Black Widow: The Winter Soldier

Introduction

2021’s Black Widow, directed by Cate Shortland, is Marvel’s first movie in its phase four lineup and the first proper MCU film since Spider-Man Far from Home back in 2019. Since Covid struck like a hammer to the face, we have gotten a variety of superhero TV series from the House of Mouse, such as Loki, Wandavision and The Falcon and the Winter Soldier. But these were meant to feel like mere appetisers, with the films being the main courses. However, as a film, Black Widow gives off a sour taste leaving us with a less than desirable conclusion to the character’s backstory.

Plot and Setting

Black Widow takes place between the events of Captain America: Civil War and Avengers: Infinity War, where a desperate Natasha Romanov escapes from America after going against Sokovia Accords, a bill to have the Avengers lose their autonomy and become government operatives. She is not only being hunted down by Major Thunderbolt Ross (William Hurt) for her decision, but her foster sister, Yelena Belova, manages to recruit her into taking down a secret Russian organisation calling itself the Red Room.

The film’s premise is simple enough, a big bad from Natasha’s past has returned, and she needs to bring the band back together to save the world. This new threat is a Russian espionage group called the Red Room that trains and brainwashes their assassins to take down specific targets.

This film has two main antagonists. One of them is Dreykov, the director of the Red Room, who is supposed to challenge Natasha at an emotional level. The other, Task Master, who can mimic his opponents’ skillsets, is an agent sent by the Red Room to terminate Natasha once and for all.

The movie’s opening shows a simpler time for our protagonist as a child within an American suburb with a loving family. However, all is not as it seems, as this family is entirely comprised of Russian sleeper agents assigned to spy on the Americans and steal top secret information for the Motherland. This theme of family is explored throughout the film’s runtime as Black Widow slowly reunites with her old unit to take down the Red Room.

Black Widow takes several elements from various spy films, most notably 2010’s Salt, along with some of the more bizarre entries in the 007 film library. The film shines the most when it is trying to be a spy film, which mainly happens during the first half of the movie, but falls flat on its face during its final act.

The final act hits similar beats to past Marvel properties, especially Captain America: The Winter Soldier, where we find our heroes fighting a secret organisation aboard a floating military base (Sound familiar?). Here is where the tone goes all over the place, changing from a spy flick to a Fast and Furious rip off filled with outrageous stunts and explosions.

Characters and Performances

The dynamic between the two widows, Natasha Romanov and Yelena Belova, portrayed by Scarlett Johansson and Florence Pugh, is one of this movie’s highlights. It is hilarious watching Natasha, one of the more stoic Avengers on the roster, basically argue like a teenager with her younger sister while trying to escape enemy assassins.

One of the most humorous parts of the film is where Yelena questions her sister about her need to pose whenever she fights and even tries to imitate her older sister out of mockery.

Johansson’s acting was fine, mainly channelling her performances from Captain America: The Winter Soldier and Avengers throughout this movie. However, it did feel like she was giving way so that Pugh can take the stage. That said, Pugh pulls off an exceptional performance as Yelena, giving us a more diamond in the rough personality from the younger Widow.

David Harbour is also one of the highlights of the film as Alexei, the Red Guardian, a washed-up Russian Super Soldier who is trying to relive his glory days. He is the big Russian guy of the group who provides most of the comic relief throughout the film.

It is sad to say, but Black Widow’s antagonists could probably be the worse out of the entire MCU, and that includes the bland strip of toilet paper that was Malekith from Thor 2: The Dark World. Task Master gets the shorter end of the stick, completely assassinating his character and transforming him into a mute shell of what he is supposed to be. It is depressing because the character had so much potential of being a Marvel mainstay instead of another throwaway villain.

Then there is Dreykov (Ray Winstone), the film’s main antagonist and leader of the Red Room, who is basically some Russian guy in the suit spitting out some of the worse lines in the entire MCU. He comes across as a typical cartoony Bond villain who wants to take over the world unlimited resource of girls(I wish I was making this stuff up). Quite frankly, he comes across as a pitiful little speedbump in the overall scheme of things.

Action and choreography

There were many well-choreographed fights scenes throughout the first half of the movie, giving the two widows ample opportunities to shine. Despite showing the same enthusiasm as a brick, Task Master does get a fantastic introduction going toe to toe with Black Widow, thanks to his mimicry ability. It is also amusing to see her signature scissor takedown be used against her. However, it is the use of gadgets and weapons which keeps this fight interesting.

Speaking of the stunts, one can make a drinking game out of all the times Natasha should have died but was saved thanks to her godlike plot armour. The girl somehow managed to tank more explosions to the face than a Michael Bay themed Independence Day firework festival. What makes it worse is that the character appears in later movies, which makes every close call and deadly blast feel empty by comparison.

Conclusion

As a movie, Black Widow comes five years too late for it to be of any relevance within the main Marvel storyline. We know her ultimate outcome in Avengers Endgame which completely dissipates the tension within this movie.

The film does not tell us anything revolutionary about the Black Widow character but instead sets the stage up for a newer generation of heroes. The problem with this movie is that it lacks a soul and instead relies on some tried and trusted formula to get all the work done. While Black Widow is fine for what it is, it does not satisfy the appetite.