvious reason), the film was finally released in theaters. And also in Disney+ and Digital download...

"Black Widow" is a 2021 Superhero film in MCU that was directed by Cate Shortland, produced by Kevin Fiege (because of course he does EVERY MCU films for decades), written on screenplay by Eric Pearson and story written by Jac Schaeffer and Ned Benson.

Surprisingly, this film was started developing back in April 2004 with Lionsgate Films with David Hayter as both writer and director, but didn't turned out with writing issues, leaving project hand over to Marvel Studio, but they decided to introducing Black Widow in Iron Man 2, which the film development of her wouldn't happen until in late 2017. But i hate to make a spoiler, but remember Avengers Endgame? Well, having her being killed off before releasing the film this year is probably a poor timing, which it would've been ok to release the film before Endgame when she's killed off to upsetting the fans (including me). But i another bad timing of the film's release is having movie to be available on Disney+ with premier access than the limited theaters, which they made Scarlett Johansson isn't very pleased over Disney's decision by filing a lawsuit against them for releasing the film in stream (which it wouldn't help to make money for her than the big screen) and a breach of contract (in other words, between this and being killed off in Endgame, i think she's done with them, based on a backstage politic what im aware), leaving the future projects with Black Widow being uncertain or going down from hill for the result of the case.

So after watching this movie, it makes me raised the question, is this film being cursed with bad luck, if its good or bad?

Well, lets find out.

The Story

For the movie about her, we assuming its gonna be a like an origin or even her own standalone film? Well, the answer is kinda all the above and probably "For Family".

The movie starts on flashback in 1995, where we introduce our young Natasha Romanoff and others like Yelena Belova, Melina Vostokoff and Alexei Shostakov lived together as a family, but once they were targetted by the police, since they style the intel from S.H.I.E.L.D., but they eventually escape to Cuba to give the intel to General Dreykov, but it was just the beginning, Romanoff and Belova are all separated from Alexei and Melina to be taken to Red Room. But decades later, Shostakov (in his identity as Red Guardian, aka Russian version of Captain America) was taken in prison, while Romanoff (as the original Black Widow) was on the mission with defecting to S.H.I.E.L.D. after the bomb blast in Budapest in order to kill Dreykov and Antonia. Fast forward to 2016 (taken place after Civil War), where Romanoff is fugitive from Sokovia Accords, which she's forced to escaping herself from secretary in order to fleeing herself in different country like Norway. Meanwhile a grown up Yelena Belova is on her own, but dealing with one rogue Black Widow, but eventually using a synthetic gas in order to break free from Red Room's chemical mind-control. After Natasha and Yelena fight each other in reunion, they are in mission together about the secret base base called |"Red Room" with unknown address, which they realized that Dreykov has survived from explosion and brought a powerful agent named "Taskmaster". Its up to Romanoff and Belova to not only finding Alexei Shostakov and Melina Vostokoff to dealing with Dreykov once again.

For the story, its another standard action film with action, not to mention, i think they've been a journey to jumping in different places like Norway, Cuba, Hungary to Russia. But the main plot is about going on action with reuniting their family figures, i know it sounds like The Fast and the furious series, but at least MCU have some creative stories from the comics than FnF series, but i digress. But what makes me felt surprised is how they told that Natasha isn't the only Black Widow, which it turns out that other girls are taken to the Red Room for taking their assassination role, except for some like Natasha and Yelena that they're reversed from Red Room, especially Romanoff became the agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. with Avengers that we all know and love, while Belova was disappeared as an anti-hero before reunite, i think. Speaking of which the chemistry between Natasha and Yelena are pretty fascinating, ranging from Natasha, despite being independent, but she may cared about the truth and always being badass, while Yelena is confident, unapologetic and sometimes curious. However, the biggest plot-point is how did General Dreykov survive from the explosion, it was probably never explain how he got away with. However, another plot point that i really wish they add is the extra telling for how Alexei had been as Red Guardian after taking a similar transformation as Captain America.

Despite the plot-point and a nothing new plot, but it has a unique execution to find out how Romanoff being named Black Widow and has some family figure partners working together.

The Presentation

For an action superhero in MCU, the presentation is still good, right? Well, duh, it has a pretty cool and fun presence.

For starter, the filming locations like Norway (with some long and dangerous road in one driving scene), Hungary (mainly in Budapest), and in Morocco (huh, that explains the budget of 200 million dollars). Although i first, when our heroes are in homeland Russia, i though they filmed in Russia, but in reality, it was filmed in England to make it feel like we're in the middle of nowhere outside of Saint-Petersburg, Russia. But i will admitted that aside that some locations like in Russia and Red Room was filmed in different lands like aforementioned England (with Pinewood studio with good'ol green screen), Atlanta, Macon, and Rome, Georgia, they're quite fascinated location picks to filming there.

As for the designs like say, the costumes and the set of Red Room, they're pretty good, the costumes are nicely made for their obviously, real tight outfits (even if its understandable that some actors gotten uncomfortable for tight they are). But the most odd one is Blake Widow's white outfit, which im assuming it was made for their snow camouflage since Natasha and Yelena going to Russia to break Alexei free. Speaking of Alexei, his supersuit of "Red Guardian" is obviously a copycat of Captain America, but at least it was made on purpose for his power of Soviet, or maybe a Cold War propose back in the old days with comics. But of course, we can easily stick to classy Black Widow's dark stealth skin tight suit to perfectly fit their appearance, sorry Black Widow, your white version isn't fitting well for the style.

