After more than 20 films in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Black Widow is finally getting her first solo adventure. Her self-titled film is a strange one by comparison to that of Thor, Captain America, and Iron Man in that Black Widow is set before the events of Avengers: Infinity War, but is being released after her death in Avengers: Endgame. It’s a bittersweet farewell to the character, but there is also a too little, too late sense of closure that makes some of the film’s narrative choices confusing at times. Black Widow fleshes out Scarlett Johansson’s Natasha Romanoff by touching upon her backstory, but it often feels like she’s a supporting character in her own movie. Black Widow is filled with fantastic action-packed sequences, fun comedic beats, and themes of family, even while it shortchanges Natasha herself.

Set shortly after Captain America: Civil War, Natasha (Johansson) is on the run from Thaddeus Ross (William Hurt) following the events surrounding the Sokovia Accords and the Avengers’ fallout. After receiving a mysterious package of vials from Yelena Belova (Florence Pugh), Natasha returns to Budapest and reunites with her estranged sister in a bid to destroy the Red Room, where they were sent to be trained as spies and assassins, and Dreykov (Ray Winstone), the man who runs it, once and for all. They are joined by Red Guardian (David Harbour) and Melina Vostokov (Rachel Weisz), who once posed as their parents. With wounds from her past still raw, Natasha must bridge the gap between who she was and who she is now, all while attempting to make amends with her family.

Related: Black Widow: Scarlett Johansson Set Visit Interview

Nat and Yelena on a motorcycle in Black Widow

The film, directed by Cate Shortland from a screenplay by Eric Pearson, explores overt themes of family and what it means to be one. Natasha is still raw from the abuses she was forced to endure as a child. While Melina and Alexei didn’t particularly mistreat her when they were pretending to be a picture-perfect family, Natasha still felt the sting of betrayal after being sent back to the Red Room. Black Widow grapples with these complicated feelings throughout the film, of chosen family, and what one is willing to do to keep those connections from being destroyed completely. The film makes a lot of comparisons between Natasha’s two families — her chosen one, the Avengers, and the one she was assigned to as a kid. She has some fond memories with both, but they are also increasingly messy. To that end, Black Widow offers Natasha a rejuvenated sense of purpose and identity as she acknowledges the influence they’ve both had in her life and what she has to let go of to move forward. It also offers closure to a story arc that has only ever been teased in previous films.

That said, the film is set up as more of an ensemble than a solo outing. The audience is barely given any time with Natasha before she is thrown into the action, with Black Widow shaping the story more so around Yelena’s origin and going so far as to focus more on her feelings surrounding the only family she’s known, as well as her fight against Dreykov. There are even comparisons made as to who had it worse in the Red Room — Yelena, who was chemically subjugated, or Natasha, who was indoctrinated through old-fashioned brainwashing. The film certainly finds time to focus on the bond Natasha and Yelena have as sisters, but the story does shift to center on Yelena a lot, often overshadowing her big sister in the process. This is probably because Yelena will be a staple of the MCU’s Phase Four, but considering the film is Natasha’s first (and last) solo outing, Black Widow treats her more like a supporting character and it doesn’t give her or her story the attention it deserves.

black widow review

But the film has some of the best action sequences in recent memory. The hand-to-hand combat is well-choreographed, the stunts are ambitious and exciting, especially in the final act. There are plenty of thrills to be had — be it in motorcycle getaways or high-octane aerial stunts. The only major disappointment in that regard is Taskmaster. The character can mimic anyone’s movements and fighting style, but the film never fully engages with this skill in combat for more than a few seconds. However, Black Widow makes good use of the Red Room setting, with the film’s overarching feminist themes adding another layer to the story as it explores the widows’ lack of control over their minds and bodies, as well as the sense of freedom that comes with being able to choose when given the chance.

As far as performances go, Scarlett Johansson does the best she can with the material. There is a lot of reflection, frustration, and remorse that Natasha feels throughout and the actress leans into each feeling accordingly. Florence Pugh is a highlight of the film, infusing Yelena with equal parts strength, vulnerability, and gentle humor, all of which helps to establish her deep connection with Natasha. Her debut is memorable and it’ll be exciting to see where she goes next from here. David Harbour’s Red Guardian, meanwhile, is more of the comedic relief and the actor leans into that without being too ridiculous. Rachel Weisz is always excellent and that’s no different here; the only downside is there isn’t enough of her. Ray Winstone also makes a great antagonist as Dreykov, conveying an insidious cruelty that is more devastating than most other MCU villains that have come before.

Black Widow had a lot of boxes to check off. Its unique situation meant that it had to offer closure with regards to Natasha’s story, especially considering the film marks her final appearance in the MCU. It delivers by exploring Natasha’s history and introducing memorable new characters whose journeys are equally interesting. The biggest disappointment is perhaps that it doesn’t do enough to focus on Natasha, opting to set up Yelena as her successor. There is just enough Black Widow, however, to make this a distinct film, one that is less of a traditional superhero outing in the MCU, with the film more interested in exploring the lengths of human cruelty, perseverance, and the ties that bind despite everything.

Next: Black Widow: Florence Pugh Set Visit Interview

Black Widow is releasing in theaters July 9, 2021. It will also be available to stream on Disney+ via Premier Access on the same day. The film is 134 minutes long and is rated PG-13 for intense sequences of violence/action, some language and thematic material.

Key Release Dates