Black Widow —Due Diligence Served to a Loyal MCU Servant.

Today, I managed to catch film that has probably come far too late (and no, not because of Covid-19) and one that I was very intrigued to see how it was managed. Yep, I watched Marvel Studios’ first post-pandemic release, Black Widow.

Set just after the events of Captain America: Civil War, Natasha Romanoff is on the run from the government when her past catches up her — her long lost “sister” from a mission more than 20 years ago reconnects when antidotes have been found that can take down the entire Red Room. An opportunity that our heroine simply can’t allow to pass by.

As we all know, Scarlett Johansson’s character met her demise in Avengers: Endgame, but this film was the first time we got to properly dive into her character and backstory, which gave the actress her chance to shine.

Despite being in essence, a superhero film director Cate Shortland has taken a larger than life Avenger and brought her straight back down to earth as the kid who was forced out of her home and forced to become a trained killer. There’s so much more depth here and we’re really able to appreciate the emotions Natasha has been holding at bay for three phases of films, and they all come flooding back to her the moment her “family” the Avengers, have broken up.

The film was meant as a final farewell to Natasha’s character in the MCU, but it also felt like an expedition to right her wrongs and kill the ghosts of her past. The film plays on this element heavily and it works big time.

Another huge strength of the film is the relationship between Natasha and her sister Yelena. In a film that’s meant to be female-centric it’s very easy to go down a cheesy route and force it (a particular scene from the climax of “Avengers: Endgame” comes to mind) but the best way to describe it here is that it keeps it real.

Both characters experienced similar traumas, but both had their own side of the story — Natasha ended up escaping the Red Room, Yelena didn’t and was lucky enough to be freed from the mind control. They both have issues they need to solve and that dynamic of both of them reconnecting with their past and coming to terms with it all really carries the film forward on a strong emotional basis.

The relationship between the two of them and their family is a strong point towards the end of the film and that’s a credit to the writing. The parents don’t actually have a huge role to play other than a few comedic scenes, but the structure of the film means you feel their presence and their importance.

One disappointment for me was the usage of Taskmaster. Without spoiling the film, they didn’t go down the Anthony Masters route, and I did understand what they tried to do instead but it felt weak. The fighting ability itself was strong and was an enjoyable element, but the character was barely present and didn’t feel important — more like a hurdle towards the bigger enemy. I felt that more could have been done, which isn’t a new feeling when it comes to villains in solo films in the MCU.

On that note though, the action was VERY good. If you ever wondered what a female Bond film would be like, this is the closest you’ll get to the real thing. It captures the spy feel but also shines in the all out explosive action sequences, helped a lot by some very good cinematography. There’s actually a lot more action than you realise, it feels non stop and all out in a film heavily based on emotions and relationships — a testament to the screenplay and editing as the pacing of this film is spot on.

In summary, this film is VERY good, and does due diligence to a loyal servant of the MCU through some superb writing, great character development, strong emotional elements that carry the screenplay and fantastic action sequences.

It is truly one last hurrah for Natasha as she goes about killing the ghosts of her past in a journey that you simply cannot help but become emotionally invested in — and that it its’ biggest win.

Without spoiling, there is of course a credits scene, and you won’t want to miss this as it sets up a future series coming to Disney Plus later this year…

“Black Widow” is out now in cinemas and available to buy on Disney Plus.

Rating: 8/10