As for the action scenes, well as always, they're pretty fun to watch ranging from Yelena facing against some rogue Black Widow, Romanoff and Belova fight each other for reuniting (which is very odd for that, but ok), the sabotage mission at Red Room and of course, the breaking prison to bring Alexei Shostakoff back for again, family reunion.

Aside with some minor nitpick i have, but the film's presentation is still looks amazing.

The Characters

Since Natasha isn't the only Black Widow, you think the new characters will be fascinated and likable, right? Well, its kinda.

Lets start of the OG Black Widow, Natasha Romanoff (played by Scarlett Johansson), as we all know, she's a badass former assassin and agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. since the beginning era. In this movie, which she's still being badass protagonist, she's now trying to hiding herself after Civil War, but also find out whatever happened from her past. Even though she may have some flaws to figure out from the past, but she's still a memorable member of Avengers, even though that SPOILER ALERT, already being killed off in Endgame for bad timing in my opinion. But still, Johansson did a pretty good work of her role as always.

Next up is Yelena Belova (played by Florence Pugh), who's a young blond version of Black Widow and a sister figure in family. I find her not bad, even if she could be overly curious and maybe overconfident, but she might have bravery and unapologetic, hopefully she'll get improved for her future and Florence is actually doing not a bad job.

After that, we have Alexei Shostakoff, aka Red Guardian (played by David Harbour), as i said before, he's the polar opposite of Captain America with Soviet theme. I mean, it might be either a villain or an anti-hero idea since he Natasha's father figure, but he's more stick together with his girls, just because he wants to reunite to admitting for being flawed and probably too cocky for communism, even though we already finished the Cold War era. Bit i digress, i find him ok too, even though he's meant for a broken father figure, but they gave him some comedic role based on his cocky attitude for Soviet back then, which il give a credit for David Harbour for his good role.

And the last family figure member is Melina Vostokoff (played by Rachel Weisz), another trained from Red Room, but she was first started before Natasha and Yelena, making her more like a mother figure. Unfortunately, that's pretty much it for her, she's just the mother figure version of Black Widow right before we found her as a pig farmer and a sniper, thats it. Though Rachel did a good work, but i just wish they could've gave her more appearance with more development.

Then, we have the main villain General Drekov (played by Ray Winstone), the boss of Red Room that he's the one who gave the birth of Black Widow to any young girls to becoming assassins and somehow got away from explosion that we thought he died, and yet survived that really bugged my mind. Anyway, i find him to be fascinating villain, being a mastermind of his training facility to using girls as an army of assassins globally, which im very impressed how he did, though he's probably being a coward when he was targeted by Romanoff, but he has a sinister and manipulative evil boss for his power, which il give a credit for Ray that he did an amazing work.

And finally, we have Taskmaster (though i won't give a credit who play the character for avoiding spoiler), its a Drekov's powerful agent who shares the same moves from several members of Avengers like Captain America's shield, Black Romanoff's agility fighting style, and Black Panther's claws, though the only exception was its sword, because it is a signature weapon from the comic. I find Taskmasker looks pretty cool for its appearance and being a copycat of the Avengers, but sadly, the way how it appears and portrayed isn't supposed to be like in the comic, which in the comic, he's not only a copycat of the Avengers, but also being either one-villain as mercenary or other times teaming with Avengers villains, but here, it's a silent agent who's hunting down Natasha, Yelena and Melina. I like its look, but the execution is very poorly.

As for the remaining, they're either helping out our hero or just... There.

The last one i kept for quick last is Rick Mason (played by O-T Fagbenle), who's Romanoff's ally of the S.H.I.E.L.D. and love interest as a finder with chopper, but pretty much being useless through out the film, though they wanted to give him more development of him, but he's pretty much as a cardboard cutout character that has nothing to do with the plot. Absolute waste of space.

The characters are a mixed bag, ranging from useless and underwhelming result to pretty good one.

And now for my final opinion of this film.

Overall, while its about time to having Black Widow getting her own movie, but ended up with above average result.

While the story is pretty good, another outstanding presentation and some good characters, but the rest are having problems like plot holes that im still questioning how did the main villain got away with, some pacing of changing location is kinda rushed (which i know we focused on actions) and some characters are either useless as a pet rock or not how one of them being presented.

If they released the film before Endgame, it would've been a pretty good film for a good timing, but its too late with with Natasha's gone and a lawsuit between Johansson and Disney are still fighting with more reasons than releasing on stream or breach of contract. Like, this is the film that not only it had a bad timing, but also pretty much being cursed from the legal action.

Is this a highly recommended film? Im not so sure, maybe you can watch it, but this is the film that you gotta see for once.

For my rating, im gonna give this one a 6/10. I just wish of this film could've gone better without the change from one of the biggest film ever or even Johansson disliked Disney's decision because of the virus...!

So this ends of my movie review after my long hiatus, if you guys have your opinion or any suggestions, let me know at comment bellow and support me on https://ko-fi.com/blackevil.

Thanks for reading, and im Anthony, signing out